Player: Luis Alexander Basabe
Position: Outfielder
Height: 6’0 Weight: 160 Age: 23 Bats/Throws: S/R Current Level: AA Birmingham
MLB.com Rank: 9th in White Sox System
Signed: 2012, by BOS
Acquired: 2016 from Red Sox with Yoan Moncada and Michael Kopech for Chris Sale
Hometown: El Vigia, Venezuela
Originally signed by the Red Sox, Basabe came over to the White Sox in the Chris Sale trade back in 2016. Both him and his identical twin brother, Luis Alejandro, were signed by the Red Sox for $450,000 each in 2012. Both were traded in 2016; Luis Alejandro is currently in the Diamondbacks system. Luis Alexander has dealt with a series of injury problems over the years. He tore his meniscus in his first season in the White Sox system. He’s also suffered from a broken hamate bone in his left hand and a recurring quadriceps issue more recently.
Scouting Grades
Basabe has been praised for his ability to work counts, draw walks and make solid contact. The power is still coming along, but his potential was seen in the 2018 MLB Futures Game when he took a 102-mph fastball from Hunter Greene over the right-center field wall. Although he’s a switch-hitter, he is better from the right-side of the plate.
Basabe has good speed, his defensive instincts are improving, but it remains to be seen if it will be good enough to keep him in center-field for the long-term. Many see him eventually as a 20-20 guy in the MLB.
Basabe’s continuing development will focus on improving his swing path and driving more balls in the air. Defensively, he works to continue his routes and instincts, his arm is already good enough to play anywhere in the outfield.
Luis Alexander Basabe Stats
