Cox grad rediscovers his power with Triple-A Cubs

For a brief time this season, Jason Dubois was out of baseball.

But since he found employment, Dubois has been smacking balls out of the park on a regular basis.

The Nationals released Dubois, an outfielder and a Cox High graduate, on the morning of May 18. He was hitting .217 for Washington's Triple-A affiliate in Columbus, Ohio.

"I was a little shocked," Dubois said. "But that organization has a lot of young talent that needs to play."

Dubois, 29, wasn't out of work long. The Cubs called that night and Dubois was headed to Des Moines, Iowa, home of Chicago's Triple-A affiliate.

Dubois began his career in Chicago's organization in 2000. He had enjoyed his finest minor league season with Iowa in 2004, hitting .314 with 31 home runs and 99 RBIs. That merited two brief call-ups to Chicago, where he produced five RBIs in 23 at-bats.

"Jason has enormous power," said Oneri Fleita, the Chicago Cubs' vice president of player personnel. "That's a hard thing to find in our game."

Dubois' power seemingly had slipped in recent years, though. After a trade to the Indians in 2005, he hit 22 home runs for Cleveland's Triple-A affiliate in Buffalo in 2006. His home run total fell to 13 last year, when he played for the Norfolk Tides after signing as a free agent with the Baltimore Orioles.

And he hit only four home runs in 33 games with Columbus. So when Washington cut him, Dubois thought that his career might be over.

"I was worried that day," Dubois said. "But the Cubs were willing to give me a chance."

Dubois has made the most of that chance. Through Friday, he was hitting .309 with 11 home runs and 24 RBIs in only 94 at-bats with Iowa.

His home run total tied him for the team lead - with a player who had 246 at-bats.

"I don't try to hit home runs," Dubois said. "I've just been seeing the ball well."

Dubois doesn't have enough at-bats to qualify to be among the Pacific Coast League leaders. But if he did, his .713 slugging percentage would lead the league.

Unfortunately for Dubois, Chicago is well stocked in the outfield, so his hot streak does not guarantee a promotion anytime soon.

"I don't worry about that," he said. "I think about it, but I can't let it get me down. If the opportunity to get back comes, I'll be ready and willing."