Prospects heating up
San Francisco’s spring fireworks are real — prospect Bryce Eldridge has been getting regular at‑bats and strong production, sparking talk he could play a featured role in the Giants’ Opening Day order report. The broader Cactus League shows four Giants ‘on fire’ while two have struggled, and Ryan Weathers gets a shout as a pitcher to watch after improved spring results contextual stats pitching note.
In 14 Cactus League games Eldridge has slashed.241/.405/.517 with one home run and five RBIs, according to Sports Illustrated’s spring report. si.com ESPN’s Jeff Passan projects Eldridge will spend time in the big leagues this season and ultimately hit in the middle of San Francisco’s order even if roster moves keep him off Opening Day. espn.com Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey said the club will “monitor” Eldridge’s all‑around development and noted the team has even given him some outfield reps as a versatility experiment. nbcsportsbayarea.com Four Spring standouts identified in recent coverage are Trevor McDonald (10.0 IP, two earned runs, 11 strikeouts), Luis Matos (nine hits in 33 AB, two homers), Jared Oliva (11 hits in 30 AB, nine stolen bases) and Michael Fulmer (two runs allowed in eight innings, 12 Ks). aroundthefoghorn.com Two players flagged as struggling are Tyler Fitzgerald (six hits in 31 at‑bats through early Cactus League play) and Hayden Birdsong, who produced shaky early outings and has since been checked for elbow soreness. aroundthefoghorn.com Lefty Ryan Weathers was acquired by the Yankees in a January four‑prospect trade, and in his Grapefruit League debut he tossed 3 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts while touching 99.8 mph on the fastball. espn.com
