SF Giants OF Joc Pederson competing in Cornhole Tournament on ESPN

With spring training on the horizon, SF Giants outfielder Joc Pederson is getting in some final offseason fun in a nationally televised cornhole tournament.

Marc Delucchi | Feb 10, 2023

SF Giants OF Joc Pederson competing in Cornhole Tournament on ESPN /

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San Francisco Giants

On the verge of another MLB season, SF Giants outfielder Joc Pederson will be indulging in an unusual offseason competition on Friday. Pederson is competing in the American Cornhole League's "Superhole" competition, where top American Cornhole League players pair with celebrities in a Pro-Am tournament. In the first preliminary round, Pederson is set to compete against Red Sox third baseman Justin Turner, Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Tyler Lockett, and former NFL quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick at 9:30 PM PST on ESPN.

SF Giants outfielder Joc Pederson takes a swing. (2022) / Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

If Pederson advances past the preliminary rounds, he would have an opportunity to compete at the American Cornhole League championship in August. Although, given the timeline of the MLB season, it could be a tight fit in the outfielder's schedule.

Pederson was a Silver Slugger finalist last season, hitting 274/.353/.521 with 23 home runs in 134 games with the Giants. While he had only signed a one-year deal with the team, he accepted a qualifying offer to remain with the Giants for at least one more season.

While Pederson is limited defensively, his offensive production gives him obvious value. Moreover, MLB has banned extreme shifts going forward. Pederson, a dead-pull hitter has been consistently hampered by extreme shifts over his career. Given Pederson's track record of productivity in spite of extreme shifts, it's not out of the question that the SF Giants could expect even more from him next season. However, before he is back at Oracle Park, Joc Pederson will be looking to get a victory at the American Cornhole League's celebrity tournament.

Published Feb 10, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).