First baseman Bryce Eldridge, the Giants’ No. 1 prospect per MLB Pipeline, headlined the list of 20 non-roster invitees that were announced by the club on Friday.
Eldridge, 20, will be in big league camp for the first time after rising from Single-A San Jose to Triple-A Sacramento in his first full season in pro ball last year. The 2023 first-round Draft pick isn’t expected to be in the mix for a spot on the Opening Day roster this spring, but he could have a chance to debut in 2025 if he continues to produce in the Minors, where he batted .291 with an .890 OPS and 23 home runs over 116 games in 2024.
Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt and right-hander Cole Waites were also among the Giants prospects who received invitations to Spring Training this year. Whisenhunt, who is ranked the club’s No. 3 prospect, recorded a 5.42 ERA over 25 starts at Triple-A Sacramento last year and possesses one of the best changeups in the Minors. The hard-throwing Waites showed promise after debuting with the Giants in 2022, but he missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in September 2023.
Whisenhunt, 24, has been used almost exclusively as a starter thus far, but the Giants are light on left-handed relief options, so perhaps they’ll consider giving him a chance to vie for a bullpen spot alongside fellow NRI southpaws Joey Lucchesi, Ethan Small and Raymond Burgos this spring.
The Giants invited only six non-roster position players to camp this year, none of which were outfielders. San Francisco already has a deep crop of outfielders on its 40-man roster, with youngsters like Luis Matos, Marco Luciano, Grant McCray and Wade Meckler expected to provide depth behind starters Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee and Mike Yastrzemski this year.
The two catchers on the NRI list -- Max Stassi and Logan Porter -- could compete with veteran Tom Murphy for the backup catcher spot, while former All-Star infielder Jake Lamb could get a look as a bench piece.
At least one other player is expected to join the non-roster group, as the Giants reportedly agreed to a Minor League deal with former A’s reliever Lou Trivino on Thursday. Trivino, a 33-year-old right-hander, played under manager Bob Melvin in Oakland and recorded a 1.66 ERA over 25 appearances for the Yankees in 2022, but he hasn’t pitched in the Majors since then due to right elbow and shoulder injuries.