Ryan Sweeney will return to Cedar Rapids Wednesday with a new approach to hitting, thanks to Hall of Famer Rod Carew.

He also could return with a new Major League team.

Sweeney, 27, has spent more than a week in California with Carew, working on his approach to hitting and tinkering with his swing.

Carew won seven batting titles during his Major League career with the Twins and Angels and collected 3,053 hits. Only Ty Cobb, Tony Gwynn and Honus Wagner won more batting crowns than Carew, a renowned student of the game.

"He is an unbelievable hitting coach," Sweeney said in a telephone interview Monday night.

Sweeney is a .280 career hitter since breaking into the big leagues in 2006 with the Chicago White Sox, but he's never hit with much power despite being a big guy at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds.

He's played for the White Sox, Oakland A's and Boston Red Sox, but he's currently a free agent after being released by the Red Sox after an injury-riddled 2012 campaign.

Sweeney and his agent, Larry Reynolds, have turned down several offers as they continue to look for the right fit.

"I could have signed with some teams already, but we didn't feel like there was enough playing time at those different spots," he said. "We wanted to wait and see what happens."

Sweeney will have his final session with Carew on Tuesday, then fly home to Cedar Rapids on Wednesday.

"I think something is going to happen in the next couple of days," he said. "I have a couple of options with three teams right now.

"I want to make a decision and figure out what's going on."

Sweeney, a left-handed outfielder, declined to reveal the teams that have offered contracts or expressed interest.

Reynolds, his agent, knows Carew and helped set up the hitting lessons in California. Sweeney is confident the lessons will help him become a better hitter.

They've worked on his mechanics and approach, trying to drive the ball further and with more power.

"I did change my swing a little bit," said Sweeney. "I'm not toe-tapping anymore. I'm picking up my leg and putting it down."

Sweeney said Carew has talked to him about his "path to the ball" during at-bats.

"It feels a lot better," he said. "This simplifies things to where I'm more balanced, my head is still and I'm not out-front on pitches."

He's had a half-dozen sessions with Carew and feels comfortable with his new approach.

"The first couple of times I had to think about what I was doing and changing my swing," he said. "I'm getting it now and not having to think about it. Because that's the main thing. You don't want to think about that when you're trying to hit."

Sweeney played in only 60 games with the Red Sox last season, due to injuries and his status as the club's fourth outfielder much of the year. He'd like to become a full-time player again for a competitive team.

"I still have to prove I'm healthy and that I can still play, obviously," he said. "When you get five or six years of service time (in the major leagues), they know what kind of player you are."

Sweeney's next club, however, could be getting a new and improved player, thanks to his work with Carew.

Sweeney said he's developed a new plan for batting practice this season to help prepare for games. He's looking forward to spring training to get a fresh start with a new team.