Southern notes: Westbrook shows the way

Jamie Westbrook could write a book about his Minor League Baseball journey.
Taken out of high school by his hometown Arizona Diamondbacks in the fifth round of the 2013 Draft, Westbrook has seen just about everything in his four seasons in the Southern League.

His first stint was in Mobile when the BayBears were Arizona's Double-A affiliate. The last three have been spent with Jackson.
"I feel like I've had every kind of story of my career," Westbrook said. "I'm comfortable being here in the league and nothing really surprises me. I've seen really good talent and know where every hotel is, and all that kind of stuff."
Westbrook also knows how to swing the bat, and though he isn't among Arizona's top 30 prospects, the 23-year-old outfielder put together a 15-game hitting streak already this season. He has seen a zero in his hit column just four times in the Generals' first 19 games.

"The guy can flat-out hit," Jackson manager Blake Lalli said. "I can't say enough about what I've seen from him. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of year he puts together."
Lalli also admires Westbrook's leadership qualities.
"He's stepped into a leadership role," Lalli said. "He's helped the offense by leading, by speaking up and saying what he sees. It helps a lot when you have a guy capable of doing those things."
Westbrook said leadership comes with being a veteran of the Southern League. In terms of his success, he hasn't put much thought into it.
"It may sound cliche, but I'm just taking it day by day," Westbrook said. "I'm not worrying about anything other than that day, that at-bat, that pitch. It makes it easier to stay positive. It helped me last year, and I've maintained that same perspective about the game this year."
In 2018, Westbrook reached Triple-A, appearing in seven games for Reno. He more than held his own, batting .391. He tallied six hits, four of which were homers, and drove in six runs.
"It's the same game. The ball flies a little more and the parks are bigger, but I didn't see that big of a difference," Westbrook said. "I played well, and being back out on the West Coast, my family was able to see me play. That aspect of it was great."
Shortly upon his return to Double-A in August, he injured his knee. He didn't need surgery but his season was done. He missed the Generals' run to the Southern League crown.
"It's never good when you get hurt, but I had been playing well up to that point. It made the injury a little easier to handle."
Committed to Pepperdine as a sophomore at Basha High School, he quickly drew the attention of pro scouts, emerging as one of the nation's top prospects.
On Draft day, he figured the Mets or Braves were going to take him in the third round. He fell to the fifth and learned the D-backs were interested. He was already familiar with the organization, having played on their scout team while in high school.
"I wanted to play pro ball. That was my dream. It was cool going to my hometown team," Westbrook said. "I knew regardless of what happened [in the Draft], I was in a good spot, whether I started my pro career or went to college. There was no bad option."
He's been working hard ever since and overcame the challenge of moving from second base to the outfield, where he primarily plays in left.
"It wasn't as easy as you might think," Westbrook said. "You are on your toes all the time in the infield. Sometimes in the outfield you go games without fly balls or throws, but you have to stay focused and locked in. That's the hardest part. I've put a lot of work into it and I feel comfortable out there now."
He's learned to stay on an even keel in this grind that is baseball, enjoying the good moments and learning from the bad. He dreams of one day getting the chance to run out onto Chase Field in Arizona for his Major League debut. That, of course, is the ultimate destination for what has been a baseball journey filled with twists and turns.
"I'm in a good routine and I feel I'm in a good place mentally. I just have to keep getting better and let the rest take care of itself," Westbrook said. "I know I have enough talent to make it. I just have to prove it day in and day out."

In brief

Streak over: Tennessee ended its five-game victory drought Monday with a 4-1 win over Jacksonville. Zach Hedges helped get the job done, at one point retiring 10 straight batters to earn his first win of the year. He struck out six in 6 1/3 innings. This is his fourth season in the Southern League. The win was his 18th at the Double-A level.
Cruise control:Yermin Mercedes owns a 15-game hitting streak through April 29. The streak includes a three-hit performance in Birmingham's 7-3 win over Montgomery on Sunday. Mercedes drove in a run in the seventh and he has gotten on base in in each of his first 15 games. He drew two walks in the season opener.
Clutch hit:Roberto Baldoquin blasted a three-run home run, his first of the season, to help lift Mobile to a 5-3 win over Mississippi. The walk-off homer came with two strikes and the Baybears trailing by a run in the ninth. The prospect out of Cuba totaled two homers for Mobile last season.