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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- In 2019, the Dodgers tried giving Joc Pederson a midseason look at first base. The experiment did not last long. Pederson, who had never played the position in the Majors, committed six errors in 149 innings, prompting the Dodgers to end his run there after only six weeks.  

Pederson hasn’t made an appearance at first base since, but he began to reacquaint himself with the position by regularly taking grounders there during batting practice at Oracle Park last year. That work has continued this spring, as the Giants would like Pederson to be prepared to potentially make another cameo at first in 2023. 

“[Manager Gabe Kapler] sent me some video of him,” president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said. “He looked really good. I forwarded it to [Pederson]. I was like, ‘Is this CGI, or is this real?’ But he’s pretty confident over there.” 

Pederson, 30, is expected to serve as the Giants’ primary designated hitter, but he could also provide an extra layer of depth at first, where the club is light on left-handed bats following the departure of veterans Brandon Belt and Tommy La Stella. LaMonte Wade Jr. appears poised to step into the starting role, but the club’s other main options -- Wilmer Flores, J.D. Davis and David Villar -- are right-handed hitters. 

With the offseason additions of Michael Conforto and Mitch Haniger, the Giants are hoping they won’t need to play Pederson in the outfield as much, but the lefty slugger could end up factoring into the first-base mix in the event of an injury to Wade or other unforeseen circumstances. 

Pederson feels he’s moving around better after slimming down over the offseason, and he said he’s ready to give first base another try this spring. 

"Obviously, I did it with the Dodgers for about a month and it did not go well at all,” Pederson said. “To get in some game experience that's not in the big leagues where you're trying to win and the stressors of that -- I think this is a good time to learn. I think it's cool to use some Spring Training innings to get experience.

“I think with Belt leaving and then you have LaMonte, we’re just a little shorter on depth at first than in the outfield. I’m not going to be the starting first baseman, by any means. It’s more so just a utility, depth type of role, from my understanding.”  

Kapler, for his part, believes Pederson has the ability to develop into a serviceable first-base option for the Giants if necessary. 

“He can really bang,” Kapler said. “If he got comfortable enough over there, this guy is a wide receiver. He’s a hand-eye coordination beast. He can do it, but we have to put the work in to get him ready for it.”