That kind of move always seemed like a gamble, because position players of Eldridge’s caliber rarely make moves. The 21-year-old has been following the rumors closely and said this weekend that he has been working to dismiss the speculation. “I’m trying not to get too caught up in what’s going on. … I don’t know how far those conversations have gotten,” 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 don’t plan on leaving here anytime soon. I hope they don’t plan on letting me leave anytime soon.”
Eldridge was the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft and spent most of last year between the top two minor league levels. He hit 25 home runs while combining for a .260/.333/.510 batting line over 433 plate appearances. The 6-foot-4 Eldridge struck out in more than 29% of his trips to the plate, but was an above-average hitter at both minor league stops at age 20. The Giants called him up in mid-September. He’s not a solution to break camp over the strikeout questions, but they still certainly expect him to play a big role as the season progresses.
Eldridge underwent surgery after the season to address a bone spur in his left wrist. He said he is essentially at full strength and noted he is in the final stages of his batting program. Eldridge should enter camp healthy as he competes for the starting first base/designated hitter job in what would be a split between the two positions with Rafael Devers.
There is also uncertainty at the other position on the right side of the infield. The Giants are reportedly looking for a second baseman, and they have been linked Brendan Donovan and on Stanford products Nico Hoerner (a longer shot to move). If they don’t secure a major upgrade, the runway would fall into disrepair Casey Schmitt. He took over the fight Tyler Fitzgerald midseason and posted a league average of .237/.305/.401 in 95 games.
Schmitt is also working back from left wrist surgery – in his case, carpal boss removal. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that the right-hitting infielder resumed hitting a tee last week. He may be a little behind schedule in March, but appears to be on track for Opening Day. Schmitt would be in contention for his first career opening day pick if he’s healthy and the Giants can’t get away with a major trade acquisition.
If they bring in someone like Donovan, Schmitt would likely work as a multi-positional infielder off the bench. He’s a natural third baseman and has some shortstop experience, but there aren’t many reps available in a left infield with Matt Chapman And Willy Adames. Slusser reports that the Giants have received calls from other teams about Schmitt in the two years since they signed Chapman, but due to his versatility and remaining minor league option, they are not under any pressure to sign him.
While Giants fans are hoping for a big change to improve the MLB roster, they made a notable move in the minor league last week. San Francisco officially signed the Venezuelan infield prospect Luis Hernández on January 15. His $5 million signing bonus was the largest for any player in this year’s international window.
MLB Pipeline also ranked the right-handed hitter as the top prospect in the class in terms of talent, praising his polish and all-around skills. Ben Badler of Baseball America writes that many scouts consider Hernández the top amateur prospect, although BA itself does not rank international signees. Hernández, who turned 17 last month, isn’t the biggest player at 5’10” and certainly won’t be an MLB factor for years to come, but represents an intriguing addition to the player development department.
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