FORT MYERS, Fla. >> Simeon Woods Richardson spent last offseason overhauling his mechanics. His main focus was changing his arm slot and getting comfortable with throwing from lower down.

The move led to an uptick in his velocity, and by the time spring training began and he started seeing hitters, Woods Richardson could finally see the fruits of his labor.

Though he didn’t make the team out of camp — Louie Varland grabbed the fifth spot in the rotation after Anthony DeSclafani went down with an injury — Woods Richardson quickly took advantage of his opportunity after Varland faltered in April, grabbing hold of a rotation spot and never letting go.

A year later, Woods Richardson, 24, comes into the season in a much different place.

Where he had two games of major league experience a year ago, he now has 30.

Woods Richardson made 28 starts for the Twins last year, compiling a 4.17 earned-run average across 133 2/3 innings, and was named the Twins’ Most Outstanding Rookie for his efforts. Now, he looks to have a leg up as he competes for the Twins’ final rotation spot.

The starter against the Yankees on Tuesday at Hammond Stadium, Woods Richardson gave up one run in two innings of the Twins’ 5-4 walk-off win.

“He is one of those guys that’s proving himself and coming to win a spot in camp and showing what he can do, and (Tuesday) was a nice day for him in regards to that,” manager Rocco Baldelli said.

Woods Richardson was remarkably consistent as a rookie last season, although he appeared to tire near the end. He did not complete five innings in a game in September, and he posted a 6.48 earned-run average in the final month.

“I think one of the tests for him this year is that stamina and sustaining that performance throughout,” Baldelli said.

Having that experience, and going through a full season, helped guide him this offseason. It sounds vanilla, he admitted, but his focus this winter was trying to stay as consistent in his training as he would during the season — and in every other facet of work.

“The conditioning it takes to go 162 games, that was my first time ever doing it, so just learning from the process and learning how to collect data and say, ‘OK, you felt like this and this in this time,’ ” he said. “I’m really appreciative for that first season so you can know what you’re working with.”

With nearly a full major league season now under his belt, Woods Richardson, who was a second-round draft pick and then traded twice before he debuted with Minnesota, said his focus in his first start of the spring was getting his rhythm and getting his feet back underneath him.

“(I’m) trying to stay through every pitch a little bit more instead of peeling off,” he said. “Staying through my mechanics, as simple as it sounds, but staying back as long as I can — feeling myself get through the mound and clear the mound is really my biggest focus.”

While David Festa and Zebby Matthews also debuted last season, and are among the Twins’ rotation options, Woods Richardson seems the most likely to join Pablo López, Bailey Ober, Joe Ryan and Chris Paddack in the rotation.

“A job is a job, and at end of the day, you have to go out and do your job,” Woods Richardson said.

“Taking it one day at a time with training, with conditioning, with mental notes, with literally game notes. Just taking it for what it is. Just know that you have to do it, that you’re going to go out there and compete and give it your best.”