Article: Catching Up With Infielder Trey Cabbage

[Seth Stohs]

Trey Cabbage was the Twins third round draft pick in June of 2015 out of high school in Tennessee. After a solid debut in the GCL after signing, he spent his first full season as a professional baseball player with the Twins in 2016. After extended spring training, he went back to his home state and played for the Elizabethton Twins.

 

A year ago at this time, we Got to Know Trey Cabbage, and now we catch up with him to read how he felt about his first full professional season and much more.If you order the 2017 Twins Prospect Handbook, you’ll learn that Cabbage was an incredible three-sport athlete at Granger High School. He is a very mature young man who continues to mature physically. With his work ethic, he’s got a chance hit for a lot of power. He was young for his draft class, so patience will be key. But the upside is tremendous.

 

With that, let’s get to the the questions and answers. Today, let’s get caught up with Trey Cabbage.

 

 

 

Seth Stohs (SS): Your first full season, let’s start at the beginning. Discuss your thoughts on your first spring training. Was it what you thought it would be?

 

Trey Cabbage (TC): My first full year was a great experience. My first full spring training was really fun and I learned a lot just by playing, failing, watching and learning.

SS: Spring training tends to be pretty busy with a lot of fans, but I imagine once extended spring training starts, there are fewer people there. Describe the work you put in during those months of EST, or is it the same as regular spring training?

 

TC: Extended is a lot less exciting and flashy from the fan and environment standpoint. However, it's great because mostly everyone gets to play everyday. The work you put in during extended is no less important than any other time. Not many people outside of your teammates see the process and it can be tough to get motivated, but you have to have the inner fire to push to the next step.

SS: What was the adjustment like for you playing in the Appalachian League in Elizabethton? It was kind of like coming home for you, playing in Tennessee?

 

TC: Playing in ETown was fun because I got to be in the country and small town atmosphere like I'm used to back home. Finally, going on road trips and playing series of games was very exciting too.

SS: Now that you’ve been home for a few months, have you been able to put together your overall thoughts on your first full season? What did you learn about yourself on and off the field.

 

TC: I already knew this, yet it becomes more evident year after year: I need to relax and to not press so much.

SS: Do you follow other professional or college sports teams throughout the offseason? Do you spend time at your high school watching sports?

 

TC: I'm a huge Tennessee football fan, and I somewhat keep up with their men's basketball team. I'm not big on NFL or NBA, but I do root for the Titans and the Cowboys.

SS: How would you describe yourself as a player? What are your strengths on the field?

 

TC: I'm blessed with a good frame and ability. If I will allow myself to relax and let the game come to me, I feel confident in myself to perform in many aspects of the game.

SS: What are some areas of your game that you focused on in instructs and through your offseason?

 

TC: I focused a lot on gaining weight. One of my goals is to add some good weight and a little body fat to help with durability for the long playing season. I want to get bigger and stronger, while still maintaining my speed.

SS: Whether on the baseball field or elsewhere, what is the best piece of advice that you have been given?

 

TC: On time is late. The early bird gets the worm. Quality of quantity.

SS: What are some of the things you do to get away from baseball?

 

TC: I go fishing and hiking, hang out with my girlfriend and my buddies. Just anything to relieve stress.

SS: At what point do you not only start thinking about the 2017 season, but when do your workouts and preparation begin? Are you doing anything different after going through a full season?

 

TC: I usually take about 3-4 weeks off after the season is over. Then I begin to lift and strength train. I start hitting in mid-December.

SS: Did you learn anything about yourself, or did anything surprise you about working through a full season?

 

TC: I feel like I was pretty well prepared for what I faced. Nothing really caught me off guard.

SS: There are probably some high school baseball players reading this. What would one piece of advice be that you would share with them (or maybe have shared with kids back home), or share with a 13-or-14-year-old Trey?

 

TC: Pay attention to those who don't cheer when you do well, those are the people you have to prove wrong. Work for yourself, work until your good-enough is flawless.

 

Thank you so much to Trey Cabbage for taking time out of his busy day to answer our questions. Please feel free to ask questions and discuss in the comments below.

 

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[clutterheart]

 

 

Pay attention to those who don't cheer when you do well, those are the people you have to prove wrong.

 

Denard Span had that attitude and it served him well!  It was a bummer that he struggled last year, as he was getting a lot of positive reports.  Hopefully he can turn it around, cut down on strike outs and put the bat on the ball

 

[DocBauer]

Based on potential and the overall athleticism we hear so much about, I find him to be one of the more excitjng and interesting prospects in the Twins lower levels. I know he's a few years away, but I have to wonder if he is the next in line for 3B, possibly allowing Sano to eventually move to 1B.

[gunnarthor]

I remember thinking he'd break out last year and we'd all be really excited about him but it was Blankenhorn who did while Cabbage struggled.  Really hope he puts it together.  

[Seth Stohs]

In some conversations with various people, I think this might be true right now:

 

Travis Blankenhorn has the higher floor, but Trey Cabbage has the higher ceiling. 

[Thrylos]

He has a ton of potential, but I think that what is missing from this conversation is some sort of negative reaction after a .204/.297/.337 at the plate and .883 fielding percentage at 3B season, from a 4th round pick.

 

This quote to summarize his season is very concerning:

 

"TC: I feel like I was pretty well prepared for what I faced. Nothing really caught me off guard."

 

Apparently, he was either caught off guard and needs to work on some things or just does not have the ability to be better.  The fact that there is no apparent realization that 2016 was a terrible season for him and he needs to work hard to fix things, kinda bothers me.

 

Reality is not all rainbows and unicorns...

[diehardtwinsfan]

 

TC: Pay attention to those who don't cheer when you do well, those are the people you have to prove wrong. Work for yourself, work until your good-enough is flawless.

 

With the exception of the other team, it's kind of sad that there's people like that.  Hope the kid proves them wrong.

[ScrapTheNickname]

 

Based on potential and the overall athleticism we hear so much about, I find him to be one of the more excitjng and interesting prospects in the Twins lower levels. I know he's a few years away, but I have to wonder if he is the next in line for 3B, possibly allowing Sano to eventually move to 1B.

Far far too early to say, I'd say. He only had 98 ABs last year in E-Town, He must have been injured part of the year. And as others have mentioned, he performed poorly when he did play. But here's to hoping that one day we have Granite and Cabbage starting for the Twins, just because of their names.

[Bob Sacamento]

 

In some conversations with various people, I think this might be true right now:

 

Travis Blankenhorn has the higher floor, but Trey Cabbage has the higher ceiling. 

Cabbage is still growing, he's already added more muscle and weight since joining the Twins.  That is likely to continue and if you use the "old scout thinking", his dad is extremely muscular and the apple doesn't fall far from the tree.  My worry at the end of the 2015 season and even more so after the 2016 season is that he's very inflexible physically and that's self admittingly.  He has already had a lower back stress reaction as well as hamstring issues at his age, kid needs start doing some Yoga and Pilates!

[gunnarthor]

 

With the exception of the other team, it's kind of sad that there's people like that.  Hope the kid proves them wrong.

Um, have you met TD?