Inbox: Checking in on 2B, OF position battles

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Cactus League schedule is officially underway for the Giants, who will use the next five weeks to evaluate which of the 72 players in camp will be the best fit for their 26-man roster. It remains to be seen who will take hold of the coveted jobs that are available this spring, but we’ll take a look at where some of those position battles currently stand in this week’s Giants Inbox. Here we go:

Who wins the second base job?
-- @AaronBuss9 via Twitter

Yolmer Sánchez is in camp as a non-roster invitee, but I think he’s pretty well-positioned to make the team right now. If Mauricio Dubón shows that he’s comfortable moving around and emerges as a capable center fielder, I think Sánchez could end up drawing regular at-bats at second base during the season. Not only does Sánchez bring Gold Glove-caliber defense, but he’s also working on making some tweaks to his swing that the Giants hope will allow him to produce at a higher level than he’s shown in the past.

Dubón and Wilmer Flores should also factor into the second-base mix to some degree, especially when the Giants face left-handed pitching. Donovan Solano will also be competing for playing time after signing a one-year, $1.375 million deal to avoid arbitration, but he has one Minor League option remaining, which could make him the odd man out in the crowded infield. A lot could happen before Opening Day, though, so we’ll see how it all shakes out at the end of the spring.

Which Giants player or players are you most excited to watch in Spring Training and the Cactus League, and why?
-- @RevolutionGram1 via Twitter

I’m looking forward to seeing how Dubón handles center field. It’s unclear when the Giants plan to start using him in the outfield during games, but Dubón has been taking fly balls in center and is confident that he can do a good job there. I think Jaylin Davis will be an intriguing guy to watch as well. His power didn’t translate to the Majors in his brief September callup last year, but I think the Giants remain bullish on his ability to develop into a contributor in the outfield. Davis regularly crushes balls during batting practice, so I’ll be interested to see if he can carry that over to Cactus League games this spring.

• Breaking down the Giants' five CF options

Who do you think will be in the Giants’ Opening Day rotation? When will we begin to see some of the rotation regulars in Cactus League action?
-- Vincent Y., Petaluma, Calif.

If I had to guess, I think I’d go with Johnny Cueto, Jeff Samardzija, Kevin Gausman, Drew Smyly and Tyler Beede. Beede will have to fend off competition to lock down the fifth spot, but the Giants clearly view him as someone who has the potential to develop into a frontline starter and will give him every opportunity to establish himself in the Majors.

Logan Webb could also make a push for a rotation spot this spring, but the 23-year-old right-hander is expected to be on an innings limit this year and could benefit from opening the season at Triple-A Sacramento.

Smyly is expected to make his Giants debut on Monday against the D-backs, followed by Gausman on Tuesday. Samardzija and Cueto are scheduled to pitch Wednesday and Friday, respectively.

How many players, do you think, will hit 20+ HR's?
-- @JJREYES0326 via Twitter

Assuming they stay healthy, I think Evan Longoria and Mike Yastrzemski are solid bets to reach the threshold again this year. Brandon Belt and Alex Dickerson could also hit at least 20 home runs, especially following the changes to the outfield dimensions at Oracle Park. Let’s go with three players, just like in 2019.