Austin Slater Stats & Scouting Report

AB	1482
AVG	.252
OBP	.342
SLG	.385
HR	40

Full name Austin Thomas Slater
Born 12/13/1992 in Jacksonville, FL
Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 204 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School Stanford
Debut 06/02/2017
Drafted in the 8th round (238th overall) by the San Francisco Giants in 2014 (signed for $200,000).

View Draft Report

Slater entered his senior season at The Bolles School in Jacksonville--Chipper Jones' alma mater--as one of the top players in Florida, but a broken ankle and Stanford commitment short-circuited his season and draft stock. He didn't sign with the Dodgers as a 44th-round pick in 2011, then hardly played as a Stanford freshman, getting seven at-bats. A shortstop in high school, he earned time in the outfield as a sophomore and became a regular there as a junior, emerging as the Cardinal's top hitter. Slater has intriguing size and athleticism at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds with above-average speed. He played third base in summer ball the last two years in the New England and Cape Cod leagues, and could move back to the infield in pro ball, with his solid-average arm strength making third base or perhaps second base options. Slater's swing has some stiffness to it, but he stays inside the ball well and shows power to the gaps. It may not be enough power for a corner profile, however.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

Much like Christian Arroyo, Slater is only eligible for this list because of injury. Slater had largely assumed the Giants' left field job when he tore a thigh muscle off of his hip. He missed two months before returning in September. Teams kept trying to find a defensive home for Slater, who is an excellent athlete. The Giants eventually let him move to left field and focus on hitting. Despite his speed, he's stretched in center field, though he's above-average in the corners. What Slater does best is mash lefthanders. Since 2016 began, he's hit .368/.442/.556 against lefties and a more modest but still useful .283/.357/.442 against righthanders. Slater has plus-plus raw power, which he demonstrated with a 461-foot home run against the Brewers that was the longest home run by any Giants hitter in 2017. Scouts see 15-20 home run potential as a regular. Slater projects as a second-division regular, but is better suited as a useful backup on a championship team. If the Giants can't upgrade at left field for 2018, Slater could be a useful fallback option.
A high school shortstop who played outfield at Stanford, Slater moved back into the infield in 2015 but discovered he fit better in the outfield. He celebrated his move back to the outfield in 2016 by hitting for more power than ever and advancing to Triple-A Sacramento. Slater's natural approach has always been to let the ball travel deep in the strike zone before spraying it around the field. But he got more aggressive and started to get the bat head out front more often. The results were dramatic. Slater hit 10 total home runs in his three years at Stanford plus his first two in pro ball. He hit 18 in 2016. Slater's newfound power keeps him alive as a corner prospect because he's a left fielder who is below-average in center field. He doesn't have the first step or the speed (he's a fringe-average runner) to handle center field. He does have an average arm that can slide over to right field in a pinch. A righthanded batter, Slater produced against Triple-A lefthanders (1.200 OPS), but will need to keep producing power to profile as a big league regular in left field.
Normally players move down the defensive spectrum when they transition from college to pro ball, but Stanford's emphasis on defense means that sometimes it works in reverse for Cardinal draft picks. It was true with Reds' first rounder Alex Blandino (third base to shortstop as a pro) and it's been true with Slater. A high school shortstop, Slater played right field at Stanford and in his pro debut, but the Giants moved him to second base in 2015 where he is a better profile fit. Slater carries a backup outfielder/infielder profile. He's a fringe-average defender at second and an average defender in the corner outfield spots. He lacks a true plus tool and his average arm is a little stretched in right field, but he has a chance to hit .250- .260 with between seven and 10 home runs because of his feel for his hitting. Like Hunter Cole, it will be hard for Slater to stick in the big leagues as a righthanded hitting utilityman who can't play shortstop. SLG 2014 Giants (AZL) R .333 2 9 2 3 0 1 0 2 0 2 0 0 .333 0.556

Draft Prospects

Slater entered his senior season at The Bolles School in Jacksonville--Chipper Jones' alma mater--as one of the top players in Florida, but a broken ankle and Stanford commitment short-circuited his season and draft stock. He didn't sign with the Dodgers as a 44th-round pick in 2011, then hardly played as a Stanford freshman, getting seven at-bats. A shortstop in high school, he earned time in the outfield as a sophomore and became a regular there as a junior, emerging as the Cardinal's top hitter. Slater has intriguing size and athleticism at 6-foot-2, 205 pounds with above-average speed. He played third base in summer ball the last two years in the New England and Cape Cod leagues, and could move back to the infield in pro ball, with his solid-average arm strength making third base or perhaps second base options. Slater's swing has some stiffness to it, but he stays inside the ball well and shows power to the gaps. It may not be enough power for a corner profile, however.

Career Transactions

RF Austin Slater elected free agency.
Baltimore Orioles activated LF Austin Slater.
LF Austin Slater roster status changed by Baltimore Orioles.
Cincinnati Reds traded LF Austin Slater, SS Livan Soto and cash to Baltimore Orioles for Player To Be Named Later.
Cincinnati Reds activated LF Austin Slater.
Cincinnati Reds traded LHP Alex Young to San Francisco Giants for LF Austin Slater and cash.
LF Austin Slater roster status changed by Cincinnati Reds.
San Francisco Giants activated LF Austin Slater from the 7-day injured list.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants placed LF Austin Slater on the 7-day injured list. Concussion.
San Francisco Giants activated LF Austin Slater from the 10-day injured list.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants placed LF Austin Slater on the 10-day injured list. Left hamstring strain.
San Francisco Giants activated LF Austin Slater from the 10-day injured list.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants sent LF Austin Slater on a rehab assignment to Sacramento River Cats.
San Francisco Giants placed LF Austin Slater on the 10-day injured list retroactive to March 27, 2023. Left hamstring strain.