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.
Advertisement
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.
Advertisement
“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.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Malik Thomas had 19 points in San Francisco’s 81-72 win against Portland on Thursday.
Thomas shot 5 of 12 from the field, including 2 for 4 from 3-point range, and went 7 for 7 from the line for the Dons (14-4, 4-1 West Coast Conference). Marcus Williams scored 17 points while shooting 8 for 12, including 1 for 4 from beyond the arc and added three steals. Carlton Linguard and Junjie Wang both added 14 points.
Advertisement
The Pilots (5-13, 0-5) were led by Max Mackinnon, who recorded 28 points and two steals. Austin Rapp added 19 points and eight rebounds for Portland. Chris Austin also had 12 points and six rebounds.
NEXT UP
San Francisco’s next game is Saturday against Santa Clara on the road, and Portland hosts Pacific on Thursday.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Newly inaugurated Mayor Daniel Lurie said Thursday he wants to freeze city hiring and new programs — though there are major exemptions and scant details on exactly what departments will be affected.
In light of a historic budget deficit reaching nearly $900 million, Lurie said the city would pause hiring for new positions, except those that are “historically challenging to staff and that directly support public safety and health.”
Additionally, Lurie told department heads to “realign programming and spending” with core priorities, according to a press release, including freezing new contracts and programs.
The mayor’s office did not respond to a list of questions from The Standard about which departments would be exempted from the hiring freeze or the criteria for halting programs and contracts.
“As we speak, the San Francisco Police Department and sheriff’s department are rapidly shifting resources and personnel to bring drug dealers to justice and clean up our streets,” Lurie said in his inaugural address Wednesday.
Chinese Americans have long played a critical role in San Francisco politics and the city’s identity as a bastion of progress and compassion, advocating for integrated schools, affordable housing and public safety, especially after the pandemic when anti-Asian hate crimes spiked.
A banner hangs over Grant Avenue welcoming Mayor Lurie at the Chinatown Night Market on Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
It’s also a fast-growing electorate. The Asian population had the highest growth rate of any ethnicity in San Francisco from 2010 to 2020, according to U.S. Census data. Chinese residents account for nearly 22% of the city’s population.
Lurie has already hired several staffers to help him bridge cultural divides, including Han Zhao, a political strategist for Lurie’s campaign who will be the director of public affairs; Paul Yep, a former San Francisco police commander who will be the director of public safety; and Kit Lam, who was the Asian American and Pacific Islander political director for Lurie’s campaign and who was previously an organizer of the school board recall in 2022. He will serve as a press liaison between the mayor’s office and AAPI communities.
Advertisement
Lurie, founder of the nonprofit Tipping Point and heir to the Levis Strauss clothing fortune, campaigned as a political outsider fed up with dysfunction and corruption in City Hall.
He has never held elected office before, but convinced voters that his background in nonprofit work would position him well to bring new ideas to City Hall. Campaign contributions soared past $62 million, topped by Lurie who raised roughly $16 million — about half of which was self-funded — making his run the most expensive in the city’s history.
Mayor Daniel Lurie addresses supporters inside Far East Cafe, a Cantonese restaurant, during a visit to Chinatown’s Night Market on his Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (Gina Castro/KQED)
At Wednesday’s night market, hundreds of residents packed the streets of Chinatown to eat and dance to electronic music by San Francisco-born electronic music producer, Zhu.
“I just got off of work over at Equinox and came because Zhu was performing, but I also came here to support our new Mayor Daniel Lurie,” said Mason Maes, who lives in Noe Valley. “It’s great to see all these residents get together.”
Elizabeth Wang, a Marina resident, came because she was hoping to learn more about Lurie and to have fun with friends.
“I’m just here for the vibes. I can’t say I know much about [Lurie] since he’s new to government,” Wang said. “But having a party here in Chinatown means a lot.”
Advertisement
Crowds fill Grant Avenue for the Chinatown Night Market on Inauguration Day in San Francisco on Jan. 8, 2025. (David M. Barreda/KQED)
Others at the event, who didn’t vote for Lurie and had skepticism about his wealthy background, said they’re waiting to see what type of change his administration will bring.
“We weren’t Daniel Lurie fans, but we love this city and hope it gets better,” said Tiny Harris, who was chasing her toddler around the market.
She said she voted for Aaron Peskin partly because he opposed sweeps of homeless encampments and supported housing and behavioral health solutions over law enforcement to address street homelessness.
“But out of all the mayoral candidates, we could have done worse, so I’m thankful for that,” Harris said.
