Brandon Belt
Encyclopedia
Brandon Kyle Belt is an American
professional baseball
first baseman
and outfielder
for the San Francisco Giants
of Major League Baseball
.
after his junior year at the University of Texas by the Giants. He started off with the High-A Giants affiliate in San Jose. He worked with the Giants coaching staff and made an adjustment to his swing mechanics that have helped him move quickly through the Giants farm system, where he hit well at all three levels in 2010 finishing the year with a .352 batting average and gaining attention as one of the Giants top prospects.
In 2010, he played for the San Francisco Giants
Class-AAA-affiliate Fresno Grizzlies
. He also played for the East Division Scottsdale Scorpions
in the Arizona Fall League
. Brandon played in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game for the East team.
He was ranked as the third best first baseman prospect on MLB.com prior to the season. He was ranked as the 26th best prospect by MLB Network.
On March 30, 2011, it was announced that Belt had been named to the Giants' opening day Major League roster. He started in his first major league game the next day and singled off of Los Angeles Dodgers
pitcher Clayton Kershaw
in his first major league at bat. He finished 1-3 with a walk.
Brandon Belt hit his first MLB homerun, a 3-run blast off of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Chad Billingsley
on April 2, 2011.
On April 20, 2011, Belt was optioned to Triple-A Fresno
to make room on the roster for Cody Ross
. He was hitting .192 in 17 games.
In June, Belt was diagnosed with a hairline fracture, and was sent to the 15 day DL after being hit by a pitch in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals
.
On July 19, 2011, Belt was recalled to the Giants. At time, he had compiled a .444 AAA wOBA
.
On August 14, 2011, one day after being called up to the majors for a fourth time, Belt hit two home runs in a 5-2 victory over the Florida Marlins
in Miami. It was the first multi home run game of his career.
In August 2011, Belt was given the nickname "The Baby Giraffe" by Giants announcer Duane Kuiper, who commented that Belt looked like the animal when tracking down a fly ball in left field during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The nickname stuck and Belt became a fan favorite in San Francisco, with "Baby Giraffe" hats rivaling the number of "Panda" hats in the stands at AT&T Park in September 2011. Six Flags Marine World even named a real baby giraffe after Belt.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
first baseman
First baseman
First base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team...
and outfielder
Outfielder
Outfielder is a generic term applied to each of the people playing in the three defensive positions in baseball farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder...
for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
of Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...
.
Career
Belt was drafted in the 5th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft2009 Major League Baseball Draft
The 2009 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft was held June 9 to June 11 at the MLB Network Studios in New York City.The drafting order is as follows:-First-round selections:Key-Supplemental first-round selections:From Baseball America...
after his junior year at the University of Texas by the Giants. He started off with the High-A Giants affiliate in San Jose. He worked with the Giants coaching staff and made an adjustment to his swing mechanics that have helped him move quickly through the Giants farm system, where he hit well at all three levels in 2010 finishing the year with a .352 batting average and gaining attention as one of the Giants top prospects.
In 2010, he played for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
Class-AAA-affiliate Fresno Grizzlies
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
. He also played for the East Division Scottsdale Scorpions
Scottsdale Scorpions
The Scottsdale Scorpions are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League located in Scottsdale, Arizona. They play their home games at Scottsdale Stadium....
in the Arizona Fall League
Arizona Fall League
The Arizona Fall League is an off-season league owned and operated by Major League Baseball which operates during the fall in Arizona, United States at five spring training complexes...
. Brandon played in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game for the East team.
He was ranked as the third best first baseman prospect on MLB.com prior to the season. He was ranked as the 26th best prospect by MLB Network.
On March 30, 2011, it was announced that Belt had been named to the Giants' opening day Major League roster. He started in his first major league game the next day and singled off of Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...
pitcher Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Kershaw
Clayton Edward Kershaw is a left-handed pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball.In 2011, Kershaw won the Pitching Triple Crown and the National League Cy Young Award, becoming the youngest pitcher to accomplish either of these feats since Dwight Gooden in 1985...
in his first major league at bat. He finished 1-3 with a walk.
Brandon Belt hit his first MLB homerun, a 3-run blast off of the Los Angeles Dodgers' Chad Billingsley
Chad Billingsley
Chad Ryan Billingsley is a Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher with the Los Angeles Dodgers.-Biography:...
on April 2, 2011.
On April 20, 2011, Belt was optioned to Triple-A Fresno
Fresno Grizzlies
The Fresno Grizzlies are a minor league baseball team based in Fresno, California. The team, which plays in the Pacific Coast League , is the Triple-A affiliate of the San Francisco Giants major league club. The Grizzlies play in Chukchansi Park , located in downtown Fresno and built in 2002...
to make room on the roster for Cody Ross
Cody Ross
Cody Joseph Ross is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has played with the Detroit Tigers , Los Angeles Dodgers , Cincinnati Reds , and Florida Marlins and San Francisco Giants...
. He was hitting .192 in 17 games.
In June, Belt was diagnosed with a hairline fracture, and was sent to the 15 day DL after being hit by a pitch in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...
.
On July 19, 2011, Belt was recalled to the Giants. At time, he had compiled a .444 AAA wOBA
WOBA
In baseball, wOBA is a statistic, based on linear weights, designed to measure a player's overall offensive contributions per plate appearance. It is formed from taking the observed run values of various offensive events, dividing by a player's plate appearances, and scaling the result to be on...
.
On August 14, 2011, one day after being called up to the majors for a fourth time, Belt hit two home runs in a 5-2 victory over the Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...
in Miami. It was the first multi home run game of his career.
In August 2011, Belt was given the nickname "The Baby Giraffe" by Giants announcer Duane Kuiper, who commented that Belt looked like the animal when tracking down a fly ball in left field during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. The nickname stuck and Belt became a fan favorite in San Francisco, with "Baby Giraffe" hats rivaling the number of "Panda" hats in the stands at AT&T Park in September 2011. Six Flags Marine World even named a real baby giraffe after Belt.