Round 8, Pick #226: Solomon Bates, RHP out of USC

With their 8th round pick, the Giants selected Solomon Bates, a right-handed pitcher from the University of Southern California.

Bates, who turned 21 in March, is from Victorville. According to the scouting report provided to MLB.com, his fastball sits 89-92, though it has touched 95. His breaking ball is said to be “slurvey.” They say that scouts are concerned about his delivery, which is interesting, because back in high school, he was said to have a simple, repeatable delivery.

Bates just finished his junior year at USC. After redshirting his freshman year, he was a reliever as a sophomore, pitching 34 innings with a 30/19 K/BB ratio and finishing with a 4.50 ERA. He stepped it up this year as he split time between starting and relieving, pitching 77 innings with a 79/21 K/BB ratio. He finished the year with a 3.14 ERA and gave up fewer hits than innings pitched.

When Bates played in the California Collegiate League last summer, he gave up some runs (4.83 ERA), but also racked up the strikeouts (37 in 31.2 innings), and even hit .400/.464/.620 in 56 plate appearances.

Here’s a video of Bates in game conditions, throwing against TCU:

Here he is against UCLA:

Welcome to the Giants, Solomon. We are glad that you don’t spell it Salomon.