Brandon Belt

At 36 years old, Brandon Belt has this physical status:

College career

Belt enrolled in San Jacinto College in order to ensure his ability to work with Boston but decided not to sign but then decided not to sign. In 2007, he pitched and served as a designated hitter for San Jacinto's baseball team. He was drafted in the 11th round (348th overall) of the 2007 Major League Baseball draft by the Atlanta Braves, but he declined not to sign.

Belt then enrolled at the University of Texas, where he played college baseball for the Texas Longhorns for two years. Belt batted.319 with six home runs and a team-high 65 RBIs in his sophomore season, while also pitching in 16 games as a relief. He played collegiate summer baseball with the Cape Cod Mariners in the 2008 season. Belt began to first base as a junior due to shoulder injuries. Belt batted.323 in 63 games (76-for-235), 15 stolen bases, and 15 steal bases, as part of the Texas team that finished as runner-up in the College World Series in 2009.

Professional career

Belt was selected in the fifth round (147th overall) of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, and he earned a $200,000. He began his career with the San Jose Giants affiliate, for whom he was a mid-season All Star. He worked with the Giants' coaching staff and made a change to his swing mechanics, which helped him move quickly through the Giants farm system. In 2010, he was batting.352/.460, 112 RBIs, and gaining traction as one of the Giants top prospects, with a batting.352/.605/.620.

He competed for the San Francisco Giants Class-AAA-affiliate Fresno Grizzlies in 2010, and was named a Baseball America Minor League All Star and a MiLB Organization All Star. In the Arizona Fall League, he also served for the East Division Scottsdale Scorpions, where he was voted a Rising Star and to the All Prospect Team. Belt appeared in the Arizona Fall League Rising Stars Game for the East team.

Before the 2011 season, he was ranked as the third-best first baseman prospect on MLB.com. According to MLB.com, he was ranked as the 26th-best prospect overall.

Belt was invited to spring training in 2011, the most on the team, and batting.282 with 3 home runs, following his strong showing in the minor leagues. Belt had been added to the opening day Major League roster, the Giants announced on March 30, 2011, a moment captured in The Franchise's series premiere. Clayton Kershaw, the Dodgers' pitcher, started in his first major league game the next day and singled him out of the Los Angeles Dodgers for his first major league at bat, going 1-for-3 with a walk. On April 1, 2011, Belton played his first major league home run, off Chad Billingsley. Belt was sent by Triple-A Fresno on April 20, to make space on the roster for Cody Ross. In 17 games, he was hitting.192. After injuries to Buster Posey and Darren Ford, Belt was activated to the Giants on May 26. Belt was diagnosed with a hairline fracture on June 4, and was sent to the 15-day DL after being struck by a pitch in a game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Belt was activated from the DL on July 7 and optioned back to Fresno to continue his rehabilitation.

Belt was recalled by the Giants on July 19 to give slumping first baseman Aubrey Huff a break. Belt scored a solo home run and a tiebreaking two-run double in the seventh inning to help the Giants beat the Dodgers in his first game back in the majors. Belt was sent back to Fresno on August 4 to make room on the roster for Mark DeRosa. Belt defeated the Florida Marlins in Miami by 221 runs on August 14, one day after being called up to the majors for the fourth time. It was his first multi home run game of his career.

When Belt Belt sighted down a fly ball in left field during a game against the Milwaukee Brewers in August 2011, they were given the nickname "The Baby Giraffe." Belt became a fan favorite in San Francisco, with "Baby Giraffe" hats competing for the number of "Panda" hats in the AT&T Park stands in September 2011 (the panda hats were a nodal to Giants player Pablo Sandoval, sometimes referred to "the Kung-Fu Panda"). In August, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom revealed a real baby giraffe named after Belt.

Belt made the Giants' opening day roster for 2012. At the start of the season, a belt split time with Aubrey Huff and Brett Pill at first base. Belt became the everyday first baseman and finished the season strong after Huff was hurt and Pill struggled at the plate.

