When the field for next week’s highly anticipated Home Run Derby is finally revealed, it will not include the promising young talent of Bryce Eldridge. The 21-year-old Giants’ star rookie first baseman has confirmed that he has not yet received an invitation to the event. With only seven career homers to his name so far, it would indeed be considered rather outlandish for Major League Baseball to extend an invite at this stage.
However, Eldridge has made his aspirations clear regarding a potential future participation. When questioned about the league office calling ‘down the road,’ the slugger responded affirmatively. He stated, “I’d say so,” adding that he believes “if anyone got the opportunity to do it, they’d be a fool not to do it.” Eldridge unequivocally considers it “one of the coolest things you can do as a player,” in his personal opinion.
Prodigious Power Evident Early On
Despite his relatively brief time in the major leagues, the 6-foot-7 slugger has already begun to demonstrate the immense power that earmarked him as one of the game’s top prospects. In a mere 57 games and with just 226 plate appearances in the big leagues, Eldridge has proven that his prodigious power translates effectively to the sport’s highest level.
A recent example of this raw strength was his gargantuan blast that spectacularly cleared the bullpens at Coors Field over the weekend. This impressive hit, measured at 458 feet, broke his own record for the longest home run struck by a Giant this season. It should be noted, however, that this particular feat was achieved “albeit with a mile-high asterisk,” acknowledging the unique atmospheric conditions at the Colorado venue.
While Rafael Devers surpassed Eldridge’s mark a day later with a 463-footer that landed in the upper deck, Eldridge still holds a distinct bragging right. His impressive long ball marked the first time Devers had sent a ball soaring further than 450 feet this season. This detail highlights Eldridge’s capability to hit among the game’s premier power hitters, even in his rookie campaign.
Among Elite Long-Ball Hitters
Bryce Eldridge is currently one of only seven players across the entire league to have hit two home runs of at least 450 feet this season. This places him in an exclusive group of sluggers known for their significant power output. The company he keeps in this regard alone would make for a truly enticing Home Run Derby field, signalling the potential he possesses for future editions of the event.
- Kyle Schwarber: The only slugger with three homers of at least 450 feet.
- Junior Caminero: Already confirmed as the first participant for this year’s Home Run Derby.
- Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz: Described as the A’s modern-day Bash Brothers.
- Jordan Walker: A young star for the Cardinals.
- Cam Smith: A raw but tantalising outfielder for the Astros.
Of this distinguished group of players, Eldridge and Cam Smith are the only ones who currently have fewer than 20 homers to their credit this season. Furthermore, in Eldridge’s specific case, he has faced approximately half as many pitches as the other six players mentioned, having seen 796 pitches compared to their average of 1,486. This disparity in pitch counts is due to him only being called up to the major leagues after the calendar turned to May.
A Childhood Dream of the Derby
Since his arrival in the major leagues, Eldridge has consistently made it clear that his meteoric rise, coupled with his mammoth blasts and immediate turn into a star player, is all part of a larger vision he has held for himself since he was a young boy. This sense of manifest destiny, Eldridge hopes, distinctly extends to one day participating in the Home Run Derby.
He openly shared his childhood preferences, stating, “At least for me, growing up, I wanted to watch the Derby more than I wanted to watch the All-Star Game.” Eldridge reiterated his keen interest in the event, concluding, “If that was ever something that I was offered to do, I’d be happy to do it.”
The prospect of Eldridge’s dream becoming a reality, even this year, might not be as outlandish as it seems. Last year, Major League Baseball extended an invitation to the Brewers’ young lightning rod, Jacob Misiorowski, to pitch in the All-Star Game despite him having made only six starts. This precedent suggests that the league is open to featuring burgeoning talent who are making an immediate impact, even if their overall body of work is still developing.