Joe makes MLB debut with Giants on Opening Day

Connor Joe becomes the 78th former Power player to debut in the big leagues

Connor Joe became the 78th former Power player to make his MLB debut on Opening Day 2019. (West Virginia Power)

By David Kahn

March 31, 2019

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (April 1, 2019) - After being traded to the San Francisco Giants by the Cincinnati Reds on March 21, 2019, Connor Joe was named to the Giants' Opening Day roster and made his MLB debut March 28 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Joe is the

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (April 1, 2019) - After being traded to the San Francisco Giants by the Cincinnati Reds on March 21, 2019, Connor Joe was named to the Giants' Opening Day roster and made his MLB debut March 28 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Joe is the 78th former Power player to make his big league debut.
Serving as the starting left fielder, Joe went 0-for-1 with a walk in his first MLB game, as the Giants were held to five hits in a 2-0 loss to the Padres. Across the opening four-game series, Joe went 0-for-8 with four strikeouts.

Drafted 39th overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2014, Joe made his professional debut a season later in West Virginia. Across his 80-game stint in the Kanawha Valley, Joe averaged .245 with a home run and 20 RBI. The San Diego native also worked 50 walks compared to just 34 strikeouts with the Power.
Joe elevated to High-A Bradenton in 2016, mashing a then-season high five homers and 52 RBI over 107 games with the Marauders, earning Florida State League Midseason and MiLB.com Organizational All-Star nods.
The 2017 season saw the start of consistent change for Joe, who began the year with Double-A Altoona, but dealt with a finger dislocation at the end of June and a trade to Atlanta in August for Sean Rodríguez. However, nearly two months later, Joe was moved again, this time to the Los Angeles Dodgers for future considerations.
The UC-San Diego alumnus had a fruitful 2018, splitting time between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City and boasting a combined .299 clip with 17 homers and 55 RBI while being named a Texas League Midseason and Organizational All-Star. Joe was then claimed off waivers by Cincinnati in December 2018 before being traded to San Francisco this spring. Joe played in 390 MiLB games before making his MLB debut, averaging .264 with 28 homers and 161 RBI.
The West Virginia Power opens its 15th season, and first as an affiliate of the Seattle Mariners, on April 4 in Greenville, S.C., with the home opener slated for April 11 at Appalachian Power Park. The 2019 South Atlantic League All-Star Game is set for Tuesday, June 18, with a 7:35 p.m. first pitch. Full season, mini-plan packages and single-game tickets are on sale now. For tickets and more information on the 2019 season or the All-Star Game, please call (304) 344-BATS or visit wvpower.com.