Player: Quentin Cate
Position: Third baseman
Year: Senior
School: Wright State
Back-to-back have we now gone in profiling a player who has just one season of Buckeye State baseball under his belt after arriving via junior college. Back-to-back have we gone now also in an all-conference performer, anchoring the heart of a offensive-laden line-up.
As third baseman Quentin Cate heads into his senior year with expectations high for Wright State, he does so as the Horizon Leauge’s premiere third-baseman, providing a solid at the hot corner with a wicked bat to match.
Unlike Bowling Green’s Tyler Elkins, Cate spent one season on the JUCO level before competing in Division I baseball. The transition for Cate was not as dramatic either as Cate initially attended Cal Poly for two season before transferring to Cuesta College.
As a sophomore at Cuesta Cate was named the California Junior College Player of the Year, earning the “Big Stick” award as the top offensive JUCO player in the state. The numbers he put up justified the honors. Cate finished with a .422 average, 14 home runs, and 64 RBI. Accolades continue to rain on Cate as he won the Western State Conference Player of the Year, winning the SWC triple crown.
After dominating the junior college level, given the opportunity by coach Rob Cooper, Cate returned to the Division I level. His opening game would foreshadow his junior season in the Green & Gold.
Ranked #1 in the country by certain publications, the Texas A&M Aggies were the opponent of the Raiders in their season opener. Cate responded with a three-for-four, RBI effort. It is fitting that Cate ended the season going three-for-five against the Aggies in the NCAA Fort Worth Regional.
In between showdowns with Texas A&M, Cate further added hardware to his personal trophy case with an outstanding junior season. The Horizon League Newcomer of the Year, and first-team All-Horizon League selection, finished 2009 with a .352 average, hitting 12 home runs, while driving in 57 RBI.
Cate’s season including a 24-game hitting streak from April 14th through May 21st, during that frame Cate hit a home run in four consecutive games, homering in both ends of double-headers against Youngstown State May 8h, and Cleveland State May 9th.
Of Cate’s 88 hits in 250 at-bats, 17 were doubles, one a triple, with the 12 home runs. In total Cate touched 143 total bases for a slugging percentage of .572 while driving in 47 runs.
Cate walked as many times as he struck out, finished with 31 each that including 10 hit by pitches, the free passes allowed Cate to post a team-high .422 on-base percentage. Once on base Cate successfully stole all four attempts.
The only drawback of Cate’s game would be his defense at the hot corner in his first year of DI baseball. In 177 chances 14 errors were committed for a .921 fielding percentage. A mark surely to increase in 2010 with a year of service stored away.
As Wright State looks to build off of 2009′s Fort Worth Regional appearance Cate will be one of the power bats to lead the Raiders. The Horizon League preseason favorites as a team, Cate’s name is on a small list of Horizon League Player of the Year candidates.
Filed under: Division I
