Right-hander Jake Wong Takes Aggressive Approach in First Full Season

SAN JOSE -- Jake Wong doesn't model himself after any one pitcher, but when the right-hander was asked recently if there's anyone he likes to follow, he mentioned two of the most intense pitchers of the last decade: Max Scherzer and Madison Bumgarner. 

"My overall approach is to be aggressive," Wong said. "I'm pretty competitive by nature, so for me it's just about going out there and doing my thing and competing. I just like having a competitive edge out there, just pitching with a chip on my shoulder."

The Giants have always had that on their staff, whether it's Bumgarner or Ryan Vogelsong or Sergio Romo coming out of the bullpen and snarling at hitters. Shaun Anderson appears to be out of the same mold, pitching inside and staring down opponents as he stands tall on the mound. Wong is in his first full professional season, but the Giants felt he was underrated coming out of Grand Canyon University in Phoenix and are hopeful he can develop with what looks to be a budding future core at the low levels of the minors. 

Joey Bart and Heliot Ramos started the year with San Jose and the club got a major boost when Wong and right-hander Sean Hjelle joined after a strong early-season run in Low-A Augusta. While Hjelle has taken quickly to the California League (he has a 1.94 ERA since a promotion), Wong has had to make more adjustments. 

But overall the track record is a strong one since the Giants took him in the third round last summer. Wong was the highest draft pick out of Grand Canyon since Tim Salmon in 1989 and had a 2.30 ERA in 11 starts for short-season Salem-Keizer. He started this season with a 1.99 ERA and 0.91 WHIP in Augusta, holding opponents to a .186 average in eight starts. 

Wong, 22, has a 4.74 ERA in San Jose, but he was sharp in his last start, allowing two runs in 5 2/3 innings while striking out six. 

"I got started off on a pretty good note in Augusta," he said. "The lack of consistency has been there (in San Jose), but each and every day I come out here with the same attitude. I'm trying to learn and develop. Being on a staff like this with the different kind of talents we've got and different personalities, it's cool to pick each other's brains and come out here and try to learn and develop and continue to progress."

Wong primarily relies on his fastball, which he throws as a two- and four-seamer and has gotten up to 97 mph in the past. Scouts generally have him more in the low 90s, with a curveball and changeup along with a slider he has mixed in this season. 

"I have a pretty aggressive approach in the way I attack hitters," he said. "I think everything plays off the fastball. I like to work inside, make hitters uncomfortable. For me that kind of plays off my fastball."

Bart and Ramos are the big names, the ones headed to the Futures Game this Sunday. But the Giants will need much more to turn this around long-term, particularly on the pitching side. They're starting to see improvement at the lower levels of the minors and hope Wong can be right in the middle of a wave headed towards Oracle Park. 

Wong said the players don't talk much about moving through together, but they know eyes are on their draft class. He thinks there's plenty of talent in the dugout in San Jose.

"We've got lots of guys who can contribute and it's going to be a collaborative effort," he said. "To win a World Series and to start winning games, it comes from everyone. It's pretty cool because we've got an exciting young core and we've got some guys in the farm system that I think are going to contribute. 

"I think we're starting to build something pretty special."

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