Bryce Eldridge is one stop away from contributing to a big league lineup — and it could happen sooner rather than later.
After a strong few weeks with Double-A Richmond, the Giants are ready to take the next step by promoting their top prospect first baseman to Triple-A Sacramento, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Slusser says Eldridge isn’t expected to be in the River Cats’ lineup on Tuesday in Sugar Land, Texas, but he’s expected to be available off the bench to pinch-hit.
“He’s eager to get better,” said Buster Posey, the Giants president of baseball operations. “He wants to be great at it. He still has a lot of work to do. I think he knows that as well. But it’s nice that he’s moving in the right direction.”
The transaction is certainly the next step in Eldridge’s fast-moving development — he’s more than ready for the Pacific Coast League — but the timing is rather telling, too. San Francisco’s offense has greatly declined over the past few weeks. SInce May 26, the Giants have scored just 39 runs — the least amount in baseball.
Eldridge, 20, suffered a hand injury in spring training that sidelined him for the first few weeks of the season, but he’s since slashed .280/.350/.512 with seven homers, 20 runs batted in and an .862 OPS.
On Friday, Eldridge crushed this left-on-left two-run shot to straight away center field — off the batter’s eye.
While his bat — and enormous power, especially – has notched Eldridge a spot as MLB.com’s No. 1 prospect in the Giants system, there’s been a niche focus on his defense and the development that needs to happen at first base. For Giants fans, it might not even matter with the team producing a mere -0.9 fWAR from the first base position.
“Ultimately, the goal is to win at the big league level,” Posey said.
The Giants drafted Eldridge with the 16th overall selection in the 2023 MLB draft from James Madison High School in Virginia, and he’s fast-tracked through the system since.
Right-hander Trent Harris is also getting called up to Triple-A. Harris, 26, recorded a 1.69 earned run average in 16 innings out of the bullpen for Richmond. He struck out 25 and walked four.