Dodgers’ Andre Ethier pulls a J.J. Watt, buys log cabin

Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andre Ethier has taken a page from NFL star J.J. Watt’s playbook, buying a log cabin and a helping of rural solitude for $443,412.

Set among tall pines on 10 acres in Overgaard, Ariz., the cabin retreat features 8-inch cedar construction with natural pine doors, vaulted ceilings and covered decks with skylights. Within the 3,500 square feet of living space is a great room, a loft, a formal dining room, an updated kitchen, two bedrooms and 2.5 bathrooms.

A long balcony with evening floor lighting extends off the second level of the home.

The property came on the market in 2013 for $850,000 and was most recently listed for $499,900, according to the Multiple Listing Service. Ethier, who owns other property in the Phoenix area, closed on the home in late February.

While it may be too early to call it a home trend of 2015, the log cabin is having a moment, at least among professional athletes.

Watt, the reigning NFL defensive player of the year, made headlines this year when he revealed that he had purchased a cabin in the “middle of nowhere” to focus on his training. Nowhere turned out to be Summit, Wis., where Watt paid $800,000 for a 35-acre spread with a 4,500-square-foot log cabin.

Former Angels outfielder Tim Salmon is also a fan of the style, having owned a 6,400-square-foot log cabin in Flagstaff, Ariz., for more than a decade. That property, which features knotted wood finishes, antler chandeliers and stone accents, came on the market earlier this for slightly under $4 million.

Twitter: @NJLeitereg