Basallo hits first Triple-A homer? No ... wait ... yes, he did!
Samuel Basallo hit not one, but two balls out of the park Thursday night during the same at-bat and on back-to-back pitches.
The first rocket launched by MLB's No. 10 prospect exited Jacksonville's 121 Financial Ballpark outside the yellow poles in right field, and was promptly deemed to be foul. Basallo returned to the plate, took the next pitch and smashed it in the same direction.
This time, there was no doubt.
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Basallo hit his very first -- and rather unique -- Triple-A homer off Marlins left-hander Josh Simpson in the seventh inning en route to the Norfolk Tides¡¯ 12-7 win in 10 innings over the host Jumbo Shrimp.
The dinger with a 102 mph exit velocity provided the first example of the 20-year-old's power at the top level of the Minors.
¡°[My teammates], everyone was saying, ¡®Two home runs in one turn,¡¯¡± he said in Spanish. ¡°They were laughing and congratulated me for my first homer. It was very fun in the dugout.¡±
Since Basallo's promotion to Norfolk on Aug. 27, he's been adjusting to playing with and against big league veterans as well as prospects with a lot of experience.
The Orioles' No. 2 prospect approached the transition by playing the same way that got him there so quickly. The young backstop picked up his first hit, RBI, run and then his first dinger within his first three games.
¡°It feels really good, I feel comfortable here,¡± Basallo said. ¡°The results haven't been the best, but we¡¯ve had some success and I feel perfect.¡±
Even though he got those milestones out of the way, the Dominican native is looking for more offensive production after going 2-for-14 in his early Triple-A action.
¡°Before anything would drive me crazy, but this year I¡¯ve been through some hard moments," he said. "I¡¯ve learned that I¡¯m a tremendous ballplayer, and at some point, things will start to go well again."
The facts back it up. Basallo hit .289/.355/.465 with 16 homers, 57 runs and 55 RBIs over 106 games at Double-A Bowie, and his ensuing promotion made him the youngest prospect at the Triple-A level. That distinction was previously held by organization mate Jackson Holliday -- who graduated from prospect status on Thursday -- before the 20-year-old second baseman was called up to The Show.
¡°It feels great to keep doing what he did and that¡¯s a goal that we all want to achieve,¡± he said. ¡°To get to where he is and do what he¡¯s doing. I am very grateful and taking this as an opportunity that God has given me to do my best.¡±
Now that he's on the doorstep of the Majors, he's utilizing the opportunity to get better while awaiting his own call.
¡°I am so happy that I am close to taking the big step. Every day I walk up to the plate with more hunger to keep working. It¡¯s motivation to know you are almost where you want to be.¡±