Braden Bishop is a top hitter for Mariners this spring. And he’s not the only Bishop lighting it up
It’s good to be a Bishop in the batter’s box in Arizona.
Through 18 games of Cactus League play, Braden Bishop carries one of the Seattle Mariners’ highest batting averages (.346) of the spring — and best of any player with more than 25 at-bats.
“Over the evolution of my career, I’ve stressed hitting the ball in the air more, try to drive balls,” Bishop said. “And I think with age and strength, the doubles become homers. So, it does feel good to put that into play and see it pay off a little bit.”
He paces the Mariners with 10 RBI, and his three home runs this spring trail only Domingo Santana’s club-leading four.
“Braden is really in a good spot right now,” manager Scott Servais said last week. “We’ve talked about it, from the beginning of camp he continues to get better. He’s seeing the ball, and it looks like a beach ball coming in there to him right now. He’s not missing.”
Neither is his younger brother.
Throughout spring camp, when Bishop hasn’t been sending baseballs over the fence for the Mariners, he’s been watching his younger brother do it in Tempe.
Hunter Bishop, in his third season at Arizona State, has also been lighting up pitchers. Through 15 games, the 6-foot-5, 210-pound junior has a .414 batting average and a team-leading eight home runs.
The younger Bishop has homered in each of the Sun Devils’ past three games — they swept Xavier in a series over the weekend — to keep the club undefeated in nonconference play.
“I probably see him a couple of times a week,” Braden Bishop said. “Everybody wants to come to Arizona for the beginning of the year from the East Coast, so they play at home like the first six weekends of the year. Usually I’ll go over and watch one or two games a weekend.
“He’s doing really well. He’s also maturing. He’s a younger junior, so this is his draft year. He’s got big-time power, so that catches some eyes.”
Braden is quick to commend his younger brother’s power at the plate, and his speed in the outfield — where both have typically played center throughout their careers.
He says Hunter is the bigger slugger of the two, and probably quicker, but mostly the former University of Washington standout is excited to see the younger Bishop follow a similar path in the Pac-12.
Braden was a first-team all-Pac-12 pick and all-Pac-12 defensive team pick his final season at UW, before he was drafted by the Mariners in the third round in 2015.
Hunter, who had originally committed to the Huskies football team as a preferred walk-on, instead opted to pursue baseball.
Out of high school, Hunter was selected in the 24th round of the 2016 MLB Draft by the San Diego Padres, but elected to go to college. His hot start to the season — he’s hit safely in 13 of 15 games this season, leads the Sun Devils in extra-base hits (14) and has 22 RBIs — gives him a good chance to better that draft position come June.
“It’s a tough road — very tough,” Braden Bishop said. “Even when you get to the top, it’s still tough. But, for him, I’ve been through everything he’s been through. I played in the Pac-12. I got drafted like he will. I’ve been through the low minors like he will.
“To have somebody who can go through the ups and downs with him — because not many people understand that, especially when you’re in the low minors — I’m happy I can be that guy for him.”
Because of the four-year age gap between the two brothers, Braden Bishop said the two tossed the ball around, and were competitive with each other, but never had the chance to play organized baseball together growing up.
“Maybe one day,” he said.
Braden has never played a regular-season game above Double-A but has gotten the attention of the Mariners this spring after having his 2018 season cut short by a forearm injury.
“I think anytime you’re in this clubhouse you want to play well,” he said. “I think the biggest thing I’ve learned over my career, though, is I need to be ready come season, whether I’m in Double-A, Triple-A, the big leagues. That’s when it really matters.
“I’m doing everything I can to be ready for that, and playing hard. That’s my game, playing hard, and trying to get on base.”
When Braden was struck by a pitch that ultimately ended his season, he was ranked second in the Texas League in runs (70), tied for ninth in hits (98) and 10th in doubles (20) for Double-A Arkansas.
He was added to the 40-man roster on Nov. 16. , said he had a productive offseason, and has clearly produced this spring.
“The first couple (at-bats) were a little shaky, just seeing a pitch coming at me again, but it feels good now, and I’m just thankful it went the way it did,” Braden Bishop said.
“You have progressions and setbacks, but I just tried to keep a level head and realize it was more about the long game than how I was feeling that particular day. I knew there were going to be ups and downs. But, I’m just happy with where I’m at now.”
And, he said he’ll be ready to play wherever he ends up when spring camp wraps up.
“I just play,” he said. “I’ll go wherever, and at the end of the day, once you step between the white lines, you have to find a way to help your team win.”
This story was originally published March 12, 2019 at 8:07 AM.