Basallo caps week with display of power for Bowie
Samuel Basallo gave a glimpse of how much damage he can do in the batter’s box on Sunday. The Orioles' No. 2 prospect launched two home runs during a three-hit afternoon to lead Double-A Bowie’s 4-2 win over Richmond at The Diamond. It marked the fourth time Basallo posted a
Samuel Basallo gave a glimpse of how much damage he can do in the batter’s box on Sunday.
The Orioles' No. 2 prospect launched two home runs during a three-hit afternoon to lead Double-A Bowie’s 4-2 win over Richmond at The Diamond. It marked the fourth time Basallo posted a multihomer game in his career, the first time this season.
All three of the hits by the No. 19 overall prospect had something in common. They all came on the third pitch of his at-bats.
After singling in the third inning, the catcher out of the Dominican Republic stepped in against Giants No. 8 prospect Reggie Crawford with a runner on base and the Baysox down by two runs in the sixth. On a 2-0 count, the left-hander threw one down the middle of the plate, and Basallo didn’t miss. He sent the ball a reported 410 feet into left-center field with a 104 mph exit velocity to tie the game.
The 19-year-old's at-bat against Nick Swiney almost came to a quick ending. Basallo swung at the left-hander's first offering, but the ball bounced off the glove of left fielder Carter Howell in foul territory. The third pitch was in the middle of the zone, and Basallo lofted it over Howell's head and the left-field fence to give Bowie some insurance.
The Orioles have a strong track record of developing domestic prospects. But when Mike Elias took over as general manager in 2018, he wanted to elevate the club’s international side to the next level.
When Basallo signed with Baltimore in 2021 for an organizational-record $1.3 million bonus, the then-16-year-old was seen as a cornerstone of the Orioles' vision for their international department, which also included opening a state-of-the-art Dominican Academy this January.
After figuring things out in his first two seasons with the organization in the Dominican Summer League and Florida Complex League respectively, Basallo broke out last season. In his first year of non-Rookie ball, the young catcher breezed through three levels. He started off at Single-A and ended the campaign at Double-A with a combined slash line of .313/.402/.551, a .953 OPS, 20 home runs and 86 RBIs.
Basallo’s development as a top international prospect already seems to be paving the way for the club's new era.
Jesús Cano is a contributor for MiLB.com.