The San Francisco Giants made waves this past summer with a blockbuster move that few saw coming, landing Rafael Devers from the Red Sox in a deal that sent Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs, and Jose Bello to Boston. It was a bold swing-Devers is now locked in as a cornerstone bat, expected to hold down first base or designated hitter duties for the next eight years. But big swings have ripple effects, and in this case, the one feeling the tremors is top prospect Bryce Eldridge.
Eldridge, just 21, has been one of the most talked-about young power bats in baseball. He made his major league debut this past season, though it was brief-just ten games-and he didn’t exactly light it up in that short window.
Still, the overall body of work in the minors tells a more compelling story. He crushed Double-A pitching to the tune of a .280/.350/.512 slash line in 140 plate appearances, good for a 147 wRC+.
That earned him a promotion to Triple-A, where the numbers dipped slightly-.249/.322/.514 with a 105 wRC+-but he still launched 18 home runs in just 66 games. That kind of raw power doesn’t just show up on stat sheets-it jumps off the bat.
But here’s the dilemma: the Giants don’t exactly have an opening at first base or DH anymore. Devers is entrenched, and locking down both spots with two bat-first players limits your ability to mix and match, especially in a league where lineup flexibility is increasingly valued.
Just look at the Dodgers-yes, they’ve made it work with Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani, but it’s come at a cost. Their defense has taken a hit, with guys like Teoscar Hernández and Max Muncy playing more innings in the field than you'd probably like.
So where does that leave Eldridge? The Giants could try to make it work, but it’s not a clean fit.
And that’s why his name is starting to pop up in trade conversations. Teams like the Twins and Marlins-clubs that could use a middle-of-the-order bat to build around-would likely jump at the chance to add a player of Eldridge’s upside.
And if the Giants are serious about upgrading their rotation without diving into the top of the free-agent market, moving Eldridge might be their best path to a high-end arm without taking on a massive salary. Think names like Edward Cabrera or Joe Ryan-young, controllable starters who could slot in nicely behind Logan Webb and Robbie Ray.
Of course, this all hinges on how the Giants evaluate Eldridge internally. His Triple-A numbers weren’t flawless-his strikeout rate hovered around 30.8%, and a 105 wRC+ in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League isn’t exactly dominant.
There’s risk here. If he struggles in 2026, his trade value could plummet.
But there’s also the risk of moving on too soon. Just ask the Dodgers, who dealt Michael Busch to the Cubs early in his career.
Busch went on to post a 140 wRC+ as Chicago’s everyday first baseman this season. Then again, the Dodgers had just added Ohtani and weren’t sweating the loss.
Maybe the Giants could be in a similar spot if the return is right.
There’s also a layer of intrigue with recent rumblings connecting the Giants to Kyle Schwarber. If that materializes, it would only further complicate Eldridge’s path to everyday at-bats in San Francisco.
So here’s the question the Giants front office has to answer: Is Bryce Eldridge part of the long-term plan, or is he the key to unlocking a more balanced roster? There’s no easy answer, but one thing’s clear-this is a pivotal offseason for the Giants, and how they handle Eldridge could shape the next chapter of their rebuild-turned-contender push.