In his late-season major league stint in 2025, Bryce Eldridge wore a forgettable number on his jersey:\u00a0No. 78.<\/p>\n
Now, on the Giants\u2019 40-man roster\u00a0to begin spring training, Eldridge\u00a0got to pick a\u00a0number\u00a0much easier\u00a0on the eyes:\u00a0No. 8.<\/p>\n
The Virginia native explained to NBC Sports Bay Area\u2019s Alex Pavlovic that his choice\u00a0pays homage to his home and sports idols he grew up watching.<\/p>\n
\u201cGrowing up in the D.C. area, I had season tickets to the [Washington] Capitals almost my whole life to this point,\u201d Eldridge said. \u201cI was a big\u00a0[Alex] Ovechkin<\/a>\u00a0fan, and 8\u00a0has always\u00a0kind of meant\u00a0something to me and has always meant something to the D.M.V. area.\u201d<\/p>\n The Capitals drafted Ovechkin with the first overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, four months before Eldridge was born in Fairfax, VA.<\/p>\n Ovechkin made his NHL debut on Oct. 5, 2005,\u00a015 days\u00a0before Eldridge\u2019s\u00a0first birthday. The NHL\u2019s all-time leading goal scorer\u00a0is\u00a0currently\u00a0in his 21st\u00a0season\u00a0in Washington\u00a0and has cemented himself as a legend in both hockey and the D.M.V. area.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s\u00a0been there my whole life. So, 8 has always been an important number to me and my family, and my area,\u201d\u00a0the 20-year-old\u00a0Eldridge explained.<\/p>\n There\u2019s\u00a0another star that dons\u00a0No. 8\u00a0in the D.M.V. area that Eldridge is honoring with his choice.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m a huge\u00a0[Baltimore]\u00a0Ravens fan too,\u201d Eldridge shared. \u201cSo,\u00a0Lamar Jackson<\/a>,\u00a0I\u2019ve\u00a0grown up watching him quarterback my team; I think\u00a0he\u2019s\u00a0on year nine now.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, 8 has always been important to me and those are\u00a0kind of my\u00a0two sports idols outside of baseball.\u201d<\/p>\n If the fact that the Giants\u2019 top prospect\u00a0wasn\u2019t\u00a0even born when Ovechkin was\u00a0drafted\u00a0didn\u2019t\u00a0make you feel old,\u00a0maybe this\u00a0will:\u00a0Eldridge was just 13 when Jackson\u00a0was drafted by the Ravens\u00a0in 2018.<\/p>\n Eldridge now looks to make his own legacy wearing\u00a0No. 8.<\/p>\n Giants\u00a0fans will be more than happy if\u00a0the prospect\u00a0can\u00a0make an impact\u00a0in the Bay Area\u00a0similar to\u00a0what Ovechkin and Jackson\u00a0have made in the D.M.V.<\/p>\n