Amid the San Francisco Giants’ lengthy dry spell of homegrown expertise, Casey Schmitt debuted this week carrying extra pleasure than simply about any place participant since Farhan Zaidi took over 5 years in the past. A defensive whiz who found out the right way to hit for energy whereas climbing by way of three ranges of the minor leagues final season, Schmitt made his long-awaited arrival Tuesday evening.
And, with a house run in his second at-bat and a pair of hits in every of his first two video games, he’s lived as much as the hype.
So, with a nod to the No. 6 on his again, listed here are six issues to know concerning the Giants’ 24-year-old rookie, rated the group’s No. 3 prospect by Baseball America and No. 4 by MLB.com.
1. Why he’s beloved by his teammates: This spring, Schmitt was voted the winner of the Barney Nugent Award, which just like the regular-season Willie Mac Award holds its significance from the truth that it’s voted on by their teammates. Along with placing within the work and performing to place him in place to be referred to as up six weeks into the common season, Schmitt made fast inroads together with his teammates.
“He’s goofy,” mentioned minor league teammate Tyler Fitzgerald. “He’s nearly the kind of man the place you’ve received to inform him to close up every so often. He’s simply at all times speaking. However in a great way.”
Schmitt, who as soon as gave an interview whereas laying in a laundry cart, blends a goofball persona with a hard-striving work ethic.
“He has this fashion of celebrating within the dugout after a house run or one thing good,” supervisor Gabe Kapler mentioned. “He places his fingers near his physique and he offers these mild faucets. Whereas all people else comes into the dugout and it’s these huge slaps. Casey has this fashion about him, it’s simply totally different.”
2. Who he’s drawn comparisons to: In spring coaching, Kapler in contrast Schmitt to Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford. Whereas Schmitt’s transfer to quick was nonetheless in its infancy, Kapler mentioned the 24-year-old exhibited the identical mastery of “all of the methods” because the four-time Gold Glove winner.
“The backhand coming by way of the baseball, anytime he’s going to his left, he can spin, he can preserve his physique place and throw from these positions,” Kapler mentioned. “Casey simply does all of these issues. It’s a variety of expertise enjoying third base, but it surely’s one thing he simply does naturally.”
Crawford this week used a comparability Schmitt has obtained from a number of evaluators on his ascent by way of the minors: Nolan Arenado, the 10-time reigning Nationwide League Gold Glove winner at third base.
“The individual he jogs my memory most of is Arenado in the best way that he makes use of his fingers and his toes, how in sync they're collectively,” Crawford mentioned. “That will be my greatest comparability, a minimum of defensively.”
3. The place he developed his rocket arm: Perhaps he’s simply being modest, however Schmitt insists he was by no means the most effective defender on his groups rising up. Even at Eastlake Excessive Faculty in Chula Vista, Schmitt performed third base, not shortstop, ultimately incomes a scholarship to San Diego State. He performed each methods for the Aztecs: a hard-hitting third baseman and hard-throwing nearer.
“In school, I didn’t really feel like I used to be an excellent defender,” Schmitt mentioned.
That mentioned, he had loads on his plate, pitching the ninth inning along with his duties on the sizzling nook, and was a well-regarded two-way prospect coming into the 2020 draft. He recorded 23 saves over three seasons, with a fastball that reached the low 90s. The Giants drafted him within the second spherical, forty ninth general, and paid him a $1.15 million signing bonus.
Schmitt now could be considered one of many prime defensive prospects within the sport, with Gold Glove potential at third base. It’s the product, he mentioned, of his work since turning professional with minor league infield coordinator Jason Wooden and Giants bench/infield coach Kai Correa.
“It took a variety of work,” Schmitt mentioned. “Once I received to professional ball I labored with Woody and Kai, they actually helped me with simply that basis of my toes and reads and stuff. It’s a repetition factor and I’m nonetheless engaged on it.”
4. How he overcame his greatest impediment: Schmitt’s first skilled season, in 2021, was lower quick when a pitch fractured his left wrist. It got here solely six weeks after he was hit within the face by one other pitch. Whereas Schmitt miraculously returned 5 days later from the primary hit-by-pitch, the latter ended his season and, in tandem, took a toll on his confidence.
It took time — and work with minor-league psychological expertise coordinator Dr. Emily Cheatum — for Schmitt to step again into the batter’s field once more.
“I had some issues to get by way of mentally,” Schmitt mentioned. “I received hit within the face and the wrist. I got here into spring coaching nonetheless battling these issues. … I did a variety of stuff with Emily, our psychological expertise coach. I used to be in there each morning, simply speaking by way of issues.”
Giants hitting coaches additionally tapped right into a swing change that allowed Schmitt to entry his energy. In three years at San Diego State and his first season with Single-A San Jose, he had by no means hit double-digit residence runs. However in 2022, he slugged a career-high 21 whereas batting .293. And in his second major-league at-bat, he proved that energy performs up right here, too.
5. Who else has had a debut like his? Schmitt grew to become the nineteenth Giants participant to file his first major-league hit as a house run and, at 24 years outdated, the youngest since Will Clark (22 years, 26 days).
The primary to do it since Aramis Garcia (Aug. 31, 2018), Schmitt joins a listing that features far more notable names: Orlando Cepeda, Bobby Bonds, Clark. Beginning at shortstop, it was considerably harking back to Crawford, who watched from the bench on the injured listing. Twelve years in the past, to the month (Might 27, 2011), a 24-year-old, clear(er)-shaven Crawford homered at Miller Park for his first big-league hit, solely one in every of six debut grand slams in MLB historical past.
With two extra hits Wednesday, Schmitt grew to become the primary Giants participant since John Bowker to file a number of hits in his first two video games. Bowker did it three video games in a row, April 12-15, 2008.
6. What's his future in San Francisco? Schmitt’s arrival marked a milestone for the Zaidi regime: the primary place participant drafted below their watch to achieve the key leagues. The second Zaidi-era participant to achieve the majors, after reliever Cole Waites, there’s hope that the listing may develop to a few with Kyle Harrison and probably others by the top of this season.
If all of it pans out, Schmitt figures to be a giant piece of the Giants’ subsequent homegrown core. At what place stays to be decided. Completely a 3rd baseman till final yr, Schmitt has made his introduction to Giants followers at shortstop, the place he additionally performed in 20 of his 32 video games at Triple-A this season earlier than getting referred to as up.
Maybe it's no coincidence that at one place, the Giants have been getting All-Star stage manufacturing from J.D. Davis, whereas on the different, they've an growing older participant within the remaining yr of his contract, who has been neither wholesome nor productive.