Player Profile: Brett Bateman
September 5, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft At the Single-A level, plate discipline is hard to come by. With this being the first stop for many players in professional baseball, seeing the advanced levels of pitching typically calls for adjustments for young hitters. For Brett Bateman, it hasn’t changed a thing.
September 5, 2023 by Sam Weiderhaft
At the Single-A level, plate discipline is hard to come by. With this being the first stop for many players in professional baseball, seeing the advanced levels of pitching typically calls for adjustments for young hitters.
For Brett Bateman, it hasn’t changed a thing.
After being drafted in the eighth round by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB Draft, Bateman made his way to Myrtle Beach and played his first game on the first day of August. Since then, Bateman has totaled 30 hits with a batting average of .354, while walking 19 times and striking out just 16. The outfielder has failed to reach base in just one of the 23 games he’s appeared in.
“The philosophy has always been- they have a baseball and they have to throw it over a 17-inch plate,” Bateman said. “The more disciplined you can be, their job is to make you get out. Look for something you can drive, and if you can’t drive it, then just take it.”
The 21-year-old has always been known for his approach at the plate, making the All-Big Ten Second Team this past season at Minnesota. In his final year of college baseball, Bateman hit .354 with an on-base percentage of .450. He walked 31 times and struck out just 20 through 189 at-bats.
“I’d rather take a strike than swing at a ball that I can’t do damage with,” Bateman stated. “Ultimately, that helps me get deeper into counts, especially as the leadoff guy. You have that responsibility to have a longer at-bat.”
Following the momentum of his junior season as a Golden Gopher, the Minnesota-native found success in the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League this summer. Playing for the Cotuit Kettleers, he hit .500 through 13 games with 23 hits and 13 RBI. The Cubs selected him in the middle of the summer with their eighth-round pick.
“it’s been a lot, but I would say it’s been really chill,” Bateman said. “I feel like a lot of people can find it hectic, but I’ve been able to keep my connections strong with people that I know. Whether it’s professionals so I can ask what to expect going into it, or making really good friends at the complex league and here in Myrtle. That makes it most comfortable for me.”
Bateman has already boosted this Pelicans’ lineup destined for the playoffs next week. He enters the final homestand of the year on a nine-game hitting streak as he looks to finish the regular season strong heading into the first round of the Carolina League playoffs next week against Charleston.
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