Alabama Signee Bryce Eldridge Signs with MLB's Giants, Forgoes College Baseball

Alabama commit Bryce Eldridge has signed with the San Francisco Giants and will not play college baseball.

Will Miller | Jul 17, 2023

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San Francisco Giants

When the San Francisco Giants took Alabama baseball commit Bryce Eldridge with the 16th pick in the first round of the MLB draft on July 9, it wasn't a great help to the odds that the Crimson Tide would maintain the services of the two-way player out of Virginia.

It is now official that the 2023 Gatorade Virginia Baseball Player of the Year will forgo the collegiate route. Per Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline, Eldridge signed with the Giants for $3,997,500. It is a lucrative sum, but less than the pick's slot value of $4,326,600.

The 6-foot-7 right-hander posted a .422 average at the plate with a 1.716 OPS during his senior season to go with a sterling 1.06 ERA and a perfect 9-0 record on the bump. Eldridge plans to play both ways as a professional, and the Giants organization will allow him to give it a shot.

Callis reported that Eldridge's signing bonus is the second highest ever for a two-way player out of high school. He can play first base, but there is not a high likelihood that he spends extended time playing the field in the majors if he pitches. With the National League having adopted the designated hitter full-time last season, the risk of fatigue and injury is too great.

Shohei Ohtani is the marquee name amongst two-way players in the game of baseball, potentially set to earn the most lucrative free agent contract in MLB history in less than a year's time as arguably the best player in the game. Eldridge has been compared to the Los Angeles Angels superstar, but told MLB.com that he wants to impact the game in his own way.

There was never tremendous doubt that Eldridge would opt to turn professional instead of playing in Tuscaloosa. He joins fellow two-way sensation Reggie Crawford in the Bay Area, and the hope for the organization is that both players factor significantly into the future of one of the National League's storied franchises. He had signed an NLI for next season. San Francisco presented Eldridge with a great opportunity to further all aspects of his career, and he's officially taken it.

Eldridge committed to Alabama and then head coach Brad Bohannon back in April of 2020 and signed with the Crimson Tide in November 2022.

Elsewhere in Alabama signing news, former Crimson Tide right fielder Andrew Pinckney put pen to paper with the Washington Nationals. Pinckney, drafted in the fourth round with pick 102, signed for a cool $500,000. He was the first Crimson Tide player off the board in this year's draft, and undoubtedly hopes to add his name to the ranks of elite right fielders to don the curly W, including Bryce Harper and Juan Soto.

4th-rder Andrew Pinckney signs w/@Nationals for $500k (pick 102 value = $660,000). @AlabamaBSB OF, all-around athlete with solid power & arm strength, plus speed. Went 3-for-3 w/HR off Paul Skenes in April. @MLBDraft pic.twitter.com/2x4ESWTObC
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) July 17, 2023

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