Former SF Giants prospect Solomon Bates has his eyes on the history books
Former SF Giants pitching prospect Solomon Bates was selected to the American Association All-Star Game on Monday. Bates, who was released by the Giants last year and received national attention after sharing that he was gay in a viral Instagram post, has been the ace for the Sioux City Explorers and still has his eyes on reaching the major leagues. He spoke about his baseball journey with Giants Baseball Insider last week.
"I want to be the first ever out player to make it and put my name in the history books," Bates said. "I want to have prolonged success too. I want to break a strikeout record. I want to become a legend and prove regardless of who you are, you can excel on the baseball field."
Bates grew up in the baseball hotbed of Southern California, playing with and against plenty of future pros. While Bates' arm would carry him through his college and professional careers, he was an impressive power-hitter as well. In fact, he only began pitching when he was 10 years old because his sister wanted him to be a pitcher.
Bates proved to be an impressive two-way talent. Alongside his work on the mound, Bates routinely batted in the middle of the lineup on the same travel ball team as future Giants catcher/outfielder Blake Sabol, Athletics shortstop Nick Allen, and 2016 Yankees first-round pick Blake Rutherford.
“A lot of people don’t know that Solomon also hit while he was in high school and he was a really, really good hitter,” Sabol told Giants Baseball Insider. “When we played travel together he would hit fourth on our team. He was a really talented two-way player. USC, he went to PO [Pitcher Only] there. He always tried to get into the lineup somehow, but they never let him hit. I wish they’d let him hit. I think he could’ve helped us.”
Despite putting his bat down for good in college, Bates was a consistent swingman with the Trojans. His performance made him a consensus Day 2 draft prospect. The Giants selected Bates in the eighth round of the 2018 MLB Draft and signed him for a $150,000 signing bonus.
Across four minor-league seasons with the Giants, Bates never posted dominant numbers but was never hit particularly hard either. Prior to his release last season, Bates had more strikeouts (47) than innings pitched (40.1) and a reasonable 4.01 ERA with the organization's Double-A affiliate in Richmond. Given his solid performance, Bates was surprised when he was let go, but remained undeterred.
"The release pushed me to have a chip on my shoulder," Bates said. "It’s been good. After they released me, it’s like, 'Alright, I guess I’m not a good format in their eyes. What can I do to get better?'"
He hoped to quickly sign with another organization and continue climbing the minor-league ladder, but the call never came. Instead, Bates signed with the Explorers and joined their bullpen. Bates averaged more than two strikeouts per inning pitched and eventually convinced the coaches to give him an opportunity to start.
"It really wasn’t much of a transition because I always wanted to start, but the Giants told me I wasn’t a good enough pitcher to be a starter because I didn’t have a sweeping slider or nasty curve."
Following the season, Bates headed to South America and pitched in both the Venezuelan and Columbian Winter Leagues, where lineups featured major leaguers like Salvador Pérez, Orlando Arcia, Andrés Giménez, and Jordan Díaz. Exclusively starting for the first time in his career since high school, Bates felt like he turned a corner during his time in Columbia and was ready to bring his improvements stateside.
Since returning to Sioux City this season, Bates has arguably been the best pitcher in the American Association. He leads the league in both strikeouts (83) and innings pitched (70.2). His 3.43 ERA (3.36 FIP) ranks ninth out of 48 qualified pitchers and is even more impressive in the context of the 4.93 league ERA. In fact, the gap between Bates and the pitcher with the second-most strikeouts in the league (Christian Young) is the same size as the gap between second and 38th place.
"Going over to winter ball and having the opportunity to pitch against older guys and big-league guys really lifted his confidence," Explorers pitching coach Bobby Post told Giants Baseball Insider in a phone interview on Thursday. "He came into this year head and shoulders above everyone else... He’s no question in my mind the number one pitcher in this league."
Bates credits his improvement to finally developing a slider and no longer "babying" his curveball, which has gone from a get-me-over pitch to a true swing-and-miss offering with a sharper 12-6 shape.
The heavier workload has not had a significant impact on his arsenal either. Bates has averaged more than six innings per appearance, completing at least five innings in all 11 of his starts. His four-seam fastball still sits in the low 90s and has reached 96 mph. His improved breaking balls have made his other offerings (a cutter and changeup) even more effective as well.
Any MLB team can acquire Bates from Sioux City. However, Sabol would love a chance to reunite with his old friend in San Francisco.
“When I first came over to this team, Solomon’s one of the first people I thought of," Sabol said. "I remember him being with the organization, I was really pulling for him to make it up here. He would’ve been a big hit with the community.”
Both Black and gay, Bates has faced an added set of hurdles throughout his baseball life. Sharing two identities that face prejudice and discrimination throughout society, Bates has walked on eggshells throughout his career to try and avoid sparking a negative reaction.
Bates had come out to his teammates in the Giants organization prior to the pandemic and had come out publicly in a radio interview before he was released. It was not until the Instagram post after his release, though, that Bates became nationally recognized as the first gay active minor leaguer since David Denson.
Sabol recalled Bates skipping post-practice showers after he came out to the team at USC to avoid worrying his teammates. Sabol was one of several players on the team who insisted Bates participate and not be excluded. It's one example of the many ways queer people often police their own behavior out of fear that simply existing as a LGBTQIA+ person can prompt harmful reactions from others.
“He didn’t want to make anyone else on the team feel uncomfortable. Like, he would put on his clothes while he was dirty from practice and go home and shower there. We told him, ‘Dude, you’re part of the team.’”
Sabol has kept tabs on his former teammate this season and was excited to see him selected as an All-Star. He hopes an opportunity with an MLB organization soon follows.
“He’s carving it up. I mean his numbers were great last year so hopefully he gets back into affiliated ball and gets another opportunity. He’s succeeded at every level I ever saw him at… He’s got the talent, and I think it’s just the opportunity.”
Post, who has seen Bates up close over the past year, was adamant that Bates has earned another opportunity. While a few big-league clubs have given Bates some looks this season, a Mexican League team remains the only one to inquire with an offer. Bates turned them down to remain available to MLB teams.
"He can absolutely go to Double-A or Triple-A and hold his own," Post said. "He’s developed into a pitcher. He's not a thrower. He’s a kid that can throw to both sides of the plate. He's a kid who can get swings and misses... He’s probably one of my most prepared guys going into a game, and doesn't deviate from his plan."
Regardless of his lofty long-term goals, Bates knows he has to remain focused on the competition in front of him. MLB teams have acquired 12 players from the American Association this year. Bates has been at least as effective as all nine pitchers that have joined MLB organizations. He hopes he is the next one to head to the minors. But if he finishes the season with the Explorers, he has his eye on the American Association's history books.
"I want to break a strikeout record," Bates said. "I have that on my mind. I just want to stay on that big-league mentality. You know a lot of guys drop off when they go to a lower level so I want to act like every hitter is a major-league hitter to keep that intensity."
Bates is on pace to crush Sioux City's single-season franchise strikeout record of 132, currently held by Patrick Johnson. If he can make a slight improvement upon his current pace, he has a chance to break the league's record of 167, posted by Tyler Alexander in 2017.
"All I’m asking for is a shot. Even if they don’t think I’m good, I struggle, and they release me; at least they gave me a chance. I’m just asking for a shot. I just want an equal opportunity."
