Minor league pitcher Solomon Bates came out as gay in an Instagram post Tuesday, the same week he was released by the Giants. He is the second minor baseball player in his league to come out as gay in 2015, after David Denson.
Bates was drafted by USC in the eighth round in 2018 and has been in the Giants’ system ever since. He pitched in 23 games this season in Double-A, with a 4.02 ERA and 40 1/3 innings in which he struck out 47. In his post, he remains optimistic about his outlook even after his release, saying he plans to “open up to gay athletes like me.”
“You never know what could happen to you being gay in this sport! Thank you Giants for giving me the opportunity to be myself and play the game I love most.” ’” Bates writes. “I am still shocked by what just happened. But I will not give up on what I want to do. I will try to be one.”
Bates, 25, later detailed his experience with Outsports and explained what it was like not being his true self. I first told you that
According to Outsports’ Cyd Zeigler, Bates said: “I’m a masculine guy who loves the sport of baseball, but now I want to open up to gay athletes like me.”