After a spectacular finish to 2012, Jesse Hodges is not just hoping for an even better 2013, he鈥檚 counting on it.
Having recently received the most valuable player award for sa国际传媒鈥檚 national junior team in Toronto, the 18-year-old Victoria native and former Victoria Mariner can鈥檛 wait to get going on this upcoming season.
The Chicago Cubs prospect 鈥� who signed after the World Under-18 Baseball Championship in Seoul in the summer 鈥� will head to Cubs鈥� training camp in Mesa, Arizona, a couple of weeks early for some one-on-one instruction before MLB teams get together in March.
鈥淢y life鈥檚 changed a lot,鈥� admitted Hodges, who is working out in preparation before leaving Feb. 21. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not much time until my job starts and I have to make a difference.
鈥淚 have to prove to them that I can play in the big leagues one day. It鈥檚 hard work, but at the same time you have to enjoy the atmosphere around you.鈥�
The six-foot-one, 215-pound shortstop 鈥� who played third base for sa国际传媒 in Korea 鈥� has his eyes on the ultimate prize, but knows it will take small strides in achieving it.
鈥淟ittle steps at a time. I want to play in the big leagues and I鈥檓 going to try my hardest to do that, but it鈥檚 going to take time,鈥� he said. 鈥淚f I play the way I can, and how I鈥檝e shown, then I think I have a good chance of making it.鈥�
His road will be a little steeper than avenues that may be presented to top Cubs draft picks and more recognized prospects such as Brett Jackson, Javier Baez, Albert Almora, Anthony Rizzo and Jorge Soler. That鈥檚 how it goes for free-agent signings.
For now Hodges has his eyes on playing short-season Class A ball in the Northwest League with Chicago鈥檚 farm club, the Boise Hawks.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 my goal and, yes, it鈥檚 attainable,鈥� he insisted. 鈥淚 just have to perform better than everyone else and prove that I鈥檓 supposed to be there. I鈥檒l have to prove myself day-in and day-out.鈥�
He joined the Cubs鈥� organization at the Instructional League level 鈥� where he was a teammate of, among others, Trevor Gretzky, Wayne鈥檚 son 鈥� following worlds in Korea where he became an instant hit.
Hodges hit a game-tying, two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning against Japan and then scored the winning run in the 10th. He also went 2-for-4 in sa国际传媒鈥檚 1-0 victory over Team USA. He was also selected to the All-World team at the tournament and was informed in December that he would be recognized as sa国际传媒鈥檚 junior MVP in Toronto.
鈥淚t was a great honour,鈥� he said of the award, which he received on Jan. 12. 鈥淭here were a lot of great players on that team. And I got to meet some big-leaguers and had some great conversations with them.
鈥淭hey treated me like I was one of the guys,鈥� he said of rubbing shoulders with the likes of Justin Morneau, Tyson Gillies, Phillippe Aumont, Russell Martin, Jeff Francis, Ryan Dempster and Adam Stern.
Now, he鈥檒l begin the long task to become one of them.
Twitter.com/tc_vicsports
