Hunter Bishop

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #16 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Bishop put himself on the map during his junior year at Arizona State by hitting 22 home runs in a breakout season. Though there were still questions about his overall hitting ability, the Giants were intrigued enough by his potential to select him with their first-round pick in 2019 and sign him for $4,097,500. Bishop’s pro debut was cut short by injury and he tested positive for Covid-19 in 2020, which limited his development at the alternate training site and instructional league. A shoulder injury limited Bishop to just 16 games during the 2021 season, including just five outside of the Arizona Complex League. He played an additional 14 games in the Arizona Fall League after the season and struck out in 39.2% of his plate appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Bishop has a reputation as a player who tinkers with his stances and mechanics often, so it is hard to get a read on what may or may not be working for an extended period of time. There’s little doubt about his power potential, but he’s far from answering whether he can make enough contact for it to matter. Defensively, Bishop can stand in center field but is not likely an everyday option at the position, especially if he can’t improve his well below-average arm.
  
  The Future: Bishop is likely to return to High-A Eugene in 2022 to take a second crack at a true first full season as a professional. He has the upside of a second-division regular if he can make enough contact.
  
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #6 prospect in 2021
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop hit 22 home runs during a breakout junior year at Arizona State and was drafted 10th overall by the Giants. He advanced quickly out of the Rookie-level Arizona League but struggled to make contact after a promotion to short-season Salem-Keizer. Bishop was delayed in 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19. He recovered in time to join the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bishop has plenty of physical tools with plus raw power, above-average speed and above-average arm strength. The question has always been how much contact will he make. Bishop has excellent bat speed and hand speed, but both his bat path and approach are targeted for adjustment. He’s a patient hitter with a sharp eye, but the Giants want him to refine his approach to be more aggressive on pitches he can drive, noting part of the reason he struck out so often was because he was in many deep counts. Bishop’s physicality makes him less than a slam dunk to stick in center field. He fits in best in a corner, with left field a possibility.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin 2021 at high Class A. He will continue to refine his hit tool in the hopes of reaching his ceiling as an everyday outfielder with plenty of power.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #4 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop was drafted by the Padres out of high school but chose to attend Arizona State. He spent the three seasons in Tempe sharpening his hit tool, and a breakout junior season led to the Giants selecting him in the first round and paying him $4,097,500 to sign. He spent most of his first pro season at short-season Salem-Keizer, where he struggled before being shut down late in the year with a case of turf toe.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The improvements Bishop made to his hit tool in college were good enough to get him drafted, but his first exposure to pro ball proved more work is needed. In particular, the Giants would like to see Bishop improve his bat path. Opposing scouts noted that Bishop needed to refine his approach to allow him to cover more of the plate. His athletic frame is capable of generating plenty of power, and his excellent knowledge of the strike zone will help him pick the best pitches to drive. The Giants believe that Bishop has a chance to stay in center field because of his above-average speed, range and route-running abilities, but a player of his size usually ends up in a corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin the year at low Class A Augusta and has the ceiling of a powerful corner outfielder.

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #7 prospect in 2019 draft
  The younger brother of Mariners prospect Braden Bishop, Hunter was a highly regarded prospect out of high school thanks to an exciting package of athleticism, power and speed. Scouts were concerned with the quality of his hit tool at the time, so Bishop chose to attend Arizona State rather than sign with the Padres as a 24th-round pick in 2016. The move paid off, as Bishop has vaulted himself into high first-round consideration following a breakout junior campaign. After a solid freshman season in 2017, when he hit .301/.363/.484, Bishop struggled as a sophomore, hitting .250/.352/.407 with a 30 percent strikeout rate, which continued to raise questions about his hitting ability. This spring, Bishop has tweaked his approach at the plate and quieted his mechanics in the lefthanded batter's box. The move has helped him significantly cut his strikeout rate and consistently tap into his plus-plus raw power, homering 17 times through his first 38 games. Bishop has a high-hand setup in the box, but he has solid plate coverage and improved plate discipline. He showed solid strike zone awareness in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he was too passive at times early in the count, which forced him into frequent pitcher's counts. That hasn't been the case this spring, and scouts are impressed with his adjustments to the point where they can now project him as an average hitter with 70-grade power. Bishop plays center field for the Sun Devils and has a chance to stick there, despite a large, 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame, thanks to plus running ability and good reads off the bat. However, it is rare for a player that tall to get regular time in center field at the major league level, and he might be better suited for a corner outfield spot, where he has above-average defensive potential with solid arm strength. Bishop has done more to improve his draft status than any of the players ranked near him this spring, and he is among the highest-upside college hitters because of his impressive collection of plus tools and exciting athleticism. A talented high school football player, Bishop is also praised for his mental toughness and ability to work through difficult situations off the field. His mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's when he was in high school, and he and his brother Braden raise money through their "4MOM" foundation that is trying to find a cure for the disease.
• Ranked #96 prospect in 2016 draft
  Bishop's older brother Braden went to Washington and was a third-round pick of the Mariners in 2015. Hunter has similar athleticism with much more strength in a 6-foot-2, 205-pound package. The younger Bishop was a strong prep football prospect as a wide receiver and was expected to walk on for the Huskies before shifting to a baseball commitment at Arizona State. He gained draft helium with a dynamic performance at the Boras Classic tournament, going 8-for-10 with four extra-base hits at the event, including a home run. Bishop has 70 speed on the 20-80 scouting scale, above-average arm strength and the twitchy combination of strength and athleticism for scouts to dream on his power-speed upside. However, while he has plenty of bat speed, his offensive approach is raw, as is his swing, which he doesn't repeat consistently. Scouts haven't seen Bishop against a ton of quality pitching, and he's rolled over and slapped his share of contact when he has faced strong competition. Typical of high school hitters, Bishop's draft stock will be volatile, and many teams stopped crosschecking him about half-way through the spring. But others were all in on him in the first two to three rounds.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #3 prospect in 2019
  Bishop was drafted by the Padres out of high school, but instead spent the next three seasons rounding his game into form at Arizona State. In particular, he answered questions about his hit tool by quieting his hitting mechanics. That change also allowed him to tap into his power more frequently, which resulted in a career-best 22 homers—a dozen more than his previous two seasons combined. He also sharpened his command of the strike zone, which was a bit of a double-edged sword. Sometimes he became too passive and got himself into pitcher’s counts, which led to more strikeouts than desirable. That trait showed up as a pro, too, with Bishop producing both strikeouts and walks at a roughly 24 percent rate. He has a chance he remains in center field, but his size portends a future in an outfield corner.

• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Bishop put himself on the map during his junior year at Arizona State by hitting 22 home runs in a breakout season. Though there were still questions about his overall hitting ability, the Giants were intrigued enough by his potential to select him with their first-round pick in 2019 and sign him for $4,097,500. Bishop’s pro debut was cut short by injury and he tested positive for Covid-19 in 2020, which limited his development at the alternate training site and instructional league. A shoulder injury limited Bishop to just 16 games during the 2021 season, including just five outside of the Arizona Complex League. He played an additional 14 games in the Arizona Fall League after the season and struck out in 39.2% of his plate appearances.
  
  Scouting Report: Bishop has a reputation as a player who tinkers with his stances and mechanics often, so it is hard to get a read on what may or may not be working for an extended period of time. There’s little doubt about his power potential, but he’s far from answering whether he can make enough contact for it to matter. Defensively, Bishop can stand in center field but is not likely an everyday option at the position, especially if he can’t improve his well below-average arm.
  
  The Future: Bishop is likely to return to High-A Eugene in 2022 to take a second crack at a true first full season as a professional. He has the upside of a second-division regular if he can make enough contact.
  
• July, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop hit 22 home runs during a breakout junior year at Arizona State and was drafted 10th overall by the Giants. He advanced quickly out of the Rookie-level Arizona League but struggled to make contact after a promotion to short-season Salem-Keizer. Bishop was delayed in 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19. He recovered in time to join the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bishop has plenty of physical tools with plus raw power, above-average speed and above-average arm strength. The question has always been how much contact will he make. Bishop has excellent bat speed and hand speed, but both his bat path and approach are targeted for adjustment. He's a patient hitter with a sharp eye, but the Giants want him to refine his approach to be more aggressive on pitches he can drive, noting part of the reason he struck out so often was because he was in many deep counts. Bishop's physicality makes him less than a slam dunk to stick in center field. He fits in best in a corner, with left field a possibility.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin 2021 at high Class A. He will continue to refine his hit tool in the hopes of reaching his ceiling as an everyday outfielder with plenty of power.
• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop hit 22 home runs during a breakout junior year at Arizona State and was drafted 10th overall by the Giants. He advanced quickly out of the Rookie-level Arizona League but struggled to make contact after a promotion to short-season Salem-Keizer. Bishop was delayed in 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19. He recovered in time to join the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bishop has plenty of physical tools with plus raw power, above-average speed and above-average arm strength. The question has always been how much contact will he make. Bishop has excellent bat speed and hand speed, but both his bat path and approach are targeted for adjustment. He’s a patient hitter with a sharp eye, but the Giants want him to refine his approach to be more aggressive on pitches he can drive, noting part of the reason he struck out so often was because he was in many deep counts. Bishop’s physicality makes him less than a slam dunk to stick in center field. He fits in best in a corner, with left field a possibility.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin 2021 at high Class A. He will continue to refine his hit tool in the hopes of reaching his ceiling as an everyday outfielder with plenty of power.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Running: 55. Fielding: 50. Arm: 55.
  
