The Buffalo Bisons are wrapping up their regular season, and one of the brightest spots on their team has been a guy who has just three home runs, 48 RBIs and a .257 batting average on the season.
Those numbers aren’t exactly the type that will make one stand out from the crowd. But this statistic is one that is certainly eye-popping – 53 stolen bases.
That’s the amount that Cameron Eden, outfielder for the Herd, has amassed in 2023. It’s a new single-season record for the Bisons, and his speed and base-running skills have been a plus for Buffalo.
“Eden’s a tremendously great guy who goes out and tirelessly works hard at his craft every day,” manager Casey Candaele said. “He’s an elite base stealer and you don’t see many of them.
“There are basically three rules of base running that I like to say – run hard all the time, you’re not invisible and you can’t outrun the ball. Well, Cam can outrun the ball. It’s unique.”
Not only does Eden boast great speed, but he also knows how to read and react against pitchers and catchers and knows when to steal as well. He’s also improved his all-around game.
“Cam’s reaction to pitchers’ movements is also unique, so you can’t really teach it,” Candaele said. “It’s something that comes naturally and he has it. He’s worked really hard to improve his offensive and defensive skills and he’s done a great job with that.”
It’s the third straight year in which Eden has swiped more than 30 bags in the minors. With Triple-A baseball testing out bigger bases a year ago – and MLB making them permanent this year – that was music to Eden’s ears.
“(Increasing the size of bases) definitely helps with base-running,” Eden said. “I’m the kind of guy who likes to steal and I’m going to take full advantage of it, for sure. I’m going to try and get as many as I can.”
Candaele acknowledged that they’ve all been earned the hard way.
“Cam doesn’t steal any cheap bases,” Candaele said. “He’s not stealing bases in situations where people are like, ‘Well, he ran and they’re up by four’ – he’s not doing that. He’s stealing them in situations early in games, when we need them late in games, or if we’re down by a run or in a tie game. There’s something to having a feel for the game and knowing when it’s time to run, and it’s pretty impressive.”
Having improved his skills so much, Candaele is a firm believer that at some point in the future Eden will earn a call-up to the parent club Toronto Blue Jays.
“I’ve said it before – pitching and defense wins championships, and it happens over and over again,” Candaele said. “He’s adequate enough to hold his own offensively in the big leagues, he’ll play great defense and he can steal bases. So he brings something to the table that not many guys have, and with the new rules with bigger bases and limiting pickoff attempts, that makes it even better.
“It’s a special gift that he has, and I think he’s moving in a really good direction with his career. It’s fun to see.”
Comments