#12 Conor Gillaspie, 3B. BD: 7/18/1987. 6'1", 195 lbs. B-L, T-R.
AA: .287/.335/.420, 25 2B, 8 3B, 8 HR. AFL: .306/.350/.597, 5 HR in 72 AB's.
After hitting .419 in his junior season at Wichita State then signed to a major league contract after being drafted in the second round by the Giants in the 2008 draft, Conor Gillaspie hasn't quite lived up to expectations that he would immediately hit in the mid .300's in the minors and fast-track his way to a Bill Mueller-like career as a 3B for the Giants. Although his numbers for AA RIchmond last season don't jump out at you, they are quite good considering the league/park factors. After a slow start in the AFL, he went on a HR tear hitting 5 in his last 10 games to go with a .459 BA, so he's coming into 2011 on a high note.
Time is running out for the Giants and Conor Gillaspie. Because of the MLB contract he signed after the draft, the Giants can option him to the minors 3 times and they've already done so twice. Conor has to make the 25 man active roster to stay by the end of spring training 2012 or be exposed to waivers where some other team could claim him. He should be assigned to AAA Fresno for 2011, a much more hitter friendly environment than AA Richmond. He could have a massive spike in his numbers, but that is probably what it will take for him to beat the deadline imposed by his contract. His future with the Giants may very well be tied directly to how Pablo Sandoval performs this year.
Just a thought. Conor has always been a contact/line drive hitter. I wonder what would happen if he tried some of the same adjustments that jump-started Brandon Belt's career? Maybe that's what he was working on in the AFL and explains his HR spike at the end?
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A minor correction: Connor signed for around MLB-recommended slot money, but it was suspected that he had an unofficial agreement with the Giants that they'd call him up that September to play for the team and add him to the 40-man roster so he would qualify for ML salary/benefits/etc. It was a way to give him more money without going over the slot bonus recommendations from MLB.
ReplyDeleteIf the power surge is real, Connor has a real shot at a MLB career. Fresno certainly won't hurt his numbers. I have a feeling that he'll post good numbers and be part of a deadline deal to get the Giants whatever they need before August.
That's true. It was pretty obvious that there was a verbal agreement to add him to the 40 man roster at the time of his signing, so I guess I've just morphed that in my mind into that it was a MLB deal. Sorry.
ReplyDeleteGillaspie's HR surge in AFL, and previously in AA, really encouraged me but does not overwhelm me. And he's only considered 23 for next season, so he's still considered young.
ReplyDeleteStill, I have a wait and see attitude given his past struggles. Hitting was suppose to be a given out of college, the question was whether he would have enough power to stay at 3B or find his way to 2B, and his defense at both positions would at best be average, from what I read. He's always looked like a tweener, but hitting was suppose to be there, easy peasy, and it wasn't until this past season.
I agree, he'll probably be in AAA in 2011, I think mostly because the Giants need to make a decision on me come 2012. But unless he really stinks, I can see him making the bench in 2012 and beyond, like others have, while the Giants keep him in reserve just in case, plus get a good look at him in various situations. And if he does really well, the Giants will let Franchez go, hopefully get a draft pick for him, and let all the young 2B hopefuls battle for the position, because hopefully Sandoval will prove that 2010 was a blip and Posey proves that 2010 was not a fluke and Belt proves that he can move up and hit just as well. Lot of if's, but not outrageous that the three prove to be the future middle of lineup, then Gillaspie could fit in as a complementary piece somewhere in the field, which would be easier for him to reach and achieve.
And I agree with Dave regarding what happened. He was pretty upset about falling as far as he did, from what I read, and probably played hardball to extract as much as he could in negotiations, but with the underlying desire to turn pro, if at all possible.
I have Conor ranked #17, and yet (like Tommy "LTP" Joseph) I just don't see him making the ML roster.
ReplyDeleteIn college, he looked to be the next Robin Ventura. At this point, it looks like he'd be lucky to become the next Robin Gibb. The late spike in AZ homers is... odd. Even if it reflects a fundamentally new (and sustainable) approach, there's the still the small matter of his glaringly average infield defense. If he turned into Ron Gant you could stick him in LF, I suppose, but I just don't see that happening on the Giants.