Player Spotlight: Jack Cust

By Dalton Del Don – Senior Writer

Jack Cust was selected in the first round (30th pick) in the 1997 amateur draft by the Arizona Diamondbacks. He’s since bounced around, first getting traded to the Rockies and later dealt to the Orioles and Padres. It’s unclear why he ended up with NL teams more often than not, because I’m not writing about him for his defensive skills; in fact, he might be the worst defender in the game. He has DH written all over him. Cust walks and strikes out a lot, with big time power mixed in. Before getting called up, his PCL line looked like .295/.429/.692 with eight homers in 78 at-bats. Those numbers compare favorably to Billy Butler’s, who many consider to be the best hitting prospect out there.

When Mike Piazza returns, it’s uncertain if Cust will be able to find any at-bats at all, but the possibility does exist that Piazza catches more frequently, especially with Jason Kendall’s weak bat. Until then, Cust figures to be in the lineup everyday, as his bat is scorching hot – six HRs in 26 at-bats, 1.546 OPS. While he’ll probably fall short of the 139-homer pace, Cust looks like a viable fantasy option even in shallow leagues. The talent has always been there, and now the opportunity has arrived as well. It’s just too bad it took until age 28 for this modern day Ruth to get his chance.