Small-town guy Cabbage chasing big dream
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — History books will mark 2023 as a notable year for Blaine, Tenn., which is located in Grainger County, about a half hour northeast of Knoxville.
Last spring, 227 years after the town was founded, the Tennessee Department of Transportation gifted Blaine with its first stoplight.
Then what do you know, it opened its first Taco Bell, with a ribboncutting celebration that included 25-cent tacos.
A few months later, all of Blaine was locked in on an Astros game as favored son Trey Cabbage made his major league debut for the Angels against the defending World Series champions. What a year. “Blaine’s growing up,” Cabbage said. “A stoplight and a Taco Bell? We’ve made it.”
What’s on tap for 2024? Well, a Waffle House is coming to town.
And, perhaps, Cabbage can earn a place on the Astros’ roster.
Sturdily built at 6-2, 205 pounds with the combination of left-handed power teams covet and impressive speed — he hit 30 home runs and stole 32 bases in just 107 Triple-a games for the Salt Lake Bees last year — Cabbage has an opportunity at hand.
Entering his 10th year of professional ball, Cabbage has played in just 22 major league games. He wants to put on his best display as he prepares for the season, wherever it might be.
“I don’t really think about making the team or not making the team,” Cabbage said. “I’m just trying to get better each day, because if you get hyperfocused on one thing, sometimes you neglect to work on other things.
“So I’m just trying to make sure that I’m finetuning and getting better at everything that I do. So if the time comes that I do make the roster or I don’t, I’m still in the best position to play my best every day.”
Cabbage was a fourthround pick of the Twins in 2015 and played in their minor league system until he was released at the end of the 2021 season. He was immediately scooped up by the Angels, who traded him to Houston for minor leaguer Carlos Espinosa this past New Year’s Eve.
Cabbage said he is grateful to be in any uniform but likes the Astros’ fit.
His debut, first start, first hit, first run and first RBI all came in a threegame series against the Astros last July. With family on hand, he entered his first two games as a pinch hitter in tough situations against two of the best relievers in the business.
His first at-bat came against Bryan Abreu. The next day, he came in to face Ryan Pressly with two outs in the bottom of the ninth and the potential game-winning run on base.
“Those are not easy, definitely not break-in at-bats for sure,” Cabbage said with a chuckle.
Cabbage broke through in the series finale, getting the start at first base and going 3-for-3 with two RBIS. His initial knock came off Cristian Javier.
He is off to a slow start statistically this spring, with only two hits and eight strikeouts in his first 13 at-bats.
“Consistency is the only thing I’ve definitely gotta improve on,” he said. “I feel like in the past I’ve been kind of streaky. I’ll be hot and cold. I definitely need to flatten that out. Shorten the slumps, bring them back up and ride the high. Ride the waves.”
Astros general manager Dana Brown says quality at-bats are a key component in deciding who makes the opening-day roster. Cabbage will have a chance to prove what he can do as one of the players in the mix for a reserve outfield role.
Last year with the Angels, he split time equally at first base and the outfield. He has a good arm and is solid defensively. He is a strong enough athlete that he once bent a rim dunking a basketball in a high school game.
When he settles in at the plate, he does damage.
“He’s been up-anddown,” Brown said. “We want to get him to the point where he’s having more quality at-bats. If he starts having quality atbats, he could push our hands a little bit.
“He’s working, and the big thing is he’s been receptive to our input. He could end up being a really good player up here.”
Cabbage has never been to Minute Maid Park. He was in the big leagues only long enough to play in five opposing stadiums last year.
His hometown’s entire population would not fill the Crawford Boxes.
Blaine was originally known as Blaine Crossroads because important passageways intersected there. Cabbage isn’t exactly at a crossroads of his career, but there is some urgency. He turns 27 in May.
“I feel like I’ve been blessed to be put in this position,” he said. “I don’t try to think about where I’m going to play, I just try to play the best I can where I’m at.
“It’s obviously the goal to play at the big league level and play there consistently. But the Lord has a plan, and as long as I go out and put in my work and surrender everything to Him, then His plan will come to fruition.”
Cabbage was the first player from Grainger High School drafted by an MLB franchise. Last summer, the Dodgers picked pitcher Brady Smith in the third round.
“It’s a tiny little town, but I’m very grateful for when I grew up,” Cabbage said. “It’s awesome coming from a place like that and giving kids that I’ve played with and grown up with a chance to say that though we’re from the middle of nowhere, we can still make it.
“I’m excited to see the game grow there and the kids get the opportunity.”
Cabbage is trying to take advantage of his this spring.