Ranking the Rockies: No. 48, Jake Cave

Jake Cave played more than a veteran fourth outfielder should have, but also earned the hearts of Rockies fans as a true Man of the People.

Welcome to the 2024 edition of Ranking the Rockies, where we take a look back at every player to log playing time for the Rockies in 2024. The purpose of this list is to provide a snapshot of the player in context. The “Ranking” is an organizing principle that’s drawn from Baseball Reference’s WAR (rWAR). It’s not something the staff debated. We’ll begin with the player with the lowest rWAR and end up with the player with the highest.

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No. 48, Jake Cave: -0.8 rWAR

When the Colorado Rockies acquired 31-year-old Jake Cave late in spring training from the Philadelphia Phillies, it put an end to a positional battle for the team’s fourth outfielder between Sam Hilliard and Bradley Zimmer. Cave’s role was to spot start and occasionally spell workhorse center fielder Brenton Doyle.

Needless to say, that didn’t happen.

With both a necessity caused by injuries and the Rockies’ penchant for giving playing time to favored veterans, Jake Cave ended up surpassing his previous highs for games played, plate appearances, and at-bats by a hefty margin.

Despite being brought in as the backup center fielder and fourth outfielder, Cave ended up being the Rockies’ primary right fielder due injuries suffered by Nolan Jones, Jordan Beck, and Kris Bryant. Over 546 innings in right field, Cave was worth -3 defensive runs saved with a 3.7 ultimate zone rating and zero outs above average.

Cave’s season at the plate was, at best, just okay. He hit .251/.290/.396 in 323 at-bats—all high marks since his 2019 season with the Minnesota Twins—and had 16 doubles, seven home runs (despite not hitting his first until July 4th) and 37 total runs batted in. Cave also tied Charlie Blackmon for the team lead in triples with five. However, his 75 wRC+ and 84 OPS+, combined with a 28.3% strikeout rate speak to the fact that he shouldn’t be a regular starter in a competitive lineup.

Jake Cave’s true value to the 2024 Rockies wasn’t either in the field or at the plate. It came in the clubhouse.

While Cave didn’t have a fabulous first impression with Rockies fans—stating, “It is what it is” when asked how he felt about being with the Rockies—the legend of the Caveman, a true champion of the people, would grow throughout the course of the season.

Cave found himself in the spotlight during a June 18th game against the dreaded Los Angeles Dodgers at Coors Field. The Rockies held a one-run lead in the ninth inning with two on and two outs while rookie closer Victor Vodnik had Teoscar Hernández at a 1-2 count.

Vodnik threw a high fastball that appeared to get Hernández to chase even though he attempted to check his swing, but first base umpire Lance Barksdale called no swing. The Rockies’ dugout was furious and manager Bud Black was ejected for arguing with Barksdale.

On the next pitch, Hernández launched a game-winning three-run home run over the head of Jake Cave and into the Rockies’ bullpen. Cave was incensed.

After the final out of the inning, Cave beelined straight for Barksdale. Teammate Alan Trejo had to get between Cave and Barksdale while other Rockies teammates had to essentially drag Cave into the dugout. The spectacle received national attention.

After the game, the unbridled fury of Jake Cave was defended by his manager and teammates. Cave discussed his actions in detail.

“Yeah I’m pissed. Kind of lost my mind on him a little bit,” he said. “Got a little more mad when he looked at me and said that it wasn’t even close because then you’re not taking any accountability for basically screwing us over.”

At the same time, he also uplifted his teammates, calling Brenton Doyle “one of the best outfielders I’ve ever seen, I’ve ever played with” and especially going out of his way to speak highly of Victor Vodnik.

“Vic is a stud. 9 times out of 10 he blows the next one by him. Yeah, I was confident in Vic. I thought that Vic would get out of it.”

From that point onward it was hard not to notice the presence of Jake Cave.

He was always animated and excited for his teammates, even if he wasn’t in the lineup. You could frequently see him celebrating the accomplishments of the younger players on the roster, being quick to give them a hug, a high five, or a particularly animated butt slap.

On the field he still managed to find a little magic with an exciting defensive highlight or an out-of-nowhere clutch hit. This season, Cave had his first-career walk-off hit and came close to hitting for the cycle on multiple occasions.

Despite his somewhat mediocre numbers this season, Jake Cave still managed to provide immense value to the Rockies. He was a positive, energetic, fun, and uplifting veteran presence in a clubhouse that desperately needed it as they limped through yet another losing campaign. I’ve espoused the value of high-energy players like Cave before, such as Gerardo Parra and Carlos González.

Ultimately, Jake Cave may have a place on this team in 2025. However, he should not play nearly as much as he did this year. The Rockies must prioritize as many young guys getting playing time as possible, but there’s still room for a positive clubhouse presence to mentor and uplift them. If Jake Cave plays his original intended role next season—backing up Brenton Doyle and making the occasional spot start—then I would welcome him back to 20th and Blake next season with open arms.