MLB: hoping we haven’t seen the last of Dante Bichette Jr.

Here’s hoping Dante Bichette Jr. can resurface on the field somewhere.

I want to see Dante Bichette Jr. in the majors. Maybe I don’t want to see this former first-round draft pick (2011 by the New York Yankees) be a complete bust. Maybe I love the idea of the father-son duo who both play professionally (ignoring you Bo Bichette). I just know I’d like to see the namesake of the great Blake Street Bomber get a shot at baseball’s highest level.

Drafted out of high school at the age of eighteen, Bichette Jr. took three years to advance to Double-A. Unfortunately, this is where he would peak with the Yankees Organization.

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After spending four years with Double-A Trenton, he seemed like he was hanging around because the organization was waiting for the feats of his father to develop. Father Bichette hit 274 career home runs and here sat Son with only 16 homers in four years.

While splitting time between first base and third base it was quickly determined the Yankees needed more power at those positions than Bichette Jr. was providing.

Bichette Jr. spent all of 2018 playing independent ball with St. Paul. The power numbers continued to be nonexistent, though for the first time Dante began to hit for a great average. He completed the season hitting .310.

No one noticed and Bichette Jr. signed on to play with High Point in another independent league a year later. After36 games he was hitting .386 and the Washington Nationals signed him and assigned him to a familiar place, Double-A.

Finishing the year strong by hitting .297 it seemed as though Bichette Jr. had caught on and would be back for more. Looking for the opportunity to climb the ladder, maybe reach Triple-A for the first time. Somehow finding his way on the 40-man roster and getting a callup in September once rosters expanded. A promotion based on great hitting and a reward for years of hard work.

Now, a casualty of the pandemic, where over one thousand minor leaguers have been released from their organizations, Dante Bichette Jr. is out of a job. The chances were slim Bichette Jr. would reach the big leagues prior to this, now at age 27, the prospects are even grimmer.

If that is the case I hope he plays in an independent league near me someday.