Michael Cuddyer was anxiously waiting for the weather to warm up. He responded to the sudden heat with an equally hot bat.

The rookie Edmonton Trappers outfielder has been hotter than a firecracker in June, smashing 10 homers and collecting 28 RBI in 23 games before last night's game in Nashville. Cuddyer has notched 27 hits in his last 31 games and from May 24 to June 24, the former first-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins has scored 26 runs and knocked out 21 extra-base hits.

"Unless you're hitting 1.000, there's always room for improvement. I'm just taking it at-bat by at-bat and not looking down the road," said Cuddyer, who leads the Trap back to Telus Field tonight at 7:05 against the Salt Lake Stingers.

"I'm not putting any extra pressure on myself to follow what I did last year. I know I'm capable of doing the same sort of thing, but I have to be focused on every at-bat."

Cuddyer, one of the three Trappers heading to the Triple-A All-Star Game in two weeks time, sits among the PCL leaders with a .335 average, 18 homers and 45 RBI. He's hitting in the heart of the league's most dangerous batting order - an offensive array that has paved the way to a complete turnaround in the team's fortunes from one year ago.

This time last summer, the Trappers were already a non-factor in the playoff picture. A year later and the club is in the hunt for the Northern Division title, staying win for win with the Tacoma Rainiers.

"Any time you're at the top of the standings, you start to scoreboard-watch a bit," said the No. 3-ranked prospect in the Twins system. "We're playing pretty decent on the road and getting back home we'll be in good shape the way we've been playing in Edmonton."