SF Giants Must Prioritize the Future: Why These 3 Prospects Should Be Off-Limits in Trade Talks

The SF Giants are heading into a pivotal offseason. A managerial change is looming, and while that’s the first domino that needs to fall, it won’t be – and can’t be – the last.

Fixing the on-field product means improving the roster. And with the team’s long-running struggles in locking down marquee free agents, it makes sense to consider the trade route for reinforcements.

But that strategy comes with its own risks – namely, mortgaging the future for the chance to win now.

That’s where the front office, now helmed by Giants legend Buster Posey in a lead decision-making role, will need to balance urgency with vision. Contending is the goal, but not if it means giving up core pieces of the team’s future identity. And when you zoom in on the team’s farm system, there are three names that should be untouchable this winter – three players who represent the next era of Giants baseball.

Let’s break them down.

Bryce Eldridge: A Future Cornerstone

Bryce Eldridge isn’t just another prospect – he’s the kind of player a franchise can build around. A two-way talent with power from the left side, Eldridge made a limited big-league appearance that didn’t set the stat sheet on fire, but there’s more under the hood here than meets the eye.

Even while dealing with an injury that eventually required wrist surgery, Eldridge impressed with how consistently and forcefully he put the barrel on the ball when he made contact. That raw power is real, and it plays – especially if he returns fully healthy in 2026. Given time, this is a player who could become a heart-of-the-order bat or even the face of the franchise.

San Francisco has been burned in the past by pushing chips too aggressively for short-term gain. Trading a player like Eldridge just isn’t worth the risk – especially when his ceiling is as high as anyone in the organization.

Josuar Gonzalez: A Long-Term Bet Worth Making

He’s young, he’s raw, and he’s still a long way from Oracle Park, but Josuar Gonzalez’s upside is why teams dream on international talent. Signed last offseason out of the Dominican Republic, the teenage shortstop already flashes tools that are hard to teach, and harder to find.

It’s too early to pencil him in as Brandon Crawford 2.0, but the potential is there – particularly if the Giants’ current options up the middle, like Willy Adames, begin to decline either at the plate or defensively. Gonzalez has the profile of a prospect who could grow into that role, or potentially shift across the infield depending on how his body and glove develop.

He’s a long-term project, no doubt, but ones like this can pay off in ways that short-term rentals never do. Trading him now would be trading away the unknown upside of a possible All-Star – and that’s not a gamble this team can afford to make just yet.

Dakota Jordan: A Rare Outfield Spark in the Pipeline

Here’s where it really gets interesting. The Giants have struggled, year after year, to produce consistent outfield talent from within. Enter Dakota Jordan – a name that’s starting to make real noise down in San Jose.

Jordan wrapped up a strong 2025 season in A-ball, slashing .311/.377/.497 with 14 home runs and 82 RBIs. Those numbers don’t lie – this is a player who has clearly figured something out offensively. He’s not just getting on base; he’s hitting for average, reaching base at a solid clip, and driving the ball with authority.

In an organization that’s still trying to find the next breakout bat for the outfield, Jordan stands out not just for performance, but for timing. He’s on the rise, the production is there, and there’s room for more growth. That combination makes him too valuable to throw into a trade unless the return is absolutely overwhelming – and even then, the Giants should think twice.

Big-Picture Thinking Required

Prospect capital is the currency of modern baseball, and the Giants have some to spend – but not at the cost of players like Eldridge, Gonzalez, and Jordan. These are names that could define the next version of this team, not just fill gaps in the present one.

Yes, trades might be the fastest route to improving the roster. Yes, San Francisco needs to get better, especially in key areas like power hitting and defensive consistency. But there has to be a line drawn – and that line should start with these three.

Buster Posey and the Giants’ front office have a job to do this winter. Make the right moves.

But know where the future lies. These three prospects?

They are the kind of guys you build around, not trade away.