On Monday, the San Francisco Giants called up outfielder Wade Meckler. He went in immediately as a starter and was hitless in three at-bats with two strikeouts on Monday night. But on Tuesday, he got his first major league hit.
Wade Meckler Records His First Major League Hit
Tuesday Night’s Game
On Tuesday night, the Giants beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-0, a refresher after the offensive issues the Giants have been having. The first crazy thing Meckler got to see was his manager getting ejected. Gabe Kapler came out of the dugout in the fourth inning when home plate umpire Chad Whitson called a strike that he didn’t like. He argued until he was tossed. It set the stadium roaring with cheers, but I’m not a fan of umpire mistreatment, even when my team is doing it.
After Thairo Estrada got things started with a solo homer in the sixth, Meckler came to the plate and singled. Wilmer Flores hit a two-run shot after that. Later, Meckler got on base again with an infield single. He blooped the ball off the bat, and it rolled slowly in between first and second base. The Rays didn’t have anyone directly positioned there, and they couldn’t get to the ball in time. Meckler barely beat the throw first to cap off his second hit of the night.
Firing Up the Team
His first major league hit contributed more to the win than what can be mathematically measured. The Official SF Giants Website describes his first career hits as having fired up the Giants. The he created likely did a lot by themselves to bring spirit to the team. And they need that more than ever. They’ve shown the ability to hit this year. That much isn’t open to question. But the dry times come up all too often. These are the things that the Giants have to eliminate.
And you can only sometimes tell what the issue is. It just keeps going one way and then another. If Meckler can prove to be another successful rookie, it could really help the Giants in the final month and a half that they must go.
Minor League Statistics
All prospects are not created equal. Some have to take several years to struggle and develop. But others rise to the big leagues fast. In Meckler’s case, his rise was swift. He drafted 2022 in the eighth round and put up minor-league statistics of .367/.500/.544 in 2022 and .379/.463/.522 in 2023. His abnormally stellar statistics got him an early call to the majors.
A prospect rarely reaches the big leagues the year after they’re drafted. Even Joey Bart‘s callup in 2020 would be considered early (and that didn’t work out). Meckler has to turn out differently. It was the right time for his debut. But you can’t always tell just how big of a gap a player is crossing when he transitions from the minors to the majors. The predictivity level of minor league success is different for every player.
The ability to make adjustments is a significant factor in all of this. Some say that’s what the game’s about. And they have a great point. If Meckler can continue to be coachable and stay calm from his successes, he will drastically increase his chances of becoming a major league superstar before long.
Conclusion
The real deal here is the same as with any other good prospect. Meckler looks highly promising for the future. But he can also help the Giants immediately. They are still in playoff contention, and every step toward the goal counts.
Main Photo Credits: Sergio Estrada-USA TODAY Sports
