[ad_1]
SECAUCUS, N.J. – The Giants had a left-field player who went to Serra High and became a pretty good power hitter once he reached the major leagues. He even hit a home run or two at McCovey Cove. You may remember his name: Barry Bonds.
How about the other Serra High and ASU alum standing in the box of the left-handed hitter at Oracle Park, hitting bullets in San Francisco Bay, when he dreamed of making it small?
The giants and their new front office can see it. The players started Monday night when they used the 10th pick of the 2019 amateur draft to select Hunter Bishop, a 6-foot-5 center defenseman who ranked at the top of the list of potential candidates with a brilliant junior season.
The native of Palo Alto hit 10 homers during his first two seasons at the ASU before changing posture and getting closer to last summer in the Cape Cod, a wooden bat. Then, as a junior, he launched 22 circuits.
Bishop also checked a big box for baseball operations president Farhan Zaidi and amateur scouting director Michael Holmes, greatly improving his plate discipline. He walked 50 times against 61 strikeouts, helping him reach a .482 percentage on the base as a junior.
The same trait defines the Giants' second round pick, Logan Wyatt, Louisville's first-baseman. With 68 steps, he is one of the leaders of Division I. He hits .291 with a percentage of .473 on the base and nine circuits. Like Bishop, he hits the left-handers.
Bishop grew up watching games at Oracle Park with his brother Braden, who was selected by the Mariners in 2015 and who joined the majors this season, and yes, Hunter fantasized about being Bonds.
"I think every child who saw Barry Bonds grow up dreams of hitting balls at McCovey Cove, and Barry was the best to do it," said Bishop. "When we got home, I went into the back yard and I hit Wiffle's balls and pretended to hit the bullets in McCovey Cove.
Bishop is preparing for high expectations, but none is greater than his own. He thinks he's presenting a mix between Cody Bellinger and Christian Yelich.
"Both are very good players, but I think I have similarities with both," he said. "I think I swing more like Cody Bellinger and run as a defender like Christian Yelich. Obviously, these guys are really talented, but I think that in the future, I will be able to become such players. "
If the Giants are right about Bishop's potential, he could provide them with power that has eluded them for so long, especially for the local peasants, with the extra benefit he can move. Despite its size, the giants do not exclude it as a center player in the major leagues.
"He's a terrific athlete with the power and speed combo that can impact the game on both sides of the ball," Holmes said.
Baseball America's pre-project rankings said some scouts projected Bishop with a power of 70 on a scale of 20 to 80. Holmes would not give his rank but said, "Hunter has a huge gross power. This year, he showed his power plays in this match. He certainly has the ability to be a powerful hitter in the major leagues. It is certainly something that has attracted us.
The MLB.com recount report stated that there would be some "swing and misguidance" with Bishop, but that he had "a mighty power for his side's drawn shot, but also the ability to steer the ball in all areas".
Although this was the first draft of the Giants, he watched Bishop since Serra High's day of the evolved player and attended many of his college games while he was working for the A. The Evaluators who stayed after the Zaidi's commitment did the same.
Wyatt's profile is a little like that of Max Muncy and Brandon Belt. Although Wyatt is not considered a fast player, Holmes thinks he can play a little behind.
Both choices helped the giants achieve a preliminary goal of adding bats to the system. This sometimes goes against the "best available player" mantra, but the offensive character of this year's top draft picks fits perfectly with the organization's most pressing needs.
Bishop and Wyatt did not scare the Giants to hit a southpaw in a park that was not conducive to a shot on that side, believing that they both had the ability to drive the ball in all areas . And who knows? Upon arrival at the majors, the size of the park could be shorter.
The project took place in the MLB network studios, but the Giants leaders were in a newsroom in San Francisco. That includes Holmes, who returned to San Francisco last week after the death of his wife, Heather, on Wednesday.
As honorary representatives of the 30 teams in the Green Room, Red Sox executive Gary Hughes, a former graduate of Bay Arean and Serra High, asked them to keep the Holmes, including their son Landon, in their thoughts. .
The project continues for 40 laps Tuesday and Wednesday.
Henry Schulman is a writer at the San Francisco Chronicle. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @hankschulman
[ad_2]
Source link