SF Giants: Hunter Bishop draws immediate comparisons to former Giant slugger

With the tenth overall selection in the draft, ASU’s Hunter Bishop fell into the SF Giants lap. He immediately gives hope because of a Giant comparison.

The magic of the draft was felt in the household of ASU outfielder Hunter Bishop Monday night. When it was announced that the SF Giants would draft him, the elation could be heard for miles across the Valley.

It was the best pick San Francisco could have made. When the question arose regarding the Giants’ decision, the response came back with, “have you seen their outfield?”

The carousel of outfielders the Giants have paraded onto the field has been nothing short of embarrassing, so the addition of Bishop is certain to create a great presence not just in the field, but at the plate.

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Bishop this past season with ASU bashed 22 home runs; 12 more than he had his first two seasons with the Sun Devils.

This year Bishop broke out in a big way. He added to his home run total career bests in every major hitting category. It solidified a core with Spencer Torkelson and Trevor Hauver that created one of the most feared lineups in the NCAA.

Bishop immediately drew comparisons after his draft announcement. That comp was none other than Barry Bonds.

Bishop and Bonds both attended Junípero Serra High School in San Mateo, CA, as well as Arizona State. Both became feared hitters in their time in school and both have been drafted in the top 10 overall picks.

Now, they share an organization that has been in desperate need for an outfield power bat since Bonds’ retirement. Bishop’s story does not end there.

Being in San Francisco will bring him closer to his family, and most fans of Bishop know the story of his mother.

He and his brother Braden – an outfielder in the Mariners organization – are the faces of a charity Braden began called the 4MOM Charity. The goal is to raise funds and awareness for Early Onset Alzheimer’s disease. You can learn more about their mission at 4mom.org.

Though he won’t immediately make the SF Giants roster – one would assume – Bishop’s return to his hometown, as well as the comparisons to one of the greatest to wear the uniform, gives fans plenty to be excited about for years to come.