The Cleveland Guardians may have found their new star.
Of course, making the adjustment from the minors to Major League Baseball takes time, but C.J. Kayfus doesn’t look fazed by the pressure.
The 23-year-old made his highly anticipated MLB debut on Saturday, and he got an RBI groundout in his very first plate appearance.
He would have to wait a little longer before getting his first MLB hit.
Kayfus picked up his first hit with a double in the ninth inning of a 5-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins, helping the team put together a late-game rally.
Just like all great hitters, he wasn’t too worried about the past and was only focused on the task at hand.
According to Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz, that cool demeanor is one of his biggest traits:
“That’s something where [C.J. Kayfus’] never going to get — in my opinion — overwhelmed by pitching. It gives him enough time to see pitches and grind out at-bats. So that’s something that I think is going to be his calling card moving forward. He’s such a great kid, and he’s not going to be overwhelmed at this stage,” Albernaz said.
Kayfus dominated in the minors this season.
He hit .300 with a .929 OPS and 14 home runs in 86 games at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, and while he went 0-for-7 to begin his MLB career, he never flinched.
Kayfus is primarily a first baseman, but he also has experience playing in both corners of the outfield.
He could give this team a much-needed offensive boost ahead of a crucial stretch to close out the regular season and make a playoff push.
Of course, there will be some growing pains along the way, and he’ll have to earn his stripes just like everybody else.
But for now, it looks like Kayfus belongs in the majors.
NEXT: Jose Ramirez Joins Elite MLB Company With Impressive Stats
