Catching Up With- Former ASU Sun Devil Hunter Bishop
The MLB Draft is right around the corner and will be here before we know it on June 10th, 2020. So with that, I want to introduce a brand new segment to the site called, “Catching Up With…”. This is the segment where we catch up with current and former ASU coaches & athletes, and everything in between. Since the draft is so close, I wanted to catch up with former ASU baseball outfielder, Hunter Bishop, who was taken in the first round of the 2019 MLB draft by the San Francisco Giants. Hunter grew up in Northern California and now calls Arizona home. This Spring was his first ever professional Spring Training so we got to chat about that, what it was like going in the first round, and we talk about his former ASU teammates and lifelong friends. One of those we talk about is ASU’s Spencer Torkelson, who many expect to go first overall in this year's draft. Bishop offers his advice to those athletes who may get taken in this year's draft,
“Get ready for the grind. College at ASU, you’re incredibly blessed to fly on the best flights and stay in the best hotels and the truth about the minor leagues, especially at the lower levels, its not that pretty, but that’s what makes it all worth it to make it. I don’t think Torkelson needs any advice from me. The dudes probably already a better hitter than I am. To him, I would say grind it out and stay committed to being the best. And he is definitely the best.“
Not only did Bishop play with Torkelson, who is expected to go first overall in the 2020 MLB Draft, but he also has connections to 6-time Super Bowl winning and new Buccaneers QB, Tom Brady and former Major League Baseball great, Barry Bonds, all because of where he went to high school. Bishop went to Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, California where both super stars also attended, "It’s pretty special. I hope I can follow in their footsteps. That would be pretty cool. Going to Serra was probably the best decision of my life. I loved it.”
Hunter and his brother, Braden, also started a charity called 4MOM which advocates and helps bring awareness to Alzeimhers, something that hits close to home with the brothers. Please visit 4MOM.org to find out how you can help give back and support the cause.