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop hit 22 home runs during a breakout junior year at Arizona State and was drafted 10th overall by the Giants. He advanced quickly out of the Rookie-level Arizona League but struggled to make contact after a promotion to short-season Salem-Keizer. Bishop was delayed in 2020 after testing positive for Covid-19. He recovered in time to join the alternate training site in August and finished the year in instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Bishop has plenty of physical tools with plus raw power, above-average speed and above-average arm strength. The question has always been how much contact will he make. Bishop has excellent bat speed and hand speed, but both his bat path and approach are targeted for adjustment. He’s a patient hitter with a sharp eye, but the Giants want him to refine his approach to be more aggressive on pitches he can drive, noting part of the reason he struck out so often was because he was in many deep counts. Bishop’s physicality makes him less than a slam dunk to stick in center field. He fits in best in a corner, with left field a possibility.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin 2021 at high Class A. He will continue to refine his hit tool in the hopes of reaching his ceiling as an everyday outfielder with plenty of power.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop was drafted by the Padres out of high school but chose to attend Arizona State. He spent the three seasons in Tempe sharpening his hit tool, and a breakout junior season led to the Giants selecting him in the first round and paying him $4,097,500 to sign. He spent most of his first pro season at short-season Salem-Keizer, where he struggled before being shut down late in the year with a case of turf toe.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The improvements Bishop made to his hit tool in college were good enough to get him drafted, but his first exposure to pro ball proved more work is needed. In particular, the Giants would like to see Bishop improve his bat path. Opposing scouts noted that Bishop needed to refine his approach to allow him to cover more of the plate. His athletic frame is capable of generating plenty of power, and his excellent knowledge of the strike zone will help him pick the best pitches to drive. The Giants believe that Bishop has a chance to stay in center field because of his above-average speed, range and route-running abilities, but a player of his size usually ends up in a corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin the year at low Class A Augusta and has the ceiling of a powerful corner outfielder.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Bishop was drafted by the Padres out of high school but chose to attend Arizona State. He spent the three seasons in Tempe sharpening his hit tool, and a breakout junior season led to the Giants selecting him in the first round and paying him $4,097,500 to sign. He spent most of his first pro season at short-season Salem-Keizer, where he struggled before being shut down late in the year with a case of turf toe.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: The improvements Bishop made to his hit tool in college were good enough to get him drafted, but his first exposure to pro ball proved more work is needed. In particular, the Giants would like to see Bishop improve his bat path. Opposing scouts noted that Bishop needed to refine his approach to allow him to cover more of the plate. His athletic frame is capable of generating plenty of power, and his excellent knowledge of the strike zone will help him pick the best pitches to drive. The Giants believe that Bishop has a chance to stay in center field because of his above-average speed, range and route-running abilities, but a player of his size usually ends up in a corner.
  
  THE FUTURE: Bishop will likely begin the year at low Class A Augusta and has the ceiling of a powerful corner outfielder.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  Bishop was drafted by the Padres out of high school, but instead spent the next three seasons rounding his game into form at Arizona State. In particular, he answered questions about his hit tool by quieting his hitting mechanics. That change also allowed him to tap into his power more frequently, which resulted in a career-best 22 homers—a dozen more than his previous two seasons combined. He also sharpened his command of the strike zone, which was a bit of a double-edged sword. Sometimes he became too passive and got himself into pitcher’s counts, which led to more strikeouts than desirable. That trait showed up as a pro, too, with Bishop producing both strikeouts and walks at a roughly 24 percent rate. He has a chance he remains in center field, but his size portends a future in an outfield corner.
• December, 2018 Scouting Report
  The younger brother of Mariners prospect Braden Bishop, Hunter was a highly regarded prospect out of high school thanks to an exciting package of athleticism, power and speed. Scouts were concerned with the quality of his hit tool at the time, so Bishop chose to attend Arizona State rather than sign with the Padres as a 24th-round pick in 2016. The move paid off, as Bishop has vaulted himself into high first-round consideration following a breakout junior campaign. After a solid freshman season in 2017, when he hit .301/.363/.484, Bishop struggled as a sophomore, hitting .250/.352/.407 with a 30 percent strikeout rate, which continued to raise questions about his hitting ability. This spring, Bishop has tweaked his approach at the plate and quieted his mechanics in the lefthanded batter's box. The move has helped him significantly cut his strikeout rate and consistently tap into his plus-plus raw power, homering 17 times through his first 38 games. Bishop has a high-hand setup in the box, but he has solid plate coverage and improved plate discipline. He showed solid strike zone awareness in the Cape Cod League last summer, but he was too passive at times early in the count, which forced him into frequent pitcher's counts. That hasn't been the case this spring, and scouts are impressed with his adjustments to the point where they can now project him as an average hitter with 70-grade power. Bishop plays center field for the Sun Devils and has a chance to stick there, despite a large, 6-foot-5, 210-pound frame, thanks to plus running ability and good reads off the bat. However, it is rare for a player that tall to get regular time in center field at the major league level, and he might be better suited for a corner outfield spot, where he has above-average defensive potential with solid arm strength. Bishop has done more to improve his draft status than any of the players ranked near him this spring, and he is among the highest-upside college hitters because of his impressive collection of plus tools and exciting athleticism. A talented high school football player, Bishop is also praised for his mental toughness and ability to work through difficult situations off the field. His mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's when he was in high school, and he and his brother Braden raise money through their "4MOM" foundation that is trying to find a cure for the disease.