Giants’ Youth Movement: Bryce Eldridge Focused on Future in San Francisco Amid Trade Buzz

There’s been some offseason chatter around Giants rookie Bryce Eldridge, but if you ask the 21-year-old first baseman, he’s not sweating it. Despite his name popping up in trade speculation-especially with San Francisco looking to bolster its rotation-Eldridge made it clear over the weekend: he wants to be in the Bay for the long haul.

“I try not to get too wrapped up in anything going on,” Eldridge said during Giants FanFest. “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 making me leave anytime soon.”

The Giants have been shopping for pitching help this winter, and while they haven’t shown much interest in the top-tier free agent arms, there was some buzz about a potential package involving Eldridge to land a controllable frontline starter-someone like MacKenzie Gore. But let’s be real: moving a position player prospect of Eldridge’s caliber is a rare move, and for good reason.

Eldridge, the 16th overall pick in the 2023 draft, spent most of last season climbing the minor league ladder. Across two levels, he mashed 25 homers and posted a .260/.333/.510 slash line in 433 plate appearances.

The raw power is real, and at 6’7”, he’s hard to miss in the batter’s box. Sure, he struck out in over 29% of his plate appearances, but he still managed to be an above-average hitter at both stops-impressive for a 20-year-old adjusting to pro pitching.

The Giants gave him a taste of the big leagues with a September call-up, but he’s not guaranteed to break camp with the team this spring. The strikeout rate is something to watch, but there’s no question the organization sees him as a key piece moving forward.

Eldridge had postseason surgery to clean up a bone spur in his left wrist, but he says he’s nearly back to full strength and is wrapping up his offseason hitting program. If all goes as planned, he’ll head into camp healthy and competing for a role at first base or designated hitter, likely in a timeshare with Rafael Devers.

Meanwhile, the other half of the right side of the infield is still a bit of a question mark. The Giants have been linked to second basemen like Brendan Donovan and Stanford alum Nico Hoerner, though the latter would be a tougher get. If they don’t land a proven upgrade, the job could fall to Casey Schmitt.

Schmitt stepped in for the struggling Tyler Fitzgerald midseason and turned in a serviceable .237/.305/.401 line over 95 games-league average production, which the Giants would likely take again if he can pair it with quality defense. Like Eldridge, Schmitt is also coming off wrist surgery, having undergone a procedure to remove a carpal boss from his left wrist. He’s already resumed hitting off a tee and, while he might be slightly delayed in spring training, he’s on track for Opening Day.

If the Giants do swing a deal for a second baseman like Donovan, Schmitt would likely shift into a utility role. He’s a natural third baseman with some shortstop experience, but with Matt Chapman and Willy Adames locked in on the left side, there won’t be many reps available there.

That said, teams have shown interest in Schmitt since the Giants signed Chapman, but his defensive versatility and remaining minor league option give San Francisco flexibility. They’re in no rush to move him.

While the big-league roster remains in flux, the Giants made a splash on the international side last week. They officially signed Venezuelan infield prospect Luis Hernández on January 15, handing out a $5 million signing bonus-the largest of this year’s international signing period.

Hernández, a right-handed hitter who just turned 17, is already drawing rave reviews. MLB Pipeline ranked him as the top talent in the international class, citing his polish and all-around game.

Scouts love the makeup and skillset, even if he’s not the biggest guy at 5’10”. He won’t be knocking on the MLB door anytime soon, but he’s a big-time addition to the Giants’ player development pipeline.

So while fans might be waiting for that headline-grabbing move to reshape the big-league roster, the Giants are clearly playing the long game too-investing in their youth, both at home and abroad. Eldridge and Schmitt are part of that foundation, and unless something big changes, they’ll be wearing orange and black for a while.