Giants Baseball Insider

San Francisco Giants Slugging Prospect Showcased in MLB Futures Game

The San Francisco Giants intriguing slugger was under the spotlight on Saturday for the MLB Futures Game.

Dylan Sanders

Jul 26, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants 2023 first-round pick Bryce Eldridge before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park.
Jul 26, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants 2023 first-round pick Bryce Eldridge before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park. / Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
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The San Francisco Giants farm system is home to what they believe will be the first baseman of the future. He got the chance to showcase his talents on Saturday.

Bryce Eldridge was the No. 16 overall draft selection in the 2023 MLB draft and has quickly proven to be a solid pick in the minor leagues.

Eldridge was the only San Francisco prospect chosen to take part in the MLB Futures game.

In the most recent MLB pipeline update, he was the No. 70 overall player and the second-best player in the Giants farm system.

It was a solid day at the plate for the 19-year-old. He was 1-for-2 with a single and was later driven in to record a run. His one out was a strikeout.

The hit was a nice blooper into the opposite field on a 1-2 count in the top of the fourth inning. The most important part, though, was that it was a lefty-lefty matchup against Chicago White Sox prospect Noah Schultz. The pitch was a slider, as well.

He also had a nice batting practice, hitting four home runs in a row per Baseball America's JJ Cooper.

Going into the draft, he was also considered a two-way prospect. His fastball got up to 96 MPH as a teenager, but San Francisco has committed to develop him at the plate.

"Eldridge’s raw power ranked among the best in the 2023 class and is his best attribute. He already hits the ball harder than most Minor Leaguers as a teenager," said his scouting report. "He can crush the ball out of any part of the park and also shows some feel for hitting with a relatively compact swing for his size and a disciplined approach."

Since being drafted, he's proven to be more than solid at the plate. In 94 games, he's slashing .280/.364/.486 with 17 home runs and 73 RBI. Their focus on the plate has worked well.

His swing is fast and compact compared to most left-handed batters with his frame.

The first baseman is known for his size, standing at 6-foot-7, 223 pounds. If he can get the nuance of the position down, he could be the perfect player to take over that spot for the forseeable future.

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Dylan Sanders
DYLAN SANDERS

Dylan Sanders graduated from Louisiana State University with a degree from the Manship School of Mass Communication in 2023. He was born in raised in Baton Rouge, LA but has also lived in Buffalo, NY. Though he is a recent graduate, he has been writing about sports since he was in high school, covering different sports from baseball to football. While in college, he wrote for the school paper The Reveille and for 247Sports. He was able cover championships in football, baseball and women's basketball during his time at LSU. He has also spent a few years covering the NFL draft and every day activities of the New Orleans Saints. He is a Senior Writer at Inside the Marlins and will also be found across Sports Illustrated's baseball sites as a contributing writer. You can follow him on Twitter or Instagram @dillysanders

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