Attended Stanford University and was an All Pac-12 First Team Outfielder in 2014. Was the Dodgers 44th selection in the 2011 First-Year Player Draft, but did not sign. Raised in Jacksonville, Florida, the grandson of former Jacksonville mayor Ed Austin, a gregarious politician and attorney. During his mayoral term, from 1991-95, the city was awarded the 30th NFL franchise (the Jaguars). He was also the state attorney for almost 20 years. There is Ed Austin Regional Park, a 144-acre park in Jacksonville. The Office of the State Attorney is housed in the Ed Austin Building. His portrait hangs in the Duval County Courthouse. In addition, a bronze statue in Jacksonville's Northbank Riverwalk honors Austin's late grandmother, Patricia Austin, for her volunteer and charity. Was considered the top baseball prospect in Florida until he broke his ankle playing Frisbee and missed his senior season. He considers his ankle injury a blessing in disguise because of how much he now values his college experience. He studied Science, Technology and Society as integrated-studies major. He is about a dozen credits short of graduating. Involved with the following organizations: Giants Community Fund - Education Day and MLB Buses for Baseball.
2017
Hit .282 (33-for-117) in 34 games with SF, starting 32 games (29 in left, three in right)...Had his contract purchased from triple-A Sacramento on June 2...Was in the starting lineup June 2 at Philadelphia, starting in right fi eld and recording his first Major League hit off LHP Joely Rodriguez, a single in the 6th inning...Became the fi rst Giants rookie to hit .400 or better in his fi rst 10 career games since Pablo Sandoval hit .417 (15-for-36) in 2008 (min. 30 PAs)...Slater went 15-for-37 (.405) in his fi rst 10 games with the Giants...Played his first professional inning at third base on June 15 at Colorado...moved from left fi eld to third in the 7th inning after Eduardo Nunez left the game in the top half after injuring his hamstring...Recorded a career-best four hits on June 15 at Colorado and had 12 hits in a fi ve-game span from June 10-15...Missed 52 games with a right groin strain... suffered the injury on July 7 while running down the first base line...a MRI exam showed a torn adductor muscle, but Slater was told it was heal without surgery after eight to 10 weeks...Returned from his rehab assignment and was reinstated from the 10-day DL on Sept. 4...Had core muscle surgery on Sept. 28 performed by Dr. Myers...Hit .321 (59-for-184) with 12 doubles, five home runs and 27 RBI in 50 games with triple-A Sacramento.
2016
Started the season with double-A Richmond and hit .317 (46-for-145) with 14 extra base hits, 24 walks and 25 RBI over 41 games...Was promoted to triple-A in early June and appeared in 68 games for the River Cats, batting .298 (73-for-245) with 13 home runs and 42 RBI...Hit .412 (28-for-68) with 6 home runs and 14 RBI off lefties, compared to a .254 (45-for-177) average against righties while with Sacramento...Was named PCL Player of the Month in August after hitting .381 (43-for-113) and leading the league in total bases (77) and home runs (nine), ranking second in hits (43), on-base percentage (.444) and OPS (1.126) and third in RBI (26), extra-base hits (16) and slugging (.681)...he also posted 14 multi-hit games in August, including a stretch of four consecutive games with three or more hits.
2015
Split the season between single-A San Jose and double-A Richmond, combining to hit .294 (132- for-449) with 46 runs scored, 26 doubles and 47 RBI.
2014
Appeared in two games for the Arizona Rookie Giants and went 3-for-9 with a triple and two RBI before being transfered to Salem-Keizer...hit .417 (41-for-118) with 23 RBI in 29 games for the Volcanoes.