15-year-old Brazilian pitcher impresses in WBC qualifier
Brazilian pitcher Eric Pardinho made sure at least some major-league teams paid attention to the World Baseball Classic qualifying games during the stretch run of the MLB season.
Those teams were drawn in for two reasons, or more specifically, two numbers. The first number is 15, the right-hander’s age. The second number is 94, the miles per hour reading he put on the radar gun in Brazil’s 10-0 win over Pakistan on Thursday in Brooklyn.
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The high heat came during a relief appearance in the sixth inning, going two-thirds of an inning and allowing one hit and one walk. Brazil is certainly not known as a baseball power – Yan Gomes of the Indians and Paulo Orlando of the Royals are the only active MLB players from there – but Pardinho’s potential speaks to the game’s growth in the country.
It’s not the first time Pardinho has impressed on the international stage, either. He struck out 12 in a dominant effort against the Dominican Republic at the under-16 Pan-American Baseball Championship earlier this year.
A contract with a major-league team should follow soon, you know, when Pardinho turns 16 next year and is old enough to sign one.
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Israel Fehr is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at israelfehr@yahoo.ca or follow him on Twitter. Follow @israelfehr
