Lake Buena Vista, Fla. — He drives a big Hummer and walks with a strut. He's the kid in high school who was the top jock and homecoming king, who might have dated the girl you wanted.

Make no mistake, Jordan Schafer is that guy — talented as all get-out, and he knows it.

But he also knows there's a fine line, a point where swagger and confidence morph into arrogance and entitlement — and that's not a place where any rookie, top prospect or not, should venture.

Oh, yes, he's also smart.

"It's a real fine line," said Schafer the Braves' No. 1-rated prospect and the center fielder who's expected to take over the position a year from now, if not sooner.

"You can't be a punk and make people think, 'He's young and hasn't proven himself.' At the same time, you have to be confident in your ability. If you doubt yourself you're not going to play very well."

Schafer, 21, has been on the good side of that line in his first major league spring training, impressing veteran players, coaches and Braves officials with his performance and demeanor on and off the field.

He had a double and two walks in four plate appearances during Monday's 3-1 exhibition win against St. Louis, and is batting .389 with two doubles and four RBIs in 18 at-bats.

"He looks great," manager Bobby Cox said. "He's real smooth. Does everything really well, and he knows how to play. He really knows the game, knows situations, all that kind of stuff."

Veterans like him even with that walk — head high, chest out — and that ride. And the Nike gear, a kid who hasn't played above Class A already paid to endorse the swoosh. He wore the gear head-to-toe one morning early in camp.

"If you don't know him you'd say, 'Look at this clown,' " hitting coach Terry Pendleton, smiling. "I call him that anyway. But when you talk to him you know he's a good kid. You need that confidence that he has to make it at this level."

Schafer can be found each morning in the batting cages beyond left field. He rolls in at 7 a.m., always one of the first Braves at the spring training complex.

"He's motivated," said Cox, who batted Schafer in the leadoff position Monday and played him in left field, though he'd never played the position at any level.

"Can't be that hard, you're still going to catch fly balls," Schafer said after seeing the lineup posted Monday. He played right field a couple days ago, also a first for him in pro ball.

"He's a baseball player," Cox said.

Schafer led all of minor-league baseball with 176 hits and batted a combined .312 with 49 doubles, 10 triples, 15 home runs and 23 stolen bases in 136 games at Class A Rome and high-A Myrtle Beach last season.

The Braves think he'd be a productive center fielder in the majors now, but didn't want to rush such a bright prospect. So after announcing they wouldn't re-sign 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones because of financial reasons, the Braves sought a replacement to carry the baton between Jones and Schafer.

They traded for rookie center fielder Josh Anderson of Houston, and kept pursuing an affordable veteran center fielder, finally getting Mark Kotsay in a January trade with Oakland.

Kotsay, 32, has led major league outfielders with 110 assists since 1998. He has a .282 career average, 10 or more homers in six of his 10 seasons. He's had a solid career, despite back problems that have slowed him in recent years.

He's also a former first-round draft pick, ninth overall pick by Florida in 1996 after winning the Golden Spikes Award as college player of the year at Cal State-Fullerton. So he knows about being a prospect and handling yourself the right way.

"He's a good player," he said of Schafer, who has gone to him for advice several times. "As far as the way he's handling himself in camp, he's doing a good job. I didn't have the tools he has. But I had a good camp my first year. I think he's having a good camp.

"As young player you need to be confident, but not arrogant and rub people the wrong way. I don't think he's [rubbed anyone the wrong way]."

Schafer's performance in Class A last season landed him a spot in the Arizona Fall League, where he made the All-Star team and earned a non-roster invitation to Braves big league camp.

"He definitely has the tools," Kotsay said. "And he's got a good work ethic, and wants to do what it takes to get to the big leagues. All those things combined, it's a good foundation to move forward."