Jake Bauers thinks he’s going to like it here.
He knew right away at the Indians’ Tribe Fest in January. On his first trip to Cleveland after being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays in December, the 23-year-old saw a passionate fan base with an intensity that matches his own.
“I’m the type of guy who’s going to do whatever it takes to win, and on the field, I’m going to wear my emotions on my sleeve,” says Bauers. “Me and the fans in Cleveland have that in common.”
This off-season, Tribe fans bid farewell to beloved left fielder Michael Brantley. The deal that brought Bauers to Cleveland sent Parrothead Edwin Encarnacion to the Seattle Mariners and slugger Yandy Diaz to the Tampa Bay Rays. It also brought home first baseman and designated hitter Carlos Santana.
A first baseman by trade, Bauers has been asked to play double duty: first base when Santana is designated hitter and left field when he picks up a glove. But Bauers seems unaware he has big shoes to fill.
“To be honest, not much,” says the sophomore when asked what he learned from watching Santana and Brantley. “I’m going to be the best player when I’m focused on being Jake Bauers. The minute you start comparing yourself to other people, chances are it’s not going to work out.”
This ethos started at Marina High School in Huntington Beach, California. Bauers didn’t make his varsity team until junior year. Two years later, as he was gearing up to play at University of Hawaii, the 17-year-old was drafted in the seventh round of the 2013 MLB draft by the San Diego Padres.
“At the end of the day, every step is part of a larger journey,” he says. “It taught me to be where you are, control what you can control and be present.”
The lesson came in handy in 2018. Called up to the show in June from the Rays’ Durham Bulls, Bauers broke out with nine home runs in two months, including a walk-off and a three-game bomb streak. But August brought a 23-game hitless streak that dropped his average to .201. He hit only two more homers the rest of the season.
Some would have bloodied their hands in the cage. Instead, Bauers turned to daily meditation guided by the app Headspace. “I found mental
clarity by taking a step back and just reflecting on who I was and who I wanted to be,” he says.
Hopefully, this newfound tranquility readies him for a role in an Indians lineup poised to win the American League Central for the fourth straight year. To prepare for his utility player position, he cut weight to add quickness and built stamina for the extra running outfield play brings.
Regardless of expectations, when Bauers hits Progressive Field April 1 for the home opener, he won’t think about October. He’ll be focused on the now.
“It feels like the fans are right on top of you, like it’s a big league stadium for an important team in an important city,” he says. “If you take care of the present every day for 162 games, the success part is going to take care of itself.”
