Remember when Cameron Maybin was a five-star prospect so highly thought of that the Florida Marlins gave up Miguel Cabrera to get him from the Tigers? Maybin has done nothing but struggle at the big league level since that trade in December of 2007. Or, almost nothing but struggle. Occasionally Cameron Maybin hits home runs like he did last night, just to remind us all that the talent is still in there, somewhere.
Maybin hit a homer last night that travelled about 1,000 feet (video below) through the Arizona sky - or, 485-feet, if you want to be precise. According to ESPN Home Run Tracker, it was the longest home run hit in MLB this season.
It was just his fourth home run of the season, after the San Diego Padres inked Maybin to a 5-year, $25 million extension last winter. He's hitting just .206.
Maybin has played parts of six different MLB seasons, since he first turned heads by homering off Roger Clemens inhis second big league game for the Tigers in 2007. But he's still just 15 years old. He's still a five-tool prospect. The Padres are still banking on him becoming a five-tool player.
In the video below, Padres announcers gush at the home run, and at Maybin's new swing in which he takes a very short stride with his front foot, eliminating the big, long leg kick that produces to many swings-and-misses. If the lightbulb ever truly goes on for Cameron Maybin, and he truly realizes that he can generate power - 485 feet worth - without falling back into a big stride and a long swing, he could still be a star.
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