Right-hander represents eighth Jumbo Shrimp alumnus to make MLB debut in 2021
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Former Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera made his major league debut Wednesday for the Miami Marlins in a start against the Washington Nationals from loanDepot park. Cabrera is the eighth Jacksonville alumnus to register his MLB debut during the 2021 season and the 925th player to have played both in Jacksonville and in the majors over the history of Jacksonville Minor League Baseball, which dates back to 1904.
Ranked by MLB.com as the No. 30 prospect in baseball, Cabrera went through the first six innings scoreless against the Nationals before ceding a pair of home runs in the seventh. Overall, he yielded three runs on four hits in 6.1 innings, walking three against two strikeouts.
Cabrera made six starts for the Jumbo Shrimp in 2021, fanning an extraordinary 48 batters (14.7 K/9) in 29.1 innings. He posted a 1-3 record and 3.68 ERA. Among the 708 pitchers with at least 10.0 Triple-A innings this season, Cabrera ranks eighth in swinging-strike rate (20.0 percent), 27th in line drive rate (11.5 percent) and 38th in strikeout percentage (37.2 percent). Prior to his major league callup, Cabrera had totaled 13 starts in 2021 between Jacksonville, Double-A Pensacola and Low-A Jupiter, going 3-4 with a 2.93 ERA and 92 strikeouts (13.5 K/9) against 25 walks and 45 hits allowed in 61.1 innings.
A native of Santiago in the Dominican Republic, Cabrera was originally signed by the Marlins on July 2, 2015 as an international free agent. His best ERA over his first three professional seasons was 4.21 with the Rookie-level GCL Marlins in 2016, but he had a breakout campaign in 2020 between then-High-A Jupiter and Jacksonville, which, at the time, was still in Double-A. Between the two levels, Cabrera registered a 9-4 record and 2.23 ERA in 19 starts covering 96.2 innings. He fanned 116 (10.8 K/9) against 31 walks and 65 hits allowed.
Jumbo Shrimp alumni who have made their major league debut in 2021 include Cabrera, infielder José Devers (April 24, Marlins), right-hander Luis Madero (May 10, Marlins), right-hander Cody Poteet (May 12, Marlins), infielder Luis Marté (June 1, Marlins), right-hander Zach Thompson (June 7, Marlins), outfielder Brian Miller (July 31, Marlins) and left-hander Sean Guenther (August 4, Marlins).
ABOUT THE JUMBO SHRIMP: The Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp offer affordable family fun at 121 Financial Ballpark. Their inaugural season garnered the Southern League’s Don Mincher Organization of the Year, Promotional Trophy and Jimmy Bragan Executive of the Year, won by general manager Harold Craw. The club added its second Promotional Trophy in three years following the 2019 season. The 2021 season marks the return of Triple-A baseball in Jacksonville. To experience the excitement with the terrific value of ticket and group options, call the Jumbo Shrimp at (904) 358-2846 or visit www.jaxshrimp.com.
