Giants roster preview: Where team stands entering spring training originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — No matter what kind of offseason you have, the first day of camp always brings hope.
In two weeks, future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander will stand on the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and chat with Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong and other young pitchers as they go through monotonous fielding drills. When the full squad reports a few days later, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman will team up for the first time. It’s possible they’ll make some throws to Bryce Eldridge, the most-hyped Giants prospect in years.
Even after a relatively quiet offseason, those first few days should be exciting ones for an organization under new leadership. As the Feb. 12 first workout fast approaches, here’s a look at where the roster currently stands and what else might be coming before players take the field:
Who’s In?
It took a little over a month for Buster Posey to make his first addition to the 40-man roster, and when Adames was introduced with a press conference at Oracle Park, part of the talk was about what else could be done. Adames was eager to dive in, saying he would place a call to former teammate Corbin Burnes, who at the time still was available.
Well, it seems that exciting day at the ballpark won’t be repeated. The Giants signed Verlander to a one-year deal (he was introduced over Zoom) and traded for catcher Sam Huff, but otherwise they have made no additions to the 40-man roster.
Of the 39 players currently on that roster, 36 were with the organization at the end of last season. That’s a lot of continuity, which is a bit surprising. There’s no doubt that Posey and new general manager Zack Minasian will avoid a lot of the roster-churn that became a theme of the Farhan Zaidi era, but that’s still showing a lot of faith in a roster that was inherited, one that went 80-82 last season.
Adames should be a game-changer on both sides of the ball and in the clubhouse, and the Giants are hopeful Verlander can turn back the clock one more time after he turns 42 this spring. But for the most part, they’ll be counting on improvements from within.
Jung Hoo Lee’s return should bolster the lineup and there are high hopes for Tyler Fitzgerald, who is moving over to second base, a position where his offensive potential could stand out. There are other areas where the Giants might find upside. Heliot Ramos only is 25 and has room to grow. If Patrick Bailey can learn from back-to-back second-half slides, he’ll be one of the most valuable players in baseball. Luis Matos is coming off a good winter ball season.
The Giants will need some of those young players to take another leap. At the moment, their projected Opening Day lineup includes eight holdovers, and the bench — also filled with familiar faces — looks like a weakness.
Who’s Out?
The Los Angeles Dodgers have been the talk of the sport in recent weeks after winning the Roki Sasaki bidding, adding two of the best relievers on the market, and continuing to load up elsewhere. But their best move might have come early, and it somewhat flew under the radar.
Blake Snell left the Giants for their rival, although these days the two organizations are light years apart in the standings. Snell was fourth on San Francisco’s roster a year ago in fWAR and there’s no way to make up for the loss of what he gave them in the second half.
Michael Conforto also is a Dodger, and while his two-year deal in San Francisco was a disappointment, he still was moderately productive last year. Taylor Rogers was traded to the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, and Blake Sabol was sent to the Boston Red Sox after Verlander signed. Another 2024 backup catcher, Curt Casali, now is in Atlanta. Thairo Estrada now will see the Giants when they visit him at Coors Field.
Aside from Snell, the departures aren’t massive ones, but the group did account for roughly five Wins Above Replacement last year.
What might be most notable here is the list of players who were not traded. There were rumors around arbitration-eligible veterans Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. and young reliever Camilo Doval, but all three are currently set for familiar roles.
What’s Next?
At some point in the next week or so, the Giants figure to release their full non-roster invitee list, and it’ll be fascinating to see how Posey and Minasian handled it.
Jake Lamb will be in camp on a minor-league deal, but he’s 34 and spent all of last season in Triple-A, and his profile makes him a long shot. The Giants already have a left-handed-hitting first baseman in Wade, so Lamb will have to show some defensive versatility. Joey Luchessi also is known to be on the list, and the Rogers trade opened a lane for the veteran lefty to make the bullpen.
Eldridge certainly will be in big-league camp for the first time, and he might be the most discussed player at Scottsdale Stadium. The first baseman is expected to spend most of the year in Triple-A, though.
Will the rest of the NRI list be filled with prospects or veterans hoping to win bench jobs? The Giants could use a bit more veteran outfield depth and additional catching help. They’re short on left-handed relief options and could probably use a left-handed-hitting infielder to compete with Brett Wisely and possibly Wade Meckler.
It wouldn’t be a surprise if this is one of those springs when multiple veterans walk through the door on minor league deals after camp has started. There should be some opportunities available given the uncertainty with the bench.
Last spring, it was stars who were walking through the door in late February and March. It doesn’t appear the Giants are involved with Pete Alonso, Jack Flaherty or others left at the top of the market, but they have plenty of payroll flexibility if they want to be opportunistic in the next couple of weeks.
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