Braylon Bishop entering key 2024 season
Highly rated prospect in 2021 draft looking to take next step in development.
The 2021 draft for the Pittsburgh Pirates is most known for going under slot with the first overall pick so that they could sign multiple highly-ranked prep players and lure them away from college commitments.
Bubba Chandler, Anthony Solometo, and Lonnie White Jr. are the most notable names they signed, but they also signed another notable prep player later in the draft - outfielder Braylon Bishop.
One of the more highly touted prep outfielders in the draft, Bishop was ranked 88th by Baseball America and 94th on MLB Pipeline for their final draft rankings. Both raved about his speed in the outfield, bat speed, and raw power potential but also noted he had some swing-and-miss concerns in his swing when he faced stronger competition.
Regardless, he was taken in the 14th round, and the Pirates signed Bishop to a $268,700 bonus to lure him away from his commitment to Arkansas, where he jumped straight into pro ball, getting 28 plate appearances before the end of the 2021 season.
He stayed behind in the Complex League all of 2022, batting .220/.358/.294 in 36 games (96 wRC+), scoring 18 runs, stealing 10 bases, and hitting his first professional home run.
After jumping to Bradenton in 2023, Bishop struggled mightily in his short time there before being sent to the Complex League for more work. In eight games played, Bishop struck out multiple times six times, with a 39.4% overall rate.
Upon returning to the FCL, Bishop batted .220/.363/.341 in 31 games, driving in 10 runs, scoring another 18, and stealing 10 bases. He finished with a wRC+ of just under average (95), although he did finish with a walk rate of over 16% for the second straight year.
Bishop did finish strong, going 7-for-28 (.250) with an OPS of .911 during August. He walked as many times as he struck out (nine), hit three extra-base hits (including his second professional home run), scored eight runs, stole four bases, and drove in three.
It’s an interesting scenario when it comes to Bishop, while he’s staggered along in the Complex League for the last two years, he’s also still just 20 (birthday in April). If he had gone to college, this upcoming year would be his draft year.
When you factor in that the college picks generally end up in Greensboro the year after they are picked, Bishop would still be on a decent pace as long as he sees High-A by 2025 - as crazy as that sounds for a 2021 draft pick.
If he has something working for him, Bishop has a career walk rate of 15.5% across 308 plate appearances. In the eight-game sample size, we got of him in Bradenton, despite the strikeouts, he didn’t chase out of the zone often - posting a 22.6% chase rate.
He also had an 80.6% In-Zone contact rate, which was better than some other notable prospects like Jared Triolo (80%), Termarr Johnson (76.8%), Nick Gonzales (76.5%), and Lonnie White Jr. (75.3%).
2024 will be a big year for Bishop, he should get another shot at Bradenton and needs to show some progress so he doesn’t fall even further behind. If he can start making consistent contact, he has all the other tools to be a very exciting player in the system.
I bet you Braylon Bishop is good enough an athlete to be taught any skill in professional sports, except of course the innate ability to hit a baseball. The beauty of this godforsaken game.
Alas, if anyone thought he’d hit a lick he’d never have plummeted in the draft. His minor league career simply bears that out. What a game.
I find myself conflicted with BCs draft strategy. On one hand, it’s hard to argue against the upside of guys like Chandler, Solometo, White Jr., etc., but on the other hand I find myself disappointed by the overall talent pool in the minor league levels right now.
I think it puts a lot of pressure on the players who debuted last season. There isn’t a lot of help readily available should these guys struggle.