Baltimore Orioles star shortstop Gunnar Henderson didn’t have the Home Run Derby debut he was expecting.
Henderson, who is second in baseball with 28 home runs this season, didn’t advance beyond the first round on Monday in Arlington, Texas.
He smacked 11 home runs while hitting off Triple-A Norfolk coach Buck Britton.
Henderson took to the plate a custom-made Scooby Doo bat.
Before his plate appearance, Henderson explained on ESPN why he brought out that special bat.
“I’ve always done a good Scooby Doo impression and I’ve always liked the show,” Henderson said.
“Plus, this is a kid’s game, so why not bring it?”
The Baltimore Orioles scouting department continues to show why they’re arguably the best in baseball.
While the Orioles’ draft picks that have found success have typically been picked early in the draft cycle, they picked at No. 22 and No. 32 on Sunday night and hit their picks out of the park.
Baltimore selected Vance Honeycutt out of North Carolina.
The two-time ACC Defensive Player of the Year and UNC’s single-season home run record holder is a potential superstar.
They also drafted Griff O’Ferrall out of the University of Virginia.
O’Ferrall was the everyday shortstop for the Collegiata National Team and put together an impressive career at UVA.
Jim Bowden of The Athletic wrote about his MLB Draft Day One winners, writing that the Orioles were one of them.
