LAKELAND, Fla. – Justin Verlander was drafted second overall by the Tigers in 2004.

Later that year, Samuel Basallo was born in the Dominican Republic.

The age difference amuses the Orioles’ 21-year-old catcher, especially after facing Verlander this afternoon.

Basallo doubled to left field in the fourth inning at 105.4 mph against Verlander, 43, the future Hall of Famer. He took a curveball and changeup for strikes to fall behind 0-2, fouled off a sweeper and lined a 94.4 mph fastball the opposite way.

A nice piece of hitting.

An absurd gap in ages.

“It’s incredible,” he said via interpreter Brandon Quinones after the Orioles and Tigers played to a 1-1 tie at Joker Marchant Stadium. “It’s someone you grow up watching. Last year I played against him twice, I think, so I saw him last year, but it’s someone you grow up playing with in video games, so it’s really neat to go out there and face him and see him.

“Even today when I got that hit and I made it to second, he looked over and he said, ‘Nice hit.’ So hearing something like that is really special.”

Verlander threw some pitches early in the count that Basallo didn’t expect, but the kid stuck to the plan.

“He ended up throwing the heater,” Basallo said, “which is what I was sitting on.”

“That was a great at-bat,” said manager Craig Albernaz. “Just the ability to take the outside fastball and just drive it the other way. That was a really impressive swing. The way he manages at-bats and his approach for such a young player, it’s impressive.”

Long home runs are just part of Basallo’s offensive game, and they certainly get the bulk of the attention. There’s more to him than just power.

“Well, my plan always in my mindset, what I always tell myself, is to focus on hitting low line drives,” Basallo said. “If they pitch me inside, I want to react and turn that way, but my plan is always to hit low line drives.”

Standing in against an accomplished veteran like Verlander can only enhance Basallo’s game and make him a better hitter.

“It’s good for our guys to face guys like that, that can pitch a little bit,” Albernaz said. “For Samuel in particular, you don’t face many guys like that in the minor leagues that can do that, so there’s always some value in facing different guys, especially Verlander.”

*Chris Bassitt certainly got in his work today. The weather and his manager were in full cooperation.

Bassitt became the first Oriole to go more than five innings, exiting after 5 1/3 scoreless against the Tigers on a chilly but sunny day in Lakeland. He allowed three hits, and Albernaz extended him to 89 pitches.  

Minor leaguer Joe Glassey stranded two runners in the sixth after an error, single and fly ball. Bassitt’s ERA shrank to 2.51.

“I thought he was incredible,” Basallo said.

Bassitt worked around a leadoff walk in the second by retiring the next three batters, including a strikeout of Kevin McGonigle on a 70.8 mph curveball. Former Oriole Jahmai Jones reached on a bunt single with one out in the third and Bassitt struck out Parker Meadows on a cutter and retired Javier Báez on a grounder to short.

Many of the curveballs today were below 70 mph.

Wenceel Pérez led off the fourth by striking out on a sinker, but a walk and infield single put Bassitt in a jam. He got a force play before nearly being hit by Basallo’s throw to second base on McGonigle’s stolen base, and he fielded Matt Vierling’s bouncer to the mound.

A prolonged inning pushed Bassitt’s pitch count to 61. He threw 18 while retiring the side in order in the fifth, striking out Jones on a cutter, but Báez led off the sixth by reaching on shortstop Luis Vázquez’s fielding error and Pérez bounced a single into right field.

Colt Keith flied out and Albernaz made the switch.

“Felt good, felt strong,” Bassitt said.

Bassitt is impressed with Basallo, praising how the organization’s top prospect “genuinely cares about his craft” and is “really, really smart.”

“Kind of tell him one thing and he’s already doing it,” Bassitt said. “Overall, I’m really happy working with him, excited to work with him and Adley (Rutschman). But yeah, he’s got everything you want.”

*Coby Mayo returned to the lineup and was robbed by McGonigle on a grounder up the third base line in the second inning. Mayo walked in the sixth.

