JUPITER, Fla. -- As pitchers and catchers were going through their first official workouts Monday, first baseman Mike Jacobs was getting a head start performing drills.

 

Tuesday is the day position players are to report to Marlins camp, but Jacobs has been in town for several days.

 

A converted catcher, Jacobs is now the frontrunner to play every day at first.

 

Obtained from the Mets in the Carlos Delgado trade, Jacobs played 54 games at first base for Double-A Binghamton last year, and also caught in 43 games.

 

If necessary, Jacobs is an emergency catching option. But the Marlins are eager to see how he performs full-time at first.

 

Making the defensive switch is an adjustment, but Jacobs has the benefit of working with Marlins infield coach Perry Hill, one of the top infield instructors in the game.

 

"My first day with [Hill] was sometime last week," Jacobs said. "He's already shown me a bunch of different stuff positioning myself for ground balls. I'm definitely excited to be working with somebody like that."

 

Since being traded, some people in the Mets organization informed Jacobs that he would be getting guidance from one of the best position coaches around.

 

"With me being new to the position, he can help show me a lot of different stuff," Jacobs said. "That's right up my alley."

 

This is the first spring that Jacobs isn't projected as a catcher.

 

"We have a few catchers competing for jobs," he said. "I'd assume in an emergency situation, I'd be the guy back there."

 

Jacobs began playing first base in the Florida State League in 2002.

 

"I'd been at first since then, a little bit here and there," he said. "Last year is the first time I played this much at first."

http://florida.marlins.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/...t=.jsp&c_id=fla

Good luck Jakey :thumbup

Showing great work ethic already. This guy will be special, and one of the key components to our offense this season and for years to come. I am high on this guy for sure.