Michael Gigliotti came to Lipscomb as an unpolished speed-demon with a chance to make an impact at the top of the batting order. He may walk away as the most-decorated player in Bison baseball history.
“Gigs” is carrying a host of preseason accolades into his junior year: three preseason All-America selections, ASUN Conference Preseason Player of the year, ASUN Conference Defensive player of the year and a spot on the Golden Spikes Award watchlist. MLB.com named him the 23rd-best prospect in the country and a top-five outfielder.
What did it take for the centerfielder that couldn’t bunt and played left field in high school to become a top prospect? A fateful batting practice two years ago, a wrist injury and a busy summer.
Gigliotti arrived at Lipscomb in 2014 after consecutive state championships in Florida under legendary coach Rich Bielski. But the first time he tried to lay down a drag bunt in batting practice, assistant coach Brad Coon laughed in his face.
Coon was a standout center fielder and leadoff batter like Gigliotti but was an expert bunter. He played at Trevecca Nazarene University for Lipscomb head coach Jeff Forehand. Coon was drafted by the Angels in the 15th round of the 2005 MLB Draft and reached Triple-A before retiring in 2012.
“Michael being the same player that I am really helped me help him,” Coon said. “I know what he’s going through. I know how they’re going to pitch him. I know what it takes to play at the next level for him. I know what people want to see — what he needs to improve in. It really was like a match made in heaven for him to come here. The Lord blessed us with that and put us together.”
Coon showed him the mechanics of bunting for a hit, and they bunted for an hour every day. Gigliotti would get his reps in, then Coon would step in and show him where to improve.
Opening Day of his freshman season, the Bisons defeated Butler University 9-3 at Dugan Field. Gigs went three-for-four with two runs batted in and a run scored.
He woke up the next morning with a miserably sore wrist, unable to swing a bat.
“Coach Forehand told me ‘We want you in centerfield, just bunt every time,’” Gigliotti said.
He went four-for-five with four bunt hits and finished the year with 22 bunt singles — the most in the nation. Then he topped the leaderboard again in his sophomore year, bunting his way onboard 17 times.
After his sophomore year, he traveled with Bison pitchers Jeff Passantino and Brady Puckett to play summer ball with the Falmouth Commodores of the Cape Cod Baseball League, a ten-team summer baseball league populated by college players that just want to play against fresh competition.
Coon told him to spend every at-bat in Falmouth working on a middle-away approach at the plate to see the ball better and use the whole field.
Gigliotti stuck to the new approach and batted .310, scoring 31 runs and earning the McNeece Award for the league’s top professional prospect at season’s end.
Armed with his new approach, Gigs will have the opportunity this season to add one more line to his already impressive resumé.
First-round draft pick.
Photo courtesy of Lipscomb Athletics