Former SF Giants top pick to undergo surgery for elbow injury

The bad luck continues for former SF Giants top pick Hunter Bishop. Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the outfield prospect has been sidelined with a right elbow injury that will require surgery.

Former SF Giants top pick to undergo surgery for elbow injury

The exact nature of the injury is not yet known, but Pavlovic adds that the Giants are hopeful that he will require just a brace with the hopes of returning later this season. It is hard not to sympathize with Bishop, who has appeared in only 134 games as a pro since being selected with the No. 10 pick in the 2019 draft out of Arizona State University.

He underwent shoulder surgery in college and has been bothered by the surgically-repaired shoulder as a pro while dealing with a handful of other injuries. It is another tough break in the career of Bishop.

The left-handed bat has flashed intriguing power in the minors, slashing .223/.346/.388 with a 31.7 percent strikeout rate against a 13.7 percent walk rate. He is very much a three-true-outcomes hitter as 48.6 percent of his career plate appearances have ended in a walk, strikeout, or home run.

Bishop experienced his healthiest season in 2022 as he registered a .235/.320/.406 line (104 wRC+) with 13 home runs, 44 RBI, and 51 runs in 358 plate appearances for High-A. The results are important, but even more important was seeing the 24-year-old stay on the field.

Despite the solid production, the Giants decided not to add him to the 40-man roster when he became eligible for the Rule 5 draft this past winter. It was not surprising to see that he was not picked up by another team given his overall lack of experience.

Unfortunately, this is becoming a tough draft miss for the new Giants front office. Immediately after Bishop was picked, the Toronto Blue Jays selected pitcher Alek Manoah, who finished third in the AL Cy Young voting last year. Similarly, outfielder Corbin Carroll was picked by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the No. 16 pick. He is considered one of the top prospects in baseball and has already signed a massive extension to remain in Arizona.

You can never predict how a prospect will develop, but other prospects from his draft class are beginning to establish themselves in the majors. Hopefully, Bishop is able to return to the field later this season, but it does sound like the elbow injury will result in an extended absence.