Philadelphia Phillies Claim Outfielder Jake Cave off Waivers

Jake Cave doesn't exactly have an illustrious career, but he's better than an average waiver claim pickup.

Drafted in the sixth round of the 2011 MLB Amateur Draft by the New York Yankees, Cave made his debut with the Minnesota Twins in 2018 as a center fielder.

He impressed in his first two seasons, slashing .262/.329/.466 in 537 plate appearances. In that span, Cave slapped 21 home runs, showcasing above-average power alongside good corner outfield defense.

Despite a bright beginning, Cave has an OPS of just .614 in 478 plate appearances since, and he's proved he doesn't have what it takes to play defense in center field, though he does have enough experience to play there in a pinch.

After a disappointing 2022, the Twins placed him on waivers on Oct. 11. He was claimed by the Baltimore Orioles and placed on waivers again. On Friday the Philadelphia Phillies claimed him as the 38th man on their 40-man roster.

This will probably prevent them from making any Rule 5 Draft selections, but the roster is packed enough that they likely won't need to.

That leaves the Phillies with two open spots remaining for free agents, both of which they will undoubtedly utilize.

The claim of Cave with so few roster spots available, shows the Phillies' level of trust in him. They wouldn't sign a player they're likely to cast off again after signing their third free agent.

Cave is a left-handed hitter, so there's a thought that with a good spring training, he could fill in for Bryce Harper as a left-handed corner outfielder.

The Phillies obviously don't expect Cave to make up in production for Harper, but as long as he doesn't embarrass himself, Cave is an ideal bounce-back candidate.

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