Giants' top prospect Eldridge promoted to Triple-A

SAN FRANCISCO -- Bryce Eldridge is one step closer to the big leagues.

The Giants’ No. 1 prospect, per MLB Pipeline, was promoted to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday after enjoying a strong start to the season at Double-A Richmond, where he batted .280 with an .862 OPS, seven home runs and 20 RBIs over 34 games.

“I think [it’s] the natural progression, just to challenge him more, see some different pitching,” president of baseball operations Buster Posey said. “He’ll probably be attacked differently in the next league up. I look forward to seeing him continue to progress.”

Eldridge, the club’s 2023 first-round Draft pick, finished the 2024 campaign at Triple-A Sacramento, but he appeared in only eight games for the River Cats, as the Giants wanted him to keep playing after the Double-A season ended to help prepare him for a brief stint at the Arizona Fall League. Given his limited upper-level experience, the Giants felt the best course of action for him was to return to Richmond for the start of 2025.

The 20-year-old first baseman missed the first month of this year with a hand injury, but he’s continued to flash the prodigious power that has made him such a highly touted prospect, launching a towering two-run homer halfway up the batter’s eye in one of his final games for the Flying Squirrels last week.

It’s the type of production the Giants have been sorely missing at first base, where they entered Tuesday with a paltry .183 batting average and .312 slugging percentage, both of which rank last in the Majors. LaMonte Wade Jr., the club’s primary first baseman, is batting only .167 with a .546 OPS and one home run over 50 games this year and sat out Tuesday’s 3-2, 10-inning loss to the Padres with a right hand contusion.

“I think we’ve been as consistent with him as we have because of the track record,” Posey said of Wade. “There’s nothing saying that he can’t turn it around. It goes without saying, sometimes there’s an unlock. There’s a couple of bloop hits, there’s a couple balls hit hard and people can get back on track. Look, I’ve watched this guy play for quite a while now. I know that it’s in there. We’ve got to find a way to get more runs across the board as well as we’ve pitched. We just need a little bit more.”

Asked how much the needs of the big league club will affect Eldridge’s timeline, Posey said, “I think it’s fluid conversations. I think we’re monitoring his progress. We most definitely want to put him in a position to succeed. But yeah, ultimately, the goal is to win games at the big league level.”

While Eldridge is viewed as an advanced hitter, he’s still learning the ins and outs of first base, a position he only started to play full time last year. Eldridge has been working hard to get up to speed defensively, but the Giants want to make sure he gets enough reps and is a capable fielder there before they consider calling him up to the big leagues.

“I think the most promising aspect of not only seeing it with your eyes that he’s getting better is just his willingness to work,” Posey said. “His willingness to take direction from the staff, take direction from Joe Panik when he comes in or Will Clark. He’s just eager to learn. He’s eager to get better. He wants to be great at it. He still has a lot of work to do, and I think he knows that as well. But it’s nice that he’s moving in the right direction.”

Trent Harris, a 26-year-old right-handed reliever who is ranked the Giants’ No. 11 prospect, was also promoted to Triple-A Sacramento alongside Eldridge on Tuesday. Harris, who signed as an undrafted free agent two years ago, logged a 1.69 ERA with 25 strikeouts over 16 innings in his first 13 relief appearances of the year for Double-A Richmond.

“Great breaking ball,” Posey said. “I think that pitch is most definitely plus. Just the ability to be in the zone, keep hitters off balance. The breaking ball is unique. Getting to look at it in person this spring, it definitely stood out.”