Bryce Eldridge did not attempt to hide his disappointment when he didn't break big league camp with San Francisco last month. Despite having only played 66 games at the Triple-A level to that point, the top-ranked Giants prospect had already made his debut in The Show last Sept. 15, appearing in 10 games for the Giants.
Eldridge had surgery to remove a bone spur in his left wrist in October, which delayed his usual offseason program and may have played a part in his struggles at the plate during his 19-game spring showing this year. Still, the 21-year-old began the season at the Minors' highest level with one thing on his mind: get back to the bigs.
Through four weeks of the Triple-A season, he's made resounding progress toward that goal with Sunday's effort representing the latest beacon of his inevitable return. Eldridge recorded his second consecutive multihit performance -- including his third home run of the season -- in Sacramento's 8-6 loss to Albuquerque at Sutter Health Park.
COMPLETE GIANTS PROSPECT COVERAGE
Over his past 15 games, MLB's No. 20 overall prospect is slugging .339/.391/.542 with three dingers, three doubles, 32 total bases, 11 RBIs, 11 runs scored and five walks. During this stretch, Eldridge posted seven multihit performances, including a career-high four hits on April 10.
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On Sunday, Eldridge dropped an RBI single between two defenders in right-center field in the third inning. He was jammed on an inside heater in the seventh, but fought it off and served it into shallow left for another base hit. In his final plate appearance of the game with two outs and a runner at third in the ninth, the 6-foot-7, 251-pound first baseman hammered a 90.4 mph sinker off Rockies right-hander Ryan Miller the other way at 103.3 mph and sent it soaring over the scoreboard in left.
Through 21 games in April, Eldridge is sporting a .908 OPS with nine extra-base hits and has picked up at least a pair of knocks in nine contests.
A former two-way standout, the Giants converted the Virginia native to a full-time position player after signing him for $3,997,500 as the 16th overall Draft pick in 2023. After a steady ascent through San Francisco's system, wrist and hamstring injuries hampered him last year. Still, Eldridge clubbed 25 homers in 100 games between Double-A and Triple-A before becoming the youngest position player in the Majors (age 20) when he made his big league debut.
Eldridge has exceptional strength and leverage in his 6-foot-7 frame as well as a quick left-handed swing geared to launch balls in the air, all of which add up to top-of-the-scale raw power. Although he scuffled in his brief stint with San Francisco, his average exit velocity of 95.6 mph fit right between Major League leaders Oneil Cruz (95.8) and Aaron Judge (95.4).