Raptors assistant Batiste cherishes time with high baseball prospect son

PHOENIX — For individuals who work within the NBA, the lengthy, unforgiving schedule usually means lacking some moments with family members.

But on a late-March Saturday below the unseasonably intense Arizona solar, the schedule offered some magic, and Toronto Raptors assistant coach Mike Batiste — recognized to everybody across the group as “Big Mike” — took full benefit.

The Raptors’ current journey to Phoenix coincided with Batiste’s son’s, Mike Jr.’s, journey by way of Arizona on Canadian Premier, an under-18 journey group of elite Canadian baseball prospects, enjoying showcase video games towards rookie execs on MLB groups primarily based within the Phoenix space.

The Raptors had an optionally available apply, however his fellow coaches lined for him, permitting Batiste to move out to the Seattle Mariners’ spring coaching facility.

The temperature crested above 40 levels Celsius by midday, however Batiste couldn’t have been happier.

Also on the town was Batiste’s spouse, Sarah, his daughter Sydney, and Mike’s sister, Maureen, who performed school basketball with Sarah at Cal State Northridge — which is how Mike, who performed at Arizona State, and his spouse have been launched. Both of Mike Jr.’s grandmothers have been available, too.

The household gathered below the tree nearest the backfield diamond, looking for the very best mixture of shade and sightlines.

But Big Mike was up towards the fence, absorbing as a lot of the expertise as he might, shade or no shade.

“Sometimes in a schedule, things just work out,” he stated. “My son got this invite. We’re sitting looking at the schedule, and we (the Raptors) were in Arizona at the same time. It’s awesome.”

It’s been an superior low season, usually, baseball-wise for the Batistes.

Just after the NBA all-star break, Mike Jr. discovered he had been ranked as a top-10 prospect for North America within the 2028 highschool class.

Six weeks later, the 16-year-old’s face nonetheless splits right into a smile on the considered it.

“That was amazing. I can’t even express my emotions,” stated Mike Jr. “I bear in mind I had acquired up instantly and went straight upstairs to my mother. She was on a name for work, and I used to be like, ‘Mom, you gotta get off the phone, you gotta get off the phone, look, look!’ And she did not perceive what it was. I used to be like, ‘Mom, I got ranked 10th in America!’ And then she was like, ‘Oh my God!’

His subsequent transfer was to name his Dad, who was strolling to the Apple Store in downtown Chicago, the place the Raptors have been getting ready to play the Bulls of their first recreation again after the break. He was with fellow Raptors assistant coach James Wade when his cellphone lit up, and his son’s pleasure was vibrating from 800 kilometres away.

“That was an awesome moment,” stated Wade, who performed basketball professionally in Europe on the identical time Batiste was hooping professionally abroad. “I get chills fascinated with it. Mike’s most likely top-of-the-line American basketball gamers to ever step foot on European soil, however he was extra excited for his son than he ever is for himself.

“We’re both very proud of our kids … and watching him when his son was being recognized for something he’d accomplished, that’s special.”

Special, too, was a fortunate Saturday in Phoenix. Sharing the massive moments in individual all the time is, even when it’s not all the time doable. However, in Mike Jr.’s case, likelihood is there will probably be a lot extra large baseball moments to return.

It’s a journey his father is aware of nicely, albeit in a special sport.

Big Mike is in his third season as an assistant with Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic, and beforehand coached with Houston, Washington, Orlando, Charlotte and Brooklyn after beginning out with the Cleveland Cavaliers’ G-League group in Canton, Ohio.

Before that, the native of Long Beach, Calif., carved out a 14-year skilled profession that culminated in three EuroLeague championships with Panathinaikos in Athens and — simply final May — him being acknowledged as one of many greats to ever play in Europe with a spot on the EuroLeague twenty fifth anniversary group.

But Mike Jr. selected baseball as his path early on. No one is kind of positive why, although the affect of an older cousin is one concept. He acquired an opportunity to play all types of sports activities rising up, nevertheless it’s all the time been baseball first, with a few damaged televisions from spontaneous indoor periods grooving his highly effective swing being one of many solely downsides.

“There were a few times I had to leave the house and take a walk around the block to give myself a minute to calm down,” stated Big Mike, laughing.

But in any other case, Mike Jr.’s headlong dive into baseball has turn into a household interest, with lengthy drives to tournaments and showcase occasions offering low season household time within the summers, whereas discovering methods to steadiness 12-year-old Sydney’s personal baseball and hockey commitments as an train in time administration.

Baseball was a sport Big Mike performed recreationally rising up, however he gave up as he grew into his broad-shouldered, six-foot-nine body, and it was clear basketball was going to be his calling.

Mike Jr. nonetheless performs highschool basketball, and at six-foot-five and 230 kilos at age 16, the Grade 10 scholar at Port Credit Secondary School possible turned some heads, nevertheless it’s simply one thing he does for enjoyable.

Baseball, although? That might be one thing totally different, given he’s a switch-hitter with energy. He’s topped 93 m.p.h. on his throws from the outfield, and his common exit velocity (the pace of the ball off the bat) at a mix occasion final summer time was 94.4 with a most of 104.3 m.p.h., per PrepBaseballReport.com, which might be spectacular numbers for a college-aged participant.

