One of the bright spots of the Giants' 2023 season was young infielder Casey Schmitt getting his first taste of the big leagues.
Schmitt immediately made waves when he homered in his MLB debut May 9, propelling the Giants to a 4-1 victory over the Washington Nationals.
On a recent edition of "BP with Britt," NBC Sports Bay Area's Laura Britt asked Schmitt what it meant to him to be the youngest Giant to homer in their debut since Will Clark went yard off Nolan Ryan in his first major league at-bat on April 8, 1986.
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"I have a really good relationship with Will Clark, so that's really special anytime you're in the same sentence as that guy. He's a legend," Schmitt said. "It was awesome. It was a really cool experience."
Schmitt then shared what his experience has been like building a relationship with Clark while also showing appreciation for his chance to work with another Giants legend.
"I was very fortunate, I got to be around Will Clark once I signed," Schmitt shared. "Got to meet him and kind of develop that relationship with him. He's been really awesome, and I just love the guy. When I came up here, I got to meet Barry [Bonds], got to hit with Barry and stuff, and he's awesome too. It's just been super surreal just to meet these legends."
Schmitt then shed some more light on his experience working with Bonds, divulging that some hands-on work in the cage with the home run king gave him a boost.
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"Yeah, in the cage," Schmitt said. "It was definitely surreal; he was kind of just helping me with my swing, just kind of thoughts and stuff like that, just really helping me with my swing, and I think he really helped me a lot."
Britt mentioned how a number of players saw an immediate boost after hitting with Bonds, and Schmitt revealed that he had a pair of extra-base hits in the first game he appeared in, following his work in the cage with the legendary hitter.
"First time I hit with him, that next game I played, I think I had two doubles or something like that," Schmitt said. "It was cool. It helped immediately."
These connections between club legends and the younger players could prove invaluable as the Giants look to integrate up-and-coming prospects onto the major league roster in the coming years.