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Hampton native Jake Cave will make his debut with the “Phightin’ Phils” on Thursday afternoon after the veteran outfielder was brought in from the Baltimore Orioles on a waiver claim in December.
Picked in the sixth round in the 2011 draft by the New York Yankees, the former Kecoughtan High School star spent years in their system before being designated for assignment and picked up by the Minnesota Twins.
Cave would make his debut in The Show with the Twins in 2018, where he spent five years being bounced between the Majors and Minors before being picked up on the waiver wire by the Orioles, then the Phillies within three months last winter.
During his time with the Twins, Cave appeared in 335 games, notching 33 home runs and 118 RBI with a slash line of .235/.297/.411, an OPS of .708 and OPS+ of 93 (slightly below the league average score of 100).
With the Phillies, Cave is expected to be thrust into extended action following the season-ending injury to expected slugging first baseman Rhys Hoskins. He forced his way onto the Opening Day lineup after mashing three homers with 12 RBI during a big Spring Training.
The lefty is expected to see a lot of at bats against right handers in a corner outfield or possible DH spot.
On MLB.com, Phillies manager Rob Thompson cited Cave’s handedness and ability to play all over the diamond as reasons for giving him an extended look in the majors.
Cave will make the start in left field on Thursday afternoon at Globe Life Field on the road against the Texas Rangers, batting eighth in the lineup in a game set to be started by possible Cy Young candidate Aaron Nola.
Both the Virginia and baseball connection extend to Cave’s family, as his father also played ball at Kecoughtan and later became the head coach of The Apprentice School, and his sisters reportedly starred on the field in softball.
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