It is not a common occurrence to witness a 19-year-old pitcher being called up to start in the World Baseball Classic. However, Texas Rangers prospect, Mitch Bratt, was given this opportunity to start against Team USA. Unfortunately, Bratt became visibly rattled early on in the game and was pulled in the first inning, leaving him upset. Nevertheless, there are a few reasons why Mitch Bratt should keep his head up and remain optimistic moving forward in his career.
Mitch Bratt had to face off against highly skilled Team USA players
For starters, it is probable that Team Canada’s manager, Ernie Whitt, realized after the game that starting a young pitcher like Bratt against Team USA was not the best decision. This is because Bratt had to face off against highly skilled and talented players such as Mike Trout, Paul Goldschmidt, and Nolan Arenaldo, among others. To put it into perspective, asking a high school pitcher to go up against the baseball “Dream Team” would be similar to Bratt’s situation. There were other pitchers on Team Canada’s roster who would have probably had a longer outing than Bratt. However, the silver lining for Bratt is that he got some much-needed practice against some of the top players in the MLB, which will help him develop his skills further.
Secondly, at just 19 years old, the Texas Rangers organization is quite pleased with Bratt’s current trajectory in his career. Last season, he had a 2.45 ERA with a record of 5-5 while playing for the Down East Ducks. The fact that he only gave up four home runs speaks volumes about his skill and potential. Bratt must continue to remain optimistic and bring the same level of energy to this season in the Texas Rangers Minor League System. Regardless of which team he ends up on this season, he is undoubtedly a good pitcher, and any team he is assigned to will benefit from having him.
Despite disappointing loss, Rangers fans still support him
Lastly, Bratt needs to realize that despite his short outing against Team Canada, the Rangers’ fans are still behind him. The fact that he represented the organization in the World Baseball Classic at such a young age is something to be proud of. The exposure he got on national TV is fantastic, and the Rangers organization is proud of him for representing his country. They are looking forward to seeing him develop further in their organization, and he should take comfort in the fact that he has the support of the fans behind him.
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