Giants call up June draft pick Gillaspie

THIRD BASEMAN, 21, HAS PLAYED 26 GAMES AS A PROFESSIONAL
Laurence Miedena - MercuryNews

The Giants brought one of their June draft picks to the majors Saturday, but it wasn't their No. 1 pick.

While Buster Posey, the fifth overall pick, was making his San Jose Giants debut, Conor Gillaspie, the 37th overall pick, was in the dugout at AT&T Park for the Giants' 7-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

"I wasn't really expecting it,'' Gillaspie said of his sudden promotion, "but I'm here now and I'm going to do everything I can to play hard to do things right while I'm up here.''

Gillaspie, a 21-year-old third baseman, did not play Saturday. But when he does, he will set a team record for fast-tracking to the majors. Pitcher Jeff Robinson made his major league debut 306 days after being drafted in 1984. Gillaspie was drafted 93 days ago from Wichita State.

Saturday night he watched two of the men he might soon replace — Rich Aurilia and Scott McClain — hit home runs as the Giants came from behind and won with a five-run seventh inning.

Considered one of the most advanced college hitters in the draft, Gillaspie has done nothing to discourage the Giants in his 26 professional games to date, batting .262 at two minor league stops.

"We know it's a big adjustment, but every staff person who has seen him has been impressed,'' said Bobby Evans, the Giants' director of player personnel. "Part of it is just getting his feet wet.''

Gillaspie, who was playing in the Class A Northwest League playoffs one night earlier, is the first player from the 2008 draft to reach the majors. Posey might join him later this month, although Evans said that's not likely because the Giants are well-stocked with catchers.

The Giants aren't sure how much Gillaspie will play in the final weeks of the season. Manager Bruce Bochy was noncommittal when asked when or if the rookie would break into the starting lineup.

But Gillaspie, wasn't brought up just to watch.

This will be an important off-season for the Giants, and third base is a position of need. The coaching staff will work closely with Gillaspie to get a sense for how close he is to sticking in the majors. That evaluation will go a long way in determining if the Giants need to seek a third baseman through free agency this winter.

"We have some decisions to make this off-season, so having a chance to evaluate him at this level is very important,'' said Evans, who noted that Gillaspie is further along than former Giants third baseman Bill Mueller at this stage of his career, although not as polished defensively.

"Next year's third-base position is an open spot, and he's on the fast track,'' Evans said. "What that means and how that plays out, I don't want to put more pressure on him than there already is, but he's advanced and he plays a key position for us.''

Gillaspie said, "It's a huge advantage for me whether I play up here or not. This is going to help me a lot in learning what I need to know to stay up here. When my name is called, I'll do it like I have my whole life. The rest is out of my control.''