Bryce Eldridge draws his baseball inspiration from an unlikely source.
The Giants’ top prospect revealed in an exclusive interview with NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic on the latest “Giants Talk” podcast the one star who made a big impact on him as a young player dreaming of making the big leagues.
“This sounds kind of crazy because it was a pitcher, but Max Scherzer was one of my favorite players growing up,” Eldridge told Pavlovic. “Obviously, I’m a hitter now. I pitched growing up, and just the attitude he has towards the game and the craziness he has, that’s what makes him who he is, and that’s what makes him good. He’s crazy enough to not let himself fail.
“I think that’s something everyone needs, that want to be the best you can be and the want to be better every day. I think he refuses to lose, he refuses to let himself fail, and that’s something I learned from him. And I’m not necessarily yelling on the field or any of that crazy stuff, but he has that fire for the game that I look up to.”
The 20-year-old is one of the most electrifying prospects in the minor leagues right now, and the expectation is that he could get called up to San Francisco’s roster in the coming weeks. Ranked as MLB’s No. 13 overall prospect, Eldridge has that unique combination of size and athleticism that baseball teams covet.
While Eldridge has the potential to become a stellar power hitter at the major-league level, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey isn’t rushing his development. The power-hitting potential is there, for sure, but the 20-year-old still has a way to go when it comes to adjusting to the speed of major-league pitching.
With the Giants’ playoff hopes sinking by the day, it could be time for a late-season call-up for Eldridge. Still, given that the 20-year-old plays first base and San Francisco has loads of depth at that position already, it’s uncertain that the prospect will get moved up to the roster this season.
When he finally does get the call to the big leagues, expect plenty of intensity and passion from Eldridge as he attempts to channel the best parts of his idol, Scherzer.
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