Aeverson Arteaga is ready to take the lead

Plus Camp Notes from March 17

Aeverson Arteaga didn’t hesitate for a moment, answering the question almost before I’d finished asking it. “Derek Jeter,” he said, decisively, when asked who his favorite player was growing up. “Derek Jeter because of how he was on and off the field,” Arteaga said through Spanish interpreter Erwin Higueros. “He was very humble. He was always hopping around. He was a true captain. He is Captain America.” Asked if that was the type of player Arteaga, himself, dreamed of becoming, there was no need for Higueros to translate the answer: “yeah, always!”

Arteaga returned to the topic of his own accord later on. When asked whether he took more pride in his offense (he put up one of the loudest stat lines in rookie ball last year) or defense (where he shows off dazzling glove and footwork manning shortstop), Arteaga said both, of course, “but then I want to add that it’s also my attitude. While the game is going on, I’m always supporting my teammates. I’m always cheering them on, I’m always being a cheerleader, like ‘Let’s go, let’s go, we can do it! We’ve got to win! We’ve got to do this!”