Shaun

Cumberland

Even after cutting back on the strikeouts, Cumberland, who turns 23 on Wednesday, was batting just .246/.303/.347 with three steals in 11 tried for Double-A Montgomery. He batted .258/.319/.396 with 29 steals in Single-A Visalia last year. The Rays were fond of his tools, but it’s highly unlikely that he’ll develop. He’ll be assigned to Double-A Chattanooga.

The Reds decided against keeping Jorge Cantu over the winter, but they still have Cumberland to show for the four-player deal with the Rays and that’s suddenly starting to look like a good thing. The 23-year-old is hitting .241/.463/.614 with a 3/10 K/BB ratio in 44 at-bats in the Southern League. In the same league last year, he finished at .259/.316/.362 with a 91/36 K/BB ratio in 467 at-bats. He has had better seasons in the past, and now that he’s bounced back, he again looks like a candidate to make it to the majors as a part-time player.

Cumberland, 21, is batting .262/.324/.459 with 11 steals in 17 attempts. He has cut back somewhat on the strikeouts as the year has gone on, though he’s still fanned 75 times in 71 games. He’ll need to make more contact if he’s going to fulfill his potential.

Visalia will now meet Indland Empire for the California League championship. Cumberland, 22, is hitting .265 in the postseason after batting .258/.319/.396 with 29 steals for Visalia in the regular season. The tools are there for him to become a real player, but he might need to start next year back in A ball.

Cumberland is batting only .243, but because of his power, he has 28 RBI in 29 games. Cumberland is only 21 and he has plenty of tools, so the potential is there for him to grow into another very good outfield prospect for the Rays. He just needs to turn some strikeouts into singles. He’s fanned 36 times in 115 at-bats this season, and he finished with a 100/37 K/BB ratio in 436 AB for low Single-A Southwest Michigan last year.