Miami Freshman Third Baseman Daniel Cuvet Projected To Be Major Contributor In Upcoming Season
The Miami Hurricanes baseball team lost some talent this offseason, but none bigger than the exit of star third baseman Yohandy Morales.
While they are big shoes to fill, freshman Daniel Cuvet out of Fort Lauderdale has impressed so far and could be the man to replace Morales.
Cuvet was the only prospect in the Top 40 of Perfect Game's Class of 2023 to be drafted outside the first six rounds. The Pittsburgh Pirates also selected him in the 17th round of the 2023 MLB Draft. Not satisfied with his draft position, Cuvet upheld his commitment to the Hurricanes to join new head coach J.D. Arteaga as he leads a new era of Miami baseball.
When the topic of standout freshman players was asked of Coach Arteaga, he was quick to point out Cuvet and his display of elite power for someone his age. Junior teammate Dorian Gonzalez Jr. also told the media that Cuvet has impressed with how far he can hit the ball.
Standing at 6-foot 3 inches and 237 pounds, Cuvet has a frame that matches up with MLB players such as Manny Machado and Nolan Arenado.
According to his draft profile by MLB.com, Cuvet has plus power but is countered by a concern for his contact ability. Cuvet put up a .380 average and hit 12 home runs in his senior season at Elite Squad Baseball Academy in Pembroke Pines, FL.
A DOZEN HR's for Daniel Cuvet!
— Perfect Game USA (@PerfectGameUSA) August 27, 2022
He's advancing into the finals tomorrow prior to the @PGAllAmerican game pic.twitter.com/g8WpsPCvOA
In terms of a fielder, his draft profile describes him as having "good hands and a plus arm", but his "lack of footwork and quickness" could lead to him being a candidate to switch to first baseman if he doesn't adjust.
Regardless of where he ends up position-wise, it appears that will be tough for Coach Arteaga to keep Cuvet's bat out of the lineup. However, we won't know where he ends up or how he produces until later next month, when Miami opens the season up at home versus NJIT on February 16th.
Whether or not Cuvet makes an impact as a freshman or not, his future is bright as he hopes to be a cornerstone for this Miami team as they look to get over the hump and back to Omaha for the first time since 2016.
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You can find Liam on Twitter @theleftyliam where he shares news on University of Miami basketball and football as well as opinions