The Giants rookie first baseman Bryce Eldridge was the subject of trade speculation early in the season. San Francisco came into the winter looking to get paid but didn’t seem ready to spend high on the free agent market. That led to a discussion about putting Eldridge in a trade package for a controllable starter with a high rotation ceiling (eg. MacKenzie Gore).
That kind of move has always been seen as a long shot, as the chances of a position player of Eldridge’s caliber rarely waver. The 21-year-old player took these rumors seriously, and said that he worked to ignore the allegations over the weekend. “I’m trying not to focus too much on anything that’s going on. … I don’t know how far those conversations went,” Eldridge said at Giants FanFest (link via Maria Guardado of MLB.com). “But I want to be here. I want to play for this team. I’m not willing to leave here soon. I hope they don’t plan to let me go soon.”
The 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft, Eldridge spent most of last year between the league’s top two tight ends. He hit 25 homers while compiling a .260/.333/.510 batting line in 433 plate appearances. The 6’7″ Eldridge struck out over 29% of his trips to the plate but hit a home run at both minor league stops at age 20. The Giants called him up in mid-September. He’s not a lock to break out of camp due to hitting questions, but they’ll expect him to play a bigger role later in the season.
Eldridge had surgery after the season to deal with a bone spur in his left wrist. He said that he is in fact at his best, he said that he is in the last stage of his hitting program. Eldridge should enter camp healthy as he battles for the first base/designated hit job in what could be a split between the two positions. Rafael Devers.
There is also uncertainty elsewhere on the right side of the infield. The Giants are reportedly looking for a second baseman, and have been in contact with him Brendan Donovan and a Stanford product Nico Hoerner (long shot to move). If they don’t get big-ticket upgrades, the first job will fall through Casey Schmitt. He assumed a struggling position Tyler Fitzgerald during the season and turned in a major league line of .237/.305/.401 in 95 games.
Schmitt is also working back from left wrist surgery — a carpal tunnel removal, in his case. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the power hitter resumed hitting the tee last week. He may be a little behind the schedule in March but he appears to be on track for Opening Day. Schmitt will make his Opening Day debut if he’s healthy and the Giants don’t come out with a marquee trade pickup.
If they get someone like Donovan, Schmitt will likely work as a multi-position player off the bench. He is a third baseman and has some experience at shortstop, but there aren’t many reps available in the left side of the infield including Matt Chapman again Willy Adams. Slusser reports that the Giants have received calls from other teams about Schmitt in the two years since signing Chapman, but his versatility and minor league option means they are under no pressure to deal him.
While Giants fans were hoping for some kind of swing to improve the MLB program, they made a visible move to the minor league side last week. San Francisco has officially signed the Venezuelan infield prospect Luis Hernández on January 15. His $5MM signing bonus was the largest of any player in this year’s international.
MLB Pipeline also ranked the right-hander as the best prospect in the talent class, praising his polish and all-around skill set. Ben Badler of Baseball America writes that many scouts consider Hernández to be a top ateur prospect even though BA itself does not rank them as international signees. Hernández, who turned 17 last month, isn’t the biggest player at 5’10” and certainly won’t be an MLB feature for years but he represents an interesting addition to the player development department.
