Henderson starts hitting progression, more on Basallo's baseball bashing

TAMPA – The injury news on Gunnar Henderson got a little bit better this morning.

Henderson hasn’t played since Feb. 27 due to a strained ribcage muscle. However, he’s cleared to begin swinging a bat and began a hitting progression earlier today.

“He did some cage stuff. That went extremely well,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “He’ll start some defensive stuff tomorrow, light ground balls. Just the first day of progressing.”

The Orioles needed this kind of advancement from Henderson, no matter the increments. They don’t know whether he can break camp with the team or how much he’d play in the first weeks.

“It was Day One of his hitting progression and just talked to our medical people, and it went extremely well,” Hyde said. “A little bit more each day. Tomorrow is a big day from a ground ball standpoint.”

Jorge Mateo, who keeps aiming for the Opening Day roster, took batting practice on the field today and also is “progressing extremely well,” Hyde said.

Mateo did a full slate of defensive drills yesterday.

Trevor Rogers and Chayce McDermott continue to play catch but haven’t moved beyond flat-ground sessions.

“We’re hoping for some sides, flat-ground things, by the last week of camp,” Hyde said.

“Everybody else is pretty much status quo.”

Zach Eflin is throwing four innings today on a back field in Sarasota.

* Samuel Basallo hit a ball that sailed over the scoreboard at Ed Smith Stadium and rolled toward one of the back fields, a shot that would be the longest for just about any other player.

Basallo had more in the tank. Don’t try to put limits on the young man.

A highlight of last night’s game in Bradenton was the three-run homer from Basallo that cleared the rows of fans standing on the boardwalk in right-center field. They turned to watch it land, missing Basallo’s aggressive bat flip.

Statcast measured it at 403 feet, which seemed to sell him short. Jackson Holliday said as much last night.

“I’m not buying that,” he said. “No chance.”

Leave it to Basallo to choose between last night and his Feb. 27 moon shot in the Florida sunshine.

“I thought yesterday’s was further, but then when I saw the stats on it, I guess it wasn’t,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones. “But I did think I hit it harder than the other one.”

Only if 111.3 mph off the bat is considered hard.

The lack of Statcast data at Ed Smith Stadium left observers guessing at distance and speed. There isn’t solid evidence for comparisons.

“I thought it was going further, but it is what it is,” Basallo said. “The good thing is that it got out of the park.”

The camp cuts so far haven’t touched Basallo, but he’s destined for the Twin Lakes side and another assignment to Triple-A Norfolk. He’s only 20, with a mere 21 games played for the Tides. But the No. 13 prospect in baseball, according to MLB Pipeline, and the top-rated catcher is gaining valuable experience by getting these at-bats and working with major league pitchers. It can only make him better, which is a chilling thought for rival teams that know what’s coming.

“I feel really good,” he said. “I feel like I’ve been able to grow in a lot of ways and really grow an understanding of the game.”

The maturity impresses as much as the physical tools.

"I like the way he walks around like a big leaguer at 20 years old," Hyde said. "He's not overly impressed. The moment's not too big for him. It reminds me what a major league player looks like at 20. Those guys are just built a little bit differently where they feel like they should be here, and it's just a matter of time. That's how he's handling his business every day."

Basallo was behind the plate for Félix Bautista’s inning against the Pirates, who scored two runs but also chased sinkers that touched 97-98.5 mph.

“I know it’s only been (three) outings after maybe not pitching for almost two years, but he looks really good out there,” Basallo said. “I think his split looks really good. Slider’s working really well. Even his fastball, though it’s not at that velocity that we know he can reach, he’s working his way up to it. I think overall he’s doing pretty good right now.”

Bautista broke out a new pitch, throwing two cutters that Statcast didn’t identify properly.

“I think it’s going to be a big help for him,” Basallo said. “I think we only called it two times, but it looked really good, and him having three secondary pitches now instead of two now, it’s going to be a big help for him going forward.”

The time in Sarasota also allows for a pairing with Charlie Morton, who’s more than twice Basallo’s age. Basallo is waiting for an opportunity with 35-year-old Japanese right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano.

“I think when I catch those (veteran) guys, it’s just a lot easier,” Basallo said. “The way they command their pitches just makes it a lot easier for me back there. Knowing that they know what they want to do and they have that command makes a big difference.”

Basallo is expected to make his major league debut this summer, but he must defer to the front office.

“I’m more focused on the day-to-day work and continue to focus in on that,” he said. “I leave that up for them to decide, and whenever that time comes, I’ll be ready.”

* The 2025 UA Next All-America Game, showcasing the nation’s top 40 high school baseball players, will be held at Camden Yards on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Past participants include Gunnar Henderson and Bobby Witt Jr.

“At Ripken Baseball, we always strive to provide the ballplayers at our facilities with the big league experience. Playing at Camden Yards is as big league as it gets,” Cal Ripken Jr., co-founder of Ripken Baseball and part-owner of the Orioles, said in a statement. “I am excited for these extraordinary athletes to play in the park where our Orioles play and Orioles fans will have the chance to watch the next generation compete. I appreciate that the Orioles and Under Armour have come together for this special event and look forward to it.”

Fans will be able to attend the game. Ticket information and other details will be announced at a later date.