Cabrera's athleticism is evident in the fact that the onetime shortstop can play a number of positions - third base, left field and right field, and play them well. That's an unsettling thought for opponents, considering how well he played in his rookie season after a call-up from the Double-A Carolina Mudcats. Cabrera never attended any college, instead taking a straight route to the majors in 2003. He is hispanic.

In his majors debut on June 20, 2003, Cabrera hit a game-ending, game-winning home run. Quietly, he put together one of the best seasons by a National League rookie, immediately becoming the Marlins cleanup batter. His postseason play helped propel Florida to a World Series championship over the Yankees, landed him on the cover of ESPN magazine during the offseason.

In the NLDS against the Giants, Cabrera hit .286 with three RBI. After changing positions in the heat of the NLCS against the Cubs, and hit .333 with three homers and six RBI, Cabrera had the at-bat that defined his postseason in the Game Four of the World Series. Facing Roger Clemens for the first time, Cabrera, 20, got knocked down by one inside fastball. Two pitches later, he belted the Clemens offering into the right field seats.

In his first season Cabrera batted .268 (84-for-314), with 12 home runs, 62 RBI, 39 runs, 21 doubles, and three triples in 87 games played. In 2004, he proved that his rookie season - .294 batting average, 33 homers, 112 RBI, 101 runs, 177 hits, .366 on base percentage, .512 slugging percentage from the third and fourth spots in the order, 160 games played, and an All-Star berth - was no fluke. In 2005 he came in second in the National League in hits with 198, and batted .323 with 33 homers, 43 doubles, 2 triples, and 116 RBI's.