Daniel Cabrera was taken 62nd overall in last summer's draft by the Tigers out of LSU.
Without minor league baseball last year due to the pandemic, Cabrera is just now getting his first taste of professional baseball with the Whitecaps.
"It has been awesome so far," Cabrera said. "I am just really blessed to be able to play the season with everything going on in the world."
He's making the trasition from college to pro look easy, three home runs and 19 RBI so far and was 10-19 in the last six games, all wins, against Lake County.
He's using the resources he has available in the minor leagues coaches.
"The things that I am working on are just staying within myself, not trying to do too much," Cabrera said. "I've been talking with Bill Springman, (Brayan) Pena, (Kevin) Guthrie just talking to everybody. "Just working on staying within myself and not trying to do too much."
Cabrera hit over .300 in three seasons at LSU and was given jersey number eight to wear his last year. That number goes to the upperclassman who shows great leadership.
Even as a rookie in pro ball, those skills serve him well.
"I just come out here I try to bring a bunch of energy, stay positive," Cabrera said. "Everybody goes through their ups and downs in a different way but I kind of want to be a good teammate on and off the field, just be super positive and bring the energy and help anybody, anyway I can."
One thing noticeable about Cabrera on the field, other than his play, are his gold chains he wears around his neck.
"I got a cross on my rope and the second one right here I would have my number on it," Cabrera said. "At LSU I had two and a number eight, I didn't know what number I would have here so I didn't get anything."
"I kind of started wearing chains when I was 10-12 kind of in that area," Cabrera continued. "My mom got me my first one but it is just something I like to have my number and a cross on at all times, I never take these off."
He says that he will wait until he gets to the big leagues to add his number to the chain.
