Zack Granite makes fantastic catch in first big league start (Video)
Zack Granite knocked down the door to the big leagues with great hitting at Triple-A, but he flashed the leather in center field on Sunday.
He has been better lately, but elite defense in center field has allowed the Minnesota Twins to deal with Byron Buxton’s lack of production at the plate. Zack Granite has been tearing the cover off the ball at Triple-A Rochester, leading to talk about when he would get a call up to the big leagues.
After Friday night’s game against the Baltimore Orioles, Granite got promoted to the Twins’ active roster. He made a pinch-hitting appearance on Saturday, to essentially get his first major league at-bat out of the way. He made the first start of his major league career on Sunday in center field to give Buxton a breather, drawing a walk and scoring a run in his first plate appearance.
But in the top of the fourth inning, with starter Kyle Gibson on the ropes and Manny Machado at the plate, Granite showed what he can do defensively.
That's one way to make a splash in your first #MLB start pic.twitter.com/x0WpGaN9Ww
— FanSided (@FanSided) July 9, 2017
https://twitter.com/Twins/status/884134591828807681
Zach Granite used every inch and ounce of his 5-10, 175-pound frame to track, leap and haul in that Manny Machado drive to 411 sign #MNTwins
— Brian Murphy (@murphmedia_) July 9, 2017
Fox Sports North reporter Audra Martin found Granite’s family in the stands after his great catch, and his father had the expected reaction.
.@zgranite's dad: 'He's unbelievable to watch ... That's my boy!' pic.twitter.com/ZTErPdoAVW
— Bally Sports North (@BallySportsNOR) July 9, 2017
Granite may just be a short-term, pre-All-Star break call up for the Twins to have an extra position player available. But he seems to have little left to prove at Triple-A, with a .360/.412/.492 slash-line, 21 extra base hits, 14 stolen bases and 40 runs scored in 59 games there this year. That showing came on the heels of Granite hitting .295 with 56 stolen bases for Double-A Chattanooga in 2016, on his way to being named Minor League Player of the Year in the Twins’ organization.
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A little bit more time in Triple-A may benefit Granite in the bigger picture, and he’ll probably go back down this week during the All-Star break. But a quick return to the big leagues is absolutely in play.