The Giants have added some depth to their system, signing infielder Buddy Kennedy and right-hander Caleb Kilian to minor league deals last month. Both players hit free agency after the 2025 season and are now set to begin fresh chapters in San Francisco’s organization.
Let’s start with Kennedy, who had one of the more nomadic seasons in recent memory. The 25-year-old appeared in 13 big league games in 2025, bouncing between the Phillies, Blue Jays, and Dodgers.
Because he’s out of minor league options, every roster move required a DFA rather than a simple demotion, which led to a whirlwind of transactions. Despite the constant movement, Kennedy ended the year with a unique silver lining – no matter who won the World Series between the Dodgers and Blue Jays, he was getting a ring.
Originally drafted by the Diamondbacks, Kennedy has yet to find sustained success at the major league level. Through 181 plate appearances across 67 games with five different teams, he’s slashed just .178/.271/.274.
But his Triple-A numbers tell a different story: a .281/.388/.429 line with 33 homers over 1,704 plate appearances. That offensive production, combined with his defensive versatility, keeps him in the mix.
Kennedy has logged innings at first, second, and third base, with additional reps at shortstop and left field – the kind of utility profile teams value when injuries hit or roster flexibility is needed.
That said, his path to the big league roster in San Francisco is anything but clear. The Giants’ infield is mostly set, with second base being the only spot without a locked-in starter – and that could change if the club lands a name like Ketel Marte or Brendan Donovan, both of whom have been linked to the team in offseason chatter.
If that happens, Casey Schmitt likely shifts into a utility role, and Kennedy would be competing with Christian Koss, Tyler Fitzgerald, and Osleivis Basabe just to stay in the conversation. Plus, Kennedy’s out-of-options status means he’d need to make the team out of camp or risk another trip through waivers.
More likely, he opens the season at Triple-A as a depth piece, ready to step in if injuries or roster shuffling create an opening.
As for Kilian, this is a homecoming of sorts. The Giants originally drafted him in the eighth round back in 2019, only to send him to the Cubs in the 2021 trade deadline deal that brought Kris Bryant to San Francisco. Now 28, Kilian returns to the organization looking to get his career back on track after two injury-riddled seasons.
Kilian’s time in Chicago never quite clicked. He made eight appearances (five starts) between 2022 and 2024, posting a 9.22 ERA over 27 1/3 innings.
The control issues were glaring – nearly as many walks (six) as strikeouts (seven) – and injuries didn’t help. A teres major strain sidelined him for much of 2024, and an undisclosed issue in 2025 limited him to just 15 2/3 innings at Triple-A.
When he did pitch, mostly out of the bullpen for the first time in his career, the results weren’t pretty: a 7.47 ERA that reflected both rust and recovery.
Still, there’s reason to believe a reset in San Francisco could be what Kilian needs. Even with new leadership and a different player development staff than when he was first drafted, the familiarity with the organization might help him settle in.
The first step is simply staying healthy. From there, the Giants can evaluate whether he’s better suited to return to a starting role or continue developing as a reliever.
Neither Kennedy nor Kilian are likely to break camp with the big league team, but both bring something to the table: Kennedy with his bat-to-ball skills and defensive flexibility, Kilian with a once-promising arm and the motivation to prove he still belongs. For a Giants team looking to build depth and stay competitive across a long season, these are the kinds of low-risk moves that can quietly pay off when the inevitable attrition of a 162-game grind sets in.
