Dakota Bacus

Dakota John Bacus (born April 2, 1991) is an American former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Washington Nationals.

Dakota Bacus
Bacus with the Washington Nationals in 2020
Pitcher
Born: (1991-04-02) April 2, 1991
Moline, Illinois
Batted: Right
Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 14, 2020, for the Washington Nationals
Last MLB appearance
September 6, 2020, for the Washington Nationals
Career statistics
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average7.94
Strikeouts7
Teams

Career

Oakland Athletics

Drafted out of Indiana State University by the Oakland Athletics in the 2012 Major League Baseball draft's ninth round, Bacus pitched mostly as a starter for the Class-A Beloit Snappers in his first full professional season in 2013.[1] Bacus gained some media notoriety for a recurring on-field stunt in 2013 with Beloit, in which he would dress in all-white and stand on the warning track with his back to the white outfield wall during home games. "The Whitewall Ninja" would remain on the field, even when balls were put in play into the outfield, until he was noticed and told to go back to the bullpen. The Athletics' minor league coordinator ultimately stepped in to put a stop to the gag.[2][3]

Washington Nationals

Bacus was traded to the Washington Nationals for catcher Kurt Suzuki on August 23, 2013.[4] In the Nationals system over the next few years, Bacus made slow progress, briefly reaching the Class-AAA Syracuse Chiefs, the Nationals' top minor league affiliate, in 2015. After an injury-marred 2016 season in which he didn't make it back to Class-AAA ball, Bacus considered retiring from professional baseball. In 2017, Bacus experienced a marked jump in performance, pitching to a 1.80 ERA out of the Class-A Advanced Potomac Nationals and Class-AA Harrisburg Senators bullpens.[5] He was invited to pitch in the Arizona Fall League after the 2017 season, appearing with the Mesa Solar Sox.[6] Bacus later told his hometown paper, The Rock Island Dispatch-Argus, that he had rediscovered what made baseball fun for him in 2017.[5]

After spending the 2018 season with the Senators, Bacus was promoted in April 2019 to the Class-AAA Fresno Grizzlies, his first return to the level in nearly four years.[5] He was named a Pacific Coast League All-Star in 2019, alongside teammate Yadiel Hernández.[7][8] By late June 2019, Bacus was being mentioned as a candidate for a promotion to the Nationals' major league bullpen by media outlets covering Washington baseball.[9][10]

Bacus did not end up contributing to the Nationals' championship season in 2019, playing out the year with the Grizzlies. He became a minor league free agent after the season's end.[11] On February 12, 2020, Bacus re-signed with the Nationals on a minor league contract.

The Nationals promoted Bacus to the major leagues on August 14, 2020[12] and he made his major league debut that day against the Baltimore Orioles.

On March 28, 2021, Bacus was designated for assignment after Luis Avilán was added to the roster.[13] On March 30, Bacus was outrighted to the minors.[14] Bacus retired after the 2021 season.[15]

Pitching style

Bacus, a right-hander, threw a fastball in the low to mid-90s and offset it with a breaking ball.[6]

References
  1. Slusser, Susan (August 22, 2013). "Kurt Suzuki rejoining A's; his comments plus trade details". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  2. Hill, Benjamin (July 2, 2013). "On the Road: Beloit's Whitewall Ninja". MiLB.com. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  3. Berg, Ted (July 8, 2013). "Awesome Minor League reliever hides on field during games". USA Today. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  4. Reddington, Patrick (August 23, 2013). "Official: Nationals Trade Kurt Suzuki Back To A's For RHP Dakota Bacus". Federal Baseball. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  5. Wendland, Jeff (April 30, 2019). "Dakota Bacus one step away from MLB but still just doing his thing". The Rock Island Dispatch-Argus. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  6. Kerr, Byron (January 12, 2018). "Nats prospects spotlight: Bacus, Williams and Gushue". MASN Sports. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  7. Batterson, Steve (June 29, 2019). "Moline's Bacus earns all-star honor". Quad-City Times. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  8. "Two Grizzlies named to Triple-A All-Star team". The Sentinel. June 28, 2019. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  9. Zuckerman, Mark (June 24, 2019). "Source: Nationals calling up 42-year-old reliever Rodney". MASN Sports. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  10. Dybas, Todd (June 26, 2019). "The Nationals bullpen no one expected -- or probably wanted -- is here". NBC Sports Washington. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  11. Eddy, Matt (November 7, 2019). "Minor League Free Agents 2019". Baseball America. Retrieved November 7, 2019.
  12. "Home".
  13. "Nationals Select Luis Avilan's Contract, Designate Dakota Bacus".
  14. "Minor MLB Transactions: 3/30/21".
  15. Staff, Richard (June 14, 2023). ""I Almost Wished There Was Someone There To Curse At Me": Isolation And Triumph In MLB's Plague Season". Defector.com. Retrieved June 14, 2023.
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