José Espada gave up an unearned run in the eighth to tie the score on a walk, Basallo passed ball and wild pitch.

Ryan Long loaded the bases with one out in the ninth and got a double play.

*Bryan Ramos received his first start at second base today after making eight at third base and serving once as designated hitter. He broke a scoreless tie in the fifth with a two-out home run against Verlander and later reached on an infield single against reliever Burch Smith and doubled off Konnor Pilkington.

Always a good day when coming within a triple of the cycle.

“We’ve been kind of moving all our guys around – Weston (Wilson), Blaze (Alexander), Ramos for sure,” Albernaz said. “Want to get him a look at second. But yeah, he swung the bat good today.”

Ramos launched a 95.8 mph fastball 396 feet to left-center field at 104.8 mph for his first homer, and Verlander was removed from the game. The double in the ninth raised Ramos’ average to .345 (10-for-29) with a .958 OPS.

Dillon Dingler reached on an infield hit in the fourth on a 106.3 mph shot up the middle that Ramos couldn’t field cleanly. Ramos handled two grounders in the first inning and a popup and grounder in the eighth.

The position isn’t new to Ramos except in the majors. He’s made 33 starts at second base in the minors.

Ramos is out of options and the Orioles haven’t settled on their backups. They have space for a utility infielder.

They brought Ramos back to the organization with a Feb. 20 waiver claim and he’s impressed in camp.

“The talent is as advertised,” Albernaz said over the weekend.

*Zach Eflin had to divide his start Sunday night into two sections. The two-plus innings and 32 pitches against the Yankees, and the work done indoors after the storm arrived.

Eflin is grateful for the player development complex that allowed him to keep facing hitters, though the circumstances weren’t ideal.

“I felt like I was commanding my pitches, and then obviously the rain came and then I went in the aviary and threw two more innings live and felt great,” he said this morning.

Eflin is on a slower ramp up after August back surgery and has only one official Grapefruit League outing due to a B game appearance and Sunday’s inclement weather. However, he seems pleased with the progression and where it’s carried him in the final week of spring training.

“Yeah, absolutely,” he said. “I’m responding well after every outing. It’s kind of a crappy situation the other day because I really wanted to get four or five innings in a game, but ended up getting some work in in the aviary and was able to get all my pitches in. So take that in the next outing and keep building the pitch count.”

The goal remains for Eflin to be on the Opening Day roster, but the Orioles haven’t sat him down for that conversation.

“I still have another outing to check mark and there’s still eight, nine days left, so that’s where my head’s at,” he said. “We haven’t had that conversation yet. But yeah, it’s what I’m thinking.”

Last night’s cancellation left the Orioles scrambling to provide innings for a bunch of pitchers, including Kyle Bradish and Shane Baz, who pitched in a simulated game on the stadium field. Infielders and outfielders made it easier to replicate real competition.

Field 4 also was used to give relievers some work.

“I was very happy. Actually, it turned out better than expected,” Albernaz said.

“It was quality work. Also, it was a benefit to, like, we were able to push (Ryan) Helsley a little bit more. We actually were able to get his pitch count by guys staying out there and stuff. It was a great day.”

*No matter what happens tonight in the World Baseball Classic final between Team USA and Team Venezuela, Gunnar Henderson will be headed back to Orioles camp and resuming his preparation for Opening Day on March 26.

Henderson isn’t in the lineup against left-hander and former Orioles prospect Eduardo Rodríguez.

What’s the plan for Henderson after he reports? Get tossed right back into the lineup or receive a short break?

“This might shock you with this answer: Whatever Gunnar wants to do,” Albernaz replied.

“That’s the biggest thing. When he comes back, we want to check in with him, see how he’s feeling and see what he needs. Because we are leaving soon. So I think for me, it’s whatever Gunnar needs to feel like he’s ready for Opening Day, and so that’s gonna be a great conversation to have because I can’t wait to have him back.”