Every now and then you watch an athlete and instinctively know that he, or she, is special. The way they play their sport, how they move on the court, or field, or diamond; a quickness that is effortless, and a rhythm to their movements as if their actions have been choreographed so they arrive precisely at the right place, at the right time, to make even difficult plays look routine.

Twenty-year-old Dodgers middle infield prospect Jeter Downs is one of those athletes – he is special.

The Dodgers acquired the young San Andres, Colombia native this past December from the Cincinnati Reds, along with veteran right-hander Homer Bailey (whom they immediately released), and right-handed pitching prospect Josiah Gray in exchange for left-hander Alex Wood, catcher (and utility infielder) Kyle Farmer, and outfielders Matt Kemp and Yasiel Puig. Which team “won” that trade? That is a question to be answered in a few years … or sooner.

For now, it is a pleasure to marvel at the talent, athleticism, and baseball acumen of Downs, who played shortstop for the Dodgers on Thursday in the first of two split-squad spring training games against the Cincinnati Reds.

Whether he was gliding quickly to his right to field a ground ball in the hole and throw to third baseman Justin Turner for a force out, or taking an awkward throw from first baseman Cody Asche to nip a runner at second base, or ranging into centerfield to catch a Texas-Leaguer, Downs was in the right place, at the right time, and made each play look routine. There was no flair to draw attention, no snapping the glove, no fist pumping for emphasis – just routine.

As a hitter, Downs displayed the same athleticism and grace as he did in the field, turning on one fastball for a double down the left field line, and in the ninth inning drilling a laser shot into centerfield for a single. But his most impressive at bat against the Reds may have been the one that was recorded in the scorebook as “F-9.”

In the seventh inning and with the score tied 3-3, Dodgers leadoff hitter Paulo Orlando doubled to left field. Displaying the baseball acumen of seasoned veteran, the right-handed-hitting Downs hit behind Orlando to advance him to third base; this after having fouled off a pitch down the right field line that landed in the stands. That at-bat did not go unnoticed, as Dodgers manager Dave Roberts met Downs at the top of the stairs when he returned to the dugout and gave his young shortstop a well-deserved pat on the back for doing exactly what he needed to do, while making it look routine.

Like his namesake – soon-to-be first-ballot Hall of Famer Derek Jeter – young Jeter Downs is special … mark my words.

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