Tanner Schobel finds nothing wrong with a utility infield role

CEDAR RAPIDS — You don’t aspire to be a utility infielder in the big leagues, but if being that even just gets you to the big leagues, you’re not going to quibble.

You watch Tanner Schobel of the Cedar Rapids Kernels play, and you like a lot of things about his game.

He’s got a good hit tool. In college at Virginia Tech, he showed some pop, and he has eight home runs in 60 games this season for Cedar Rapids.

That includes a pair Wednesday afternoon at Veterans Memorial Stadium, a two-run shot just fair inside the left-field pole that gave his team a 3-2 win over Beloit. A general extra-base potential isn’t bad for a guy who can play all around the infield defensively.

He was a shortstop in college and played that position a bit last season in the minor leagues after he signed with the parent Minnesota Twins as a second-round draft pick, deal that included a bonus of just over a million dollars. This season with the Kernels, he has played at second base and third base and done fine, showing a decent glove and sound throwing arm.

“I kind of do what they tell me to do,” said Schobel. “If they want me to do something new, then I’m doing something new. I’m going out there with a positive attitude. The best way to make it is to be versatile and have different abilities that you can do at a high level.”

Schobel was asked the difference between second, third and shortstop.

“When you’re at second base, you kind of have a little more time,” he said. “At third base, you’ve got to have good reaction time because the ball comes at you super fast sometimes. At shortstop, you kind of have to have a little of both. But I think it’s just understanding your spot.

“Sometimes you’ve got to use one hand instead of two on plays. Then just spatial awareness of where your other defenders are, which is kind of new to me playing these different positions. But I think I’m learning pretty quick, and my teammates and coaches have helped me out a lot with that.”

The 22-year-old Florida native got off to a slow start at the plate this Midwest League season, hitting just .203 in April. But May and June have been good: Schobel hit .305 with 13 RBIs in May and is at .309 with 15 RBIs so far in June.

He has settled in nicely as C.R.’s primary leadoff hitter. He went 2-for-3 with a triple and a pair of walks Tuesday night, led off the first Wednesday with a home run.

“I think it’s having more of a sound approach at the plate. Staying kind of loose, not being as tense. Relaxing a little bit more,” Schobel said. “Not really worrying about the results of it, but the process I’m using, which has helped me have good results, which has been really nice. Yeah, the weather warming up has helped some. But for the most part, I think the biggest thing has been relaxing up there and having fun.”

“I think it’s just getting used to the level,” said Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman. “Having more confidence. He was hitting the ball hard earlier in the season, but just wasn’t having success.”

The Kernels (39-26) improved to a season-high 13 games above .500 with one to go in the Midwest League’s first half. Orlando Rodriguez (6-2) threw three hitless, scoreless relief innings to get his team-best sixth win.

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