1 article
PIT • PH
29 days ago
The towering 6-foot-7, 243-pound slugger recorded some truly astronomical exit velocities during the showcase, including an eye-popping 122.9 mph laser beam to left field and a 19.7 mph moonshot as part of a 24-homer barrage, to edge teammate Esmerlyn Valdez — the hottest hitter in the entire AFL this fall — for the crown. He batted .259/.359/.500 with eight homers in 30 games this past season in the lower rungs of Pittsburgh’s system and is certainly a name to watch as he reaches the upper minors given his power potential. The 20-year-old power-hitter dedicated the derby win to his late father, former big leaguer Tony Blanco Sr., who passed away back in April during the nightclub tragedy in the Dominican Republic.