Outfielder Jake Cave looks secure in his 25-man roster spot for the Cincinnati Reds. The 23-year old left-handed hitter has taken advantage of spring training to showcase why he belongs in the big leagues despite having just 29 Triple-A plate appearances under his belt.
Cave made a diving catch off a line drive to end the second inning of the Reds’ Cactus League game against the Seattle Mariners Sunday. He followed his defensive gem with an absolute bomb to center field in the third inning. The belt-high fastball Cave smashed soared over the 410′ mark in center.
Despite his impressive desert blast Sunday, Cave is not a power hitter. He has slugged just .391 in four minor league seasons. His high for homers in a season is seven. The strength of Cave at the plate is his ability to reach base. He is a career .285 hitter with a .346 on-base percentage.
Cave is hitting .320 so far this spring with a .370 OBP.
Cave was selected in the Rule 5 draft this year by the Reds from the New York Yankees. Cave has done his utmost to seize the opportunity to stick with the Reds out of spring training and stay with the team throughout the year.
The acquisition of Cave looks like one bright spot for the Reds after a tumultuous offseason. Cave won’t make Reds’ fans forget Todd Frazier any time soon. But he does have a chance to make a name for himself.
How much playing time Cave receives depends on the health of Billy Hamilton. Cave could find himself penciled in as the Reds’ opening day center fielder if Hamilton can’t fully recover from shoulder surgery in time.
Cave also has a chance to figure into the Reds left field plans. When Hamilton does finally return, Cave could find himself with an edge to start in left field if he continues to show why the Reds coveted him so highly in the Rule 5 draft.
Robb Hoff writes about the Cincinnati Reds for OutsidePitch MLB. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook.
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