University of West Florida

Career: Began his career with the Argonauts in 2009. In both years as the Argonauts everyday first baseman Cates has batted above.300 and has led the team in doubles. In 2009 Cates started all 56 games for West Florida while posting a .329 batting average with 15 RBIs, scoring 31 runs, and led the team with 11 doubles. On February 4, 2009 Cates had a perfect 6-for-6 game with two RBIs and three runs scored to in a win over the University of Mobile. This season he has had a break-out season, posting a .372 batting average while scoring 40 times, driving in 43 runs, and hitting a team high 21 doubles. In his two year career he has started all but two games (110) and has tallied a .349 batting average with 58 RBIs, 71 runs scored, 32 doubles and slugging .446 with an on base percentage of .405.

2010: Finsihed his senior year second on the team with a .372 average... Led the team with 71 hits and 21 doubles with also a triple, two homeruns and a career high 43 RBI... Batted .421 (8-for-19)  with four doubles, a triple and four RBI to be named to the 2010 GSC All-Tournament Team... Named to a Second Team All-GSC selection...Collected three RBI in consecutive games against Montevallo (2/2-3) going 5-for-9 in those two games... Blasted his first two career homeruns against Rollins in back-to-back games in the first home series of the season (2/6-7)... Drove in a team high seven runs in a doubleheader against Concordia-Selma (2/11)... Drove in two runs with a run scored while going 3-for-3 at the plate against Northwest Missouri State (2/18)... Went 3-for-4 with three doubles and two RBI in the Argos 7-6 win over West Georgia (3/27).. Drove in five runs while batting .545 in a three game sweep over UAH (4/12)..

2009: Started all 56 games at first base for the Argos... Finished the season third on the team in hitting with a .329 average... Led the team with11 doubles while also driving in 15 runs on the year... Tallied 19 multiple hit games, the second highest on the team...Went a perfect 6-for-6 with two RBI and three runs scored in a 13-8 win of Mobile (2/4)... Was 3-for-5 with three runs score in the Argos 11-4 victory over Flagler College (2/7)... In a 6-3 win over Quincy, Cates went 3-for-4 with two runs scored (2/22)... Hit safely in the Argos first 13 games of the season... In a series against North Alabama he went 7-for-15 (.466) with a run scored (3/21-3/22)....

2007-08: Received his AA degree from Faulkner St. Community College where he graduated with Magna Cum Laude honors

High School: Received letters in baseball and swimming... Hit .370 with three homeruns...2005 and 2006 Alabama 6A State Champs

Personal: Son of Robin Cates... Has one sister, Mary Ann...On his spare time he enjoys to hunt, fish and work out in the gym...

Photo courtesy of jimhoguephotos.com