'Everybody should hear Cade's story': Spinello shows Rangers what toughness looks like

SURPRISE, Ariz. — Major League Baseball managers often talk about "culture" and "mindset" during Spring Training. They speak in terms of grinding through 162 games and the mental toughness required to handle an 0-for-4 night at the plate.

But on Sunday morning, Rangers manager Skip Schumaker decided to show his team what real toughness looks like.

Standing in front of the clubhouse was Cade Spinello. To the baseball world, he is a young man with a story that puts a bad day at the ballpark into a jarring, necessary perspective. To Schumaker and Rangers first-base coach Travis Jankowski, he is simply "Super Cade," a friend they have cheered on for over a decade.

"I thought I was helping all these kids," Schumaker said of his early involvement with the Jessie Rees Foundation. "Come to find out they were helping me a lot more than I was helping them."

The Jessie Rees Foundation was born from the mission of 12-year-old Jessica Joy Rees, who was diagnosed with two inoperable brain tumors in 2011. While fighting her own battle, Jessie’s focus remained on children who couldn’t leave the hospital. She began filling "JoyJars," stuffed with toys and games, to encourage her peers to Never Ever Give Up, an acronym that became the global "NEGU" movement.

Spinello was Jessie’s "chemo buddy" during those early days. The connection for Jankowski traces back to 2013 in San Diego, when Spinello was a 10-year-old battling a rare brain tumor and a subsequent massive stroke that left him legally blind with limited mobility.

It was during that season that Jankowski, an outfielder in the Padres’ organization, posed for a photo with the 10-year-old Spinello. Ten years later, as the Rangers prepared for a Cactus League matchup, the two stood in the same room again, not as a star and a fan, but as peers in a Major League clubhouse.

"It’s awesome," Jankowski said. "He’s one of those kids who has endured more than anyone should have to. His perspective on life and his determination, it’s a testament."

For the Rangers, this message arrives at a pivotal time in camp. Following a 2025 season where the club leaned heavily on veteran leadership to navigate a competitive AL West, Schumaker is tasked with maintaining that clubhouse floor.

While the Rangers' bullpen depth remains a primary focus of Spring Training battles, with several non-roster invitees vying for the final few spots, Schumaker is prioritizing the mental health of his pitchers as much as their velocity. For Jankowski, who transitioned from his playing career to his first year as a Major League coach this spring, Spinello’s presence provided a vital reset for a coaching staff looking to anchor a young roster.

"We look at our bad days as going 0-for-4 or a pitcher giving up six runs," Jankowski said. "Cade had to learn to talk again. He had to learn to walk again. It really puts into perspective what an 0-for-4 or a loss means. Never take your health for granted."

Schumaker, who wears a NEGU bracelet that has famously appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated and the Madden NFL video game, brought Spinello in to remind his players of the platform they hold. He referenced a quote from the legendary Roberto Clemente: "Any time you have a chance to make a difference in this world and you don't, then you are wasting your time on Earth."

"I think everybody should hear Cade's story," Schumaker said. "Hearing his inspirational story of going through some really tough times and coming out of it... it shows that it’s going to be OK. Whatever you’re going through."

As the Rangers navigate the "dog days" of camp and the looming pressure of Opening Day, the message in the clubhouse was clear: The game is important, but the impact beyond the lines is what lasts.

"I would love to be a pillar that these guys can lean on," Jankowski, who played for the Rangers in 2023-24 during his 11-year MLB career. "If and when those tough days happen, I’m here. Just being relatable in the sense of, 'I've been where you're at. I understand.'"

For the Rangers, the season ahead might have its share of 0-for-4s and tough losses. But after Sunday morning, a bad night at the plate is no longer the definition of a "tough day." Cade Spinello provided the clubhouse with something more valuable: a reminder that regardless of the box score, there is always a reason to keep going.