Chris Shaw Adjusting To Life In Left

RICHMOND, Va.—It is no secret the Giants have a gaping hole in left field.

By all appearances, Chris Shaw is preparing to fill it.

Shaw, the Giants first-round pick in 2015, has been crushing the ball at Double-A Richmond this season, hitting .323/.426/.542 despite playing his home games in a massive park that squelches offensive numbers. Most notably, he’s been doing so while increasingly playing left field, as opposed to his usual first base.

“The (Giants) been pretty good about keeping the dialogue open with me about what to expect and what I can do to be ready,” said Shaw, the Giants No. 3 prospect. “They said keep swinging the bat, get used to playing left field, keep working at first base. I don’t necessarily know what the plans are, but they keep telling me to be ready out there.”

Shaw primarily played right field at Boston College and was drafted 31st overall after his junior season. The Giants immediately made him a first baseman, and he played every game of his pro career there until this year.

With Brandon Belt entrenched at first base in San Francisco, it became apparent Shaw’s route to the majors would have to come playing somewhere else on the diamond.

As such, Shaw has been working extensively with Giants roving baserunning and outfield instructor Vince Coleman for a crash course in playing left field.

“I’ve been working with Vince Coleman a lot about my first step,” Shaw said. “First step, kind of anticipating situations, like if it’s 0-2 count and a lefty up I might shade in and over a little bit, pinch the gaps in certain situations. Stuff like that.”

The organization is easing Shaw into left field slowly. He has still played more than two-thirds of his games with Richmond at first base, although he has played three of his last four in left. He is built like the prototypical slugger at 6-foot-4, 235-pounds and speed is undeniably his least prominent tool.

At the same time, Shaw has already shown enough to convince his manager he has a future in left field.

“He’s very natural in left field,” Richmond manager Kyle Haines said. “He’s bouncing back and forth just to give him some versatility, but he’s an average first baseman right now and he’s probably a better than average left fielder. I mean he’s a big guy built like an NFL tight end and he moves around out there really well. As he plays out there more, scouts are going to see that more, how well he moves out there.”

Shaw’s experience playing right field in college has helped ease the transition quite a bit. He has converted every chance in left without an error so far this season and said he is increasingly feeling more comfortable out there.

“The only thing that’s a little different for me is going to the line,” Shaw said. “I’m used to being in right where going to the line my forehand is open so it’s a little different, but I’m getting used to going to the line with my backhand. That’s the only thing that’s been kind of tricky. Really other than that I’ve always felt good going back on pop flies and I feel like I get decent enough reads.”

Importantly, the defensive transition has not interrupted Shaw’s longstanding track record of mashing. He was the Cape Cod League home run champion in 2014, led the Northwest League in home runs after signing in 2015, was named the California League’s best power prospect in 2016, and ranks among the Eastern League leaders this year in total bases and slugging percentage despite an unforgiving home park.

Even better, he’s maintained his power production while cutting his strikeout rate from 22 percent to 14 percent, increasing his walk rate from 9 percent to 14 percent, and setting a pace for career-highs in batting average and on-base percentage.

“We’ve really seen him grow as a hitter,” said Haines, who managed Shaw at short-season Salem-Keizer in 2015. “Everybody always wants to talk about his power and that’s the first thing that really stands out about him: how big and strong and physical he is. At the same time he’s more than just a power hitter and he’s been able to show that. He’s a guy that can hit first and produce a home run second. He’s starting to really be able to adjust to grow his plan and be an all-around hitter here at a much tougher level.”

All is going well for Shaw on both sides of the ball so far in 2017. If he can continue at the rate he is going, left field in San Francisco may not be a problem area much longer.

“It’s definitely been satisfying,” Shaw said. “Even when I may not be getting results I can look back and see I’m walking, I’m not striking out, I’m just not missing gloves. I feel like I can check all those boxes, and I’m happy with the quality.”