It’s these sorts of measurables which have Mike Jr. on the radar as a high-end prospect each in Canada and the U.S. During the summer time season, he performs for the extremely regarded Ontario Blue Jays program, which counts main leaguers Josh and Bo Naylor amongst its current alumni. And he’s proven nicely sufficient to be included on what’s, basically, a hand-picked prospect group giving MLB golf equipment an early have a look at Canadian expertise towards skilled competitors — along with the sport towards the Mariners rookies, Canadian Premier performed groups fielded by the Anaheim Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers and Cincinnati Reds.

“He’s a very powerful kid. I think that’s his No. 1 tool. When you watch him hit batting practice, especially in the thin Arizona air, the ball turns into a golf ball in a hurry off of his bat,” stated Jamie Romack, the supervisor for Canadian Premier U18. “But I believe general, I’m actually impressed along with his preparation. He goes about it as a child in a really skilled approach. He’s superior in that sense. The indisputable fact that he swap hits is one other asset, and he can throw as nicely.

“So, the tool set is all there for him, it’s just gonna be a matter of getting more reps and experience.”

Mike Jr. credit his dad for the behind-the-scenes insights into what it takes to be an expert, which have helped him construct the habits which have allowed him to border his skills.

“I’ve seen all the pro basketball players, their warmup and how they train, and that shows me what I need to do,” Mike Jr. stated. “And that’s why I feel more mature for my age, just seeing the preparation and the work and the desire and the hours and the sweat and tears that it takes.”

But he additionally appreciates that, for all of his Dad’s (and Mom’s) ties to elite basketball, there was by no means a push or pull in a single course or one other.

“He lets me figure it out,” stated Mike Jr. “He didn’t push basketball on me; he let me choose my own path, my own legacy, my own journey. But he’s always supporting me. He’s my backbone. He’s always there for me, always calling me, always checking up on me. And that’s what I love about him.”

Big Mike didn’t have a lot of a selection when it got here to figuring out a path for his son to observe. From his viewpoint, his son has a ardour for baseball, so it was all the time as much as him to let it occur, and wherever it leads, it leads.

“It’s like he has a spiritual call into this game. Like he wakes up, he thinks baseball, he sleeps baseball, he eats baseball,” stated Big Mike. “He research the sport. He is aware of all of the stats, all of the gamers, and it is good generally to sit down down and discuss with him, simply to get a special facet of the sport.

“Like, we’re watching the World Baseball Classic, and he’s telling you every single player. And it’s just like, not just the American players. He’s giving you the Italian roster, the Canadian roster, Venezuela. He knew it all.”

Big Mike doesn’t faux to be a baseball guru or, within the case of his daughter, a goaltending skilled. He’s joyful his youngsters are obsessed with one thing and loves the chance their sports activities present for household time, even when it comes at a worth.

“Baseball, hockey … they chose two expensive sports. I gotta dig in my pocketbook,” he joked, laughing whereas echoing the lament of sports activities mother and father in all places.

But what Big Mike can provide is a few insights past metrics like bat pace or arm power.

“I’m always gonna be ‘Dad,’ but at the same time, the advantages that I have, coaching at the highest level, it gets kicked down to both of my kids,” he stated with a humid towel round his neck in a futile try and beat the desert warmth.

“I talked to him in regards to the work, the habits, having a routine, finding out. He’s nonetheless a child on the finish of the day, however he can take the time to look at 20 minutes of YouTube highlights — there’s recreation breakdowns within the MLB app. There are nuances and particulars that all the time matter in between successful and dropping, so I attempt to instill the worth of the little issues.

“And we talk about being a good teammate and having character, not only as a person, but having good baseball character — a positive vibe, being upbeat — because I told him, you’ve picked a sport where you’re going to fail more times than not.”

On that sunny March Saturday, that’s how issues play out.

Mike Jr. is without doubt one of the youngest members of Canadian Premier and is going through signed professionals of their late teenagers or early 20s. The fastballs are coming within the low 90s with motion. There are breaking pitches and off-speed stuff.

In his first at-bat, he struck out on three mighty cuts. On his second, it’s a weak contact to the center infield. In between, he handles his probabilities in proper subject cleanly, however on his third probability on the plate, he squares one up, and his Dad, together with the gathering of MLB scouts and family and friends serving because the viewers, pauses to look at the ball take flight to deep centre subject.

It sadly ran out of gasoline simply wanting the fence, almost 400 ft away, because the centre fielder was in a position to collect it on the warning monitor, forcing Mike Jr. to jog again to the dugout.

But the lengthy, loud out is proof of idea. And, hey, the child learns quick. Just a few days later, Mike Jr. had an RBI in a comeback win for Canadian Premier over the Los Angeles Dodgers, his dad’s favorite group rising up in southern California.

But on that Saturday, with the sport over, baseball and basketball took a again seat for the remainder of the afternoon and night.

The agenda? An afternoon by the pool at a close-by good friend’s home, adopted by some dinner.

No video games. Just some household time on Spring Break. A present from the NBA schedule to be cherished.