Minor League Player Spotlight: Giants' Eldridge

Bryce Eldridge feels like he always plays up to the competition. It could explain how his numbers have improved with every new level of the Minors he has reached since being drafted by San Francisco No. 16 overall in the 2023 Draft. He even has his chance to show it again, as Eldridge was promoted to Double-A Richmond on Tuesday -- his third level of the Giants' system this year.

This promotion comes on the heels of arguably the top Giants prospect's best week as pro, as he earned Northwest League Player of the Week honors after going 11-for-20 (.550) -- hitting safely in all six contests while recording four multihit games and mashing five home runs -- from Aug. 26- Sept. 2 for High-A Eugene. Eldridge sported a 1.060 OPS over 48 games with the Emeralds before his promotion to the Eastern League.

"I think I’ve just solidified my approach," Eldridge told Robert Flores, Lauren Shehadi, Dan Plesac and Mark DeRosa on MLB Network's MLB Central. "I think I’ve gotten better throughout the year as I’ve gone up levels. The better competition I’ve played, the better I’ve gotten. So, just being able to stick to my approach, not get out of my zone and just try to hit pitches that I can crush has been really working out for me."

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MLB's No. 52 overall prospect was at a scorching pace at the plate in High-A before his promotion on Tuesday. Eldridge was not only riding an eight-game hitting streak, but slashed .376/.469/.763 with nine dingers, a triple, seven doubles, 24 RBIs, 21 runs scored and was a perfect 3-for-3 in stolen base attempts across 25 games in August.

"I’m learning what I’m capable of and that’s when I don’t get out of my approach," he told MLB Network. "I have the power to make big things happen if I can get my bat on the ball. Just getting the ball in the air, I can create huge power there and that’s going to be my game. So, just being able to get the ball in the air consistently is going to be huge for me."

Eldridge was the best two-way talent in the 2023 Draft; he won MVP honors at the 2022 18-and-under World Cup after homering and spinning a shutout inning in a gold-medal victory over Chinese Taipei. He continued to dominate both ways last spring, carrying Madison High School (Vienna) to its second Virginia Class 6 title in three seasons and winning Gatorade’s state player of the year award. But since turning pro, the Giants have turned the 6-foot-7, 223-pound first baseman's focus to hitting.

"I definitely miss it," Eldridge said of no longer being on the mound. "At this point in time, I feel like my body doesn’t miss it as much. But it’s definitely something that I was interested in going into the Draft, obviously didn’t play out that way, but I think we’re just playing to my strengths there and I think that’s my bat. And we’re just gonna keep moving forward there and try to get to the big leagues as soon as possible."

The Richmond Flying Squirrels are not in playoff contention, but Eldridge gets the opportunity to finish the final two weeks of the regular season at the Double-A level. In 99 total games between Single-A San Jose and Eugene this season, the Virginia native went 112-for-378 with 22 homers, a triple, 25 doubles, 86 RBIs, 69 runs scored, 52 walks and five stolen bases.

"This has been a long year, but I’m just thankful that I’m healthy. I’m just going to take advantage of these next two weeks. I get an extra week here than I would have had at High-A, so I’m going to just keep stacking good games, stacking good weeks and finish strong," he said.

"With the power I got, I’m not nearly as big and strong as I could be. I still got some weight to gain, so we’re gonna keep trying to get stronger. Keep trying to refine my swing, keep it consistently short. And I’m really just looking forward to that and I think we still got more big things to accomplish and longer home runs to get."