SAN FRANCISCO -- The Panda could be in store for some Cactus League action this spring.

President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said infielder Pablo Sandoval, who returned to the Giants on a Minor League deal last week, is ahead of schedule in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow and could draw some at-bats during Spring Training. Sandoval has resumed throwing, but he will have to wait longer to return as a fielder and is not expected to be ready by Opening Day.

“He may need some time to build up defensively, even beyond Opening Day,” Zaidi said Thursday. “There's still plenty of time, so there's kind of a range of outcomes. Right now, we're targeting him being at 100 percent, hitting and defensively, maybe about a month or so into the season, but that can certainly be accelerated if he does well.”

Left-hander Tyler Anderson, who was claimed off waivers from the Rockies, is also progressing well in his return from left knee surgery. Anderson is expected to provide some left-handed depth in the rotation, though he could also develop into a bullpen option for the Giants.

“When we first acquired him, we thought this was going to be more of a midseason return and that he would likely start the year on the 60-day [injured list],” Zaidi said. “But he's progressing well enough to where we think he may be back before then, so he's not an obvious 60-day candidate. He may be ready to start ramping up in games at the end of March at some point. That's probably the best-case scenario. He's doing well enough now where there's at least a chance that he's able to pitch in the first couple months of the season.”

Tony Watson (left wrist fracture), Trevor Gott (right elbow sprain) and Steven Duggar (left shoulder sprain), all of whom ended last season on the injured list, are expected to be ready to go when pitchers and catchers report to Scottsdale, Ariz., on Tuesday. Reyes Moronta, who is recovering from right shoulder surgery, is the only current Giant who is expected to open the regular season on the 60-day injured list.