The SF Giants rewarded one of their prospects with a promotion after a strong season at the plate. 2023 ninth-round pick Charlie Szykowny was moved up from the San Jose Giants to the Eugene Emeralds, per the team’s transaction log.
SF Giants move 2023 9th-round pick up to Eugene after strong performance in San Jose
Szykowny spent the first four seasons of his college career at the University of Wisconsin-Stout but transferred to the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2023 before being drafted by San Francisco. Oddly enough, his teammate, Zane Zielinski, was drafted in the ninth round of this year’s draft last week. Zielinski has already signed and should begin his pro career soon.
On the other hand, Szykowny was one of San Jose’s most consistent producers at the plate. He slashed .340/.405/.505 (141 wRC+) with two home runs, 38 RBI, and 32 runs in 242 plate appearances. This includes an 8.3 percent walk rate, 18.6 percent strikeout rate, and .165 ISO.
In some cases, the Giants have been less aggressive with prospect promotions this year than they have been in the past. Perhaps, the movements for players like Reggie Crawford, Will Bednar, and Hayden Birdsong are some of the exceptions.
However, they have been relatively passive with some prospects this year. You can count Szykowny as among that group as he appeared in 54 games with San Jose, which is a long time considering his production at the plate and the fact that he was selected as a college bat.
It is hard to watch Szykowny swing the bat and not think of Brandon Belt. He has an open stance from the left side with a similar build at 6-foot-4 and 225 pounds. Both Belt and Szykowny close off their stance as they take their stride. Szykowny, like Belt, also has a high hand placement so he is able to cover the top of the zone.
Both Belt and Szykowny are pull-heavy hitters. Perhaps, the biggest different between the two is that Belt hit for more power, whereas Szykowny’s swing is designed more for contact and line drives.
There is a lot of movement with his swing, so the Giants may try to quiet his mechanics as he faces off against more advanced pitching. That said, the results have been promising so far.
In the field, the 24-year-old has appeared exclusively at third base as a pro. He committed 12 errors in 47 games with San Jose. He will now join some of last year’s top picks, including Bryce Eldridge and Joe Whitman, in Eugene.
