The Giants roster’s ties to the Bay Area are a spider web, and the netting is expanding even further.
Stephen Piscotty, a Pleasanton native who spent the past five seasons in Oakland, reportedly agreed to a minor-league contract with an invite to San Francisco’s spring training camp. Fansided’s Robert Murray reported the deal, which will pay the outfielder $1 million if he makes the majors.
Piscotty, 32, is the third veteran outfielder to join the organization this winter, with Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto expected to play major roles in the corner. Haniger, Joc Pederson, Brandon Crawford, Austin Slater, Scott Alexander and Sean Manaea have each either grown up, went to college, or previously played professionally in the Bay Area.
Piscotty has hit 93 home runs in eight seasons. The best years of his career came from his rookie season in 2015 to his first campaign with the Athletics in 2018. In that four-year stretch, the outfielder hit 65 homers and slashed .268/.341/.455.
The outfielder finished sixth in National League Rookie of the Year voting in his debut season with the Cardinals and posted an .821 OPS in his first year after getting traded to Oakland. But injuries have prevented Piscotty from reaching his potential for the past three years. Maladies have included a calf strain, knee sprain, wrist sprain and high ankle sprain.
In just 159 games since 2020, Piscotty has hit .214 with 15 home runs. Because the Giants signed him to a minor league deal, there’s virtually no risk to giving him a chance to make a strong impression in Scottsdale.