April 1, 2058
by Banjo Jackson
Nashville, TN
RHP Javier 'Pops' Basanta
| Stuff | Movement | Control | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Start 2057 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Start 2058 | 5 | 5 | 5 | |
| Potential | 8 | 8 | 8 |
Basanta was selected 23rd overall in the 2057 draft by the Vancouver Mounties, but subsequently traded to the Bluebirds immediately thereafter in exchange for Raul Pena, whom the Bluebirds had just acquired from the Mounties earlier that year for SS Niaz Minhas. Basanta, only 18 years old when drafted, was given the nickname ‘Pops’ due to his aged appearance and robust facial hair. The son of orange grove workers, Basanta was often helping his family pick oranges. His job was to discard the bad citrus and his love for baseball made it a fun task. Instead of discarding them in a garbage bin at his side, Pops would leave the bin far away and choose to throw the moldy oranges into the bin. This is where he would experiment throwing different types of pitches, which would translate onto the diamond with an expansive pitch repertoire. His $3 million signing bonus was enough to retire his parents .
While the 6’2 RHP doesn’t jump off the charts in any one area, he is as well-rounded as they come. He’s got good movement and control with hopes improved velocity will better his stuff on the five pitches he throws: fastball, slider, curveball, sinker, and a changeup. All of his pitches are evenly impressive, but his fastball is sitting between 92-94 MPH and if that gets into the upper 90’s, Pops could become a top of the rotation starter. He’s already got the stamina to go deep into ballgames and had success in his first season in Short A with Santo Domingo, just a short drive from his hometown. He was 9-5 in 16 GS with a 93 FIP- and will begin 2058 in Single A.
ETA: 2060
