Nate Schierholtz

2013

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2012

Schierholtz was solid in 2011, posting a .756 OPS while hitting in a pitcher's park, and he also possesses one of the best arms in all of baseball in right field. Still, he's best suited to be a fourth outfielder, and he'll face stiff competition from Brandon Belt to win a starting job this season. Schierholtz isn't likely to surpass 300-350 at-bats when all is said and done in 2012.

2011

Schierholtz finished 2010 with a .242/.311/.366 line over 227 at-bats, acting mostly as the Giants' fourth and fifth outfielder. He might get squeezed out of that job in 2011 with Mark DeRosa returning from injury and Aubrey Huff possibly moving to the outfield when/if Brandon Belt is ready to take over first base, but if not, Schierholtz will continue to be nothing more than a defensive replacement in the late innings, as he's no longer in the team's future plans for a big role.

2010

After once again proving his worth in Triple-A in 2008 (.957 OPS with 18 homers over 350 at-bats), Schierholtz spent the majority of last year with the Giants, although it still resulted in limited action (285 at-bats). He didn’t produce when given the opportunity (.267/.302/.400), so it’s not like he commanded more at-bats. Schierholtz will be 26 years old when the season opens, and while he was once viewed as a good prospect, he has just six homers over 472 career major league at-bats. San Francisco needs both a left and right fielder, so a big spring training could earn Schierholtz a major role, but he’s more likely to act as a fourth or fifth outfielder.

2009

After posting a .320/.363/.594 line in Triple-A Fresno last season, Schierholtz hit .320 over 75 at-bats with the Giants. He only hit one homer, but he did add nine other extra-base hits and rarely struck out, so he impressed. One of the better hitting prospects in San Francisco’s organization, Schierholtz deserves an opportunity to win a starting job in 2009, and if the outfield is already spoken for, then the team needs to give him a chance to win the job at first base.

2008

Schierholtz hit .304 during 112 at-bats with San Francisco last season, but that came with just eight extra-base hits and no home runs. However, he was impressive in the Arizona Fall League, posting a .348/.363/.596 line in 89 at-bats. Schierholtz figures to battle Dan Ortmeier and Rich Aurilia for San Francisco’s first base job during spring training.

2007

Schierholtz hit a pedestrian .270/.325/.443 in 470 at-bats for Double-A Connecticut last year, suggesting he's still a few years away from becoming a candidate for the San Francisco outfield.

2006

Fifteen homers and 32 walks at San Jose are negative indicators for a corner-outfield prospect. Schierholtz looks more like the next Tony Torcato than anything else.

2005

Shierholtz is a prospect from the South Atlantic League, where he was among the league leaders in 2004 with 14 HR, 51 RBI, and 21 2B before being promoted in June to the high Single-A California League. He's got lots of promise, but is several years away from the big leagues.