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SF Giants prospects: First-round pick Bryce Eldridge learning new position

It will not be long before SF Giants first-round pick Bryce Eldridge makes his pro debut, and it seems like he may be trying a new position.

Marc Delucchi

SF Giants prospects: First-round pick Bryce Eldridge learning new position
SF Giants prospects: First-round pick Bryce Eldridge learning new position /
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The SF Giants selected two-way phenom Bryce Eldridge in the first round of the 2023 MLB Draft with the 16th overall pick. After signing the lanky 6'7'' right-handed pitcher/left-handed hitter away from his commitment to Alabama with a $4 million signing bonus, the Giants welcomed the Virginia native to Oracle Park last week. During his visit, Eldridge spoke to reporters and mentioned that the Giants player development staff already has him trying out a new defensive position, right field.

East pitcher Bryce Eldridge during the Perfect Game All-American Classic high school baseball game at Chase Field. (2022)
SF Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge during the PG Classic at Chase Field. (2022) / Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

"They stuck me out in right field," Eldridge said. "I've never played the outfield, but I'm actually starting to get comfortable pretty quickly. I move well out there. I got the arm already. So I'm pumped to be out there."

Eldridge highlighted an excellent Giants draft class, which featured several great prospects. At the plate, Eldridge has true 70-grade power potential with a powerful left-handed swing. While there are obvious concerns about his ability to cover his massive strike zone, he has shown a good approach so far in his career. A unique athlete for someone his size, there was some speculation that Eldridge could follow in the footsteps of a similarly-sized power hitter, Aaron Judge. However, most project him to be a first baseman in the future.

As a pitcher, the righty has flashed a mid-90s sinker and good feel for both a slider and changeup. His command still has significant room for improvement, but he has always been able to throw strikes consistently.

Eldridge shut down his arm following his high school season in the spring, which probably increases the chances that he will focus on hitting and fielding for the remainder of the season. Eldridge would presumably begin pitching at the instructional league in the fall as he began ramping up to begin his two-way journey in the minors next season.

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Marc Delucchi
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).

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