Belt achieved.304 (7-for-23) in six games in the 2012 NLCS, with a.565 slugging percentage. Belt won his first World Series ring with the Giants over the Detroit Tigers on October 28, 2012. Belt started the game in the World Series by hitting a triple to right field in the second inning, scoring Hunter Pence from second.

Belt hit new career highs in 2013 with 17 home runs and 67 RBIs in 150 games, leading the Giants with an.841 OPS. Belt got off to a slow start after losing 11 pounds to an opening-week stomach virus, but the season's final 51 games had him batting.346. Belt credited his improvement to his grip and reaching back in the batter's box. Belt earned five runs in all seven games played, while hitting.440 (11-for-25) with five RBIs, 20 total bases, two home runs, and eight runs scored in August 5–11.

Belt also agreed to a one-year $2.9 million deal on February 1, 2014, in order to prevent arbitration. Belt was struck by Dodgers pitcher Paul Maholm while batting at Dodger Stadium on May 9, breaking his left thumb. Belt was activated from the disabled list on July 4, but after suffering a concussion while fielding during batting practice, it was back to the disabled list on July 21. Belt was activated on August 2, but he was put on the DL again on August 8 as his concussion symptoms persist. On September 15, Belt was reactivated from the disabled list.

Belt batted.295 (18-for-61) in 17 games in the 2014 season, with 8 RBI and 11 walks. Belt broke a 1–1 tie in Game 2 of the 2014 NLDS versus the Washington Nationals in the 18th inning, helping the Giants win by 6 hours and 23 minutes in Game 2 of game play. Belt won his second World Series ring when the Giants defeated the Kansas City Royals in seven games on October 29, 2014. Belt and teammate Hunter Pence were able to play in all seven games of the season, being the only players on either team to do so.

Belt and the Giants avoided arbitration by committing to a one-year, $3.6 million deal on February 3, 2015. Belt hit the Cincinnati Reds on May 17, a rare feat in his time as a home run in three games in a row. He was only the second Giants player to do so since 1900. In 2000, Barry Bonds had a similar three-game streak. Belt hit the home runs on three days in a row after not hitting them in his first 30 games. Belt was the last player to do so in three consecutive games after not hitting any in his first 48 games this season.

Belt played in 137 games this season, batting.375/.478, and set new career highs with 18 home runs and 68 RBIs. He led all major league hitters in line drive percentages (28.7%) for the season.

Belt and the Giants signed a one-year, $6.2 million contract on February 10, 2016, avoiding arbitration. Belt and the Giants agreed to a five-year, $72.8 million contract extension through 2021 on April 9, 2016. Belt was selected to his first All Star Game after winning the 2016 National League All-Star Final Vote.

Belt led all Giants batters with 104 walks, 17 home runs, a.394 on-base percentage, and.868 OPS, and set a new career record with 82 RBI in 2016. Belt became the first Giant to walk 100 feet in a season since Barry Bonds in 2007. He had the lowest ground ball percentage of all major league hitters for the season (26.3%).

Belt hit his career-best with 18 home runs before suffering a season-ending concussion on August 4.

Belt hit a new MLB record for most pitches in a single at bat on April 22, defeating the Angels' starting pitcher Jaime Barria. Belt fouled off 16 runs (15 with two strikes) against the right-hander in his first plate appearance of the season, and in the first inning. Kole Calhoun, right fielder, was suspended for 12 minutes and 45 seconds during the at bat. Belt was also named National League Player of the Week on May 21. Belt underwent an appendectomy on June 2nd. He batted.253/.414 with 14 home runs and 46 RBIs in 2018.

He batted.234/.339/.403 in 2019 with 76 runs, 17 home runs, and 57 RBIs in 526 at bats. He had the lowest ground ball percentage in the National League (28.3%).

Belt batted.309/.521/.591 in 51 games during the pandemic recession. He had the fourth-highest OPS in the National League (1.015).

Belt batted.274/.597, 59 RBIs, and a career high 29 home runs in 325 at bats in the 2021 regular season for the Giants. After the season, he became a free agent, but the Giants have given him a $18.4 million qualifying bid to remain with them for another season.

Belt became the Giants' longest serving player following his release of catcher Buster Posey.

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