SAN FRANCISCO -- Before LaMonte Wade Jr., there was Mike Yastrzemski's breakout, and before Yastrzemski, there was an audition for Connor Joe. Farhan Zaidi might have been right about him all along, too.
Joe, the Opening Day left fielder for the 2019 Giants, returned to Oracle Park on Thursday night, and he did so starting in left and hitting leadoff for the Colorado Rockies. He has gotten there with a scorching stretch at the plate in recent weeks, and on a night when the Rockies didn't get much of anything going, Joe reached base twice, raising his OPS to .836 and OBP to .363.
That latter number represents a skill Zaidi covets, and when he first arrived in San Francisco he talked of giving young players with those skills the runway to develop into big leaguers, a method that has helped turn the Giants into a contender faster than anyone could have imagined. The complete overhaul would have to wait a year, but when Zaidi took over after the 2018 season, he was not enamored with the outfield group and made any move he could to find upgrades.
With our All Access Daily newsletter, stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams!
SIGN UP HERE Joe and Michael Reed were acquired late in the ensuing camp, with Joe coming over in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds a week before the opener. They were surprise additions to the Opening Day lineup, but neither made it out of April.
Joe had one hit in 15 at-bats before he was released to clear a spot for Tyler Austin, but the Giants never felt he looked overwhelmed at the plate. They saw some of the plate discipline that made him so appealing to Zaidi, and in a different situation, perhaps they could have made it work long-term. But Joe was a Rule 5 pick by the Reds and he was returned to the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, posting a .426 OBP and 15 homers the rest of that year in Triple-A.
For the Giants, Joe was a sign of what was to come. Zaidi and the rest of this rebuilt front office have targeted Triple-A hitters with strong strike zone awareness and the athleticism to grow into more power. It has worked with Yastrzemski and Wade, but unlike Joe, both of those players were able to spend time in Triple-A as they got into the organization. Perhaps more importantly, both have worked under a new coaching staff that has proven masterful at getting more power out of every type of player.
Joe said he has seen some of what has developed in San Francisco recently and he's "really excited" for Yastrzemski and Wade and others who have broken through.
San Francisco Giants
Find the latest San Francisco Giants news, highlights, analysis and more with NBC Sports Bay Area and California.
"It's cool to see guys who are late bloomers have a lot of success like that," he said during batting practice Thursday. "I'm really happy for them. I've never personally met those guys, but I couldn't be happier for them."
You can bet there are a lot of people in the Giants clubhouse who feel the same way about Joe, who has been through a lot over the last couple of seasons. He announced last March that he was undergoing treatment for testicular cancer and missed the entire 2020 season, but he signed with the Rockies once he got healthy, and he has played his way into a consistent role.
"It's awesome. It's a really good fit over here for me," he said. "The team has been great, the guys in the clubhouse have been great, they welcomed me with open arms in spring training. The staff has been really welcoming and I'm happy to have some opportunities and be taking advantage of them."
Joe returned to the big leagues in early May and was used primarily off the bench before another stint in Triple-A. He was back with the Rockies just before the trade deadline, and coming into Thursday's game he had a .340 average in 16 games since being recalled. Joe picked up his first career homer on his first day back, and last week he had a two-homer game against the Miami Marlins.
RELATED: Giants add intriguing outfielder from White Sox
The hot streak had him atop the lineup for Colorado's latest trip to Oracle Park, but he said there weren't a lot of memories that came flooding back, pointing out that his time in orange and black was a whirlwind and that the whole staff has changed over since he's been gone. Some of the veterans who tried to help a young player get acclimated two years ago are still here and starting, though.
"It'll be cool to see some of those guys over there that I really respected and really learned from, but as far as the city, I really didn't grow roots," Joe said. "It was short but it was great. (Zaidi) gave me the opportunity and I debuted with the Giants, and that will always hold a special place in my heart. I learned a lot from the guys in the clubhouse that I'm using now. It was a great experience. It was short, but I learned a lot and I'm happy I went through it."