The Giants keep running Drew Gilbert out there, and the reason is less mysterious than it looks from the box score.
Gilbert, 25, came into this season with the kind of prospect buzz that can shape expectations fast. A year ago, he was viewed as a real up-and-comer in the organization. That hasn’t translated cleanly in 2026, and the numbers have left plenty of people wondering why he’s still getting so much regular run.
The short version: San Francisco still sees enough to keep betting on him.
Gilbert arrived from the Mets in the Tyler Rogers trade in July 2025, a deal that also sent pitchers Jose Butto and Blade Tidwell to the Giants. Before that, he had been a highly regarded prospect in New York’s system, and Carlos Mendoza was plenty bullish on him at the time.
"He's got speed, he's got the arm, and he's a gamer," former Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said at the time about his former player, per SNY.TV. "This is a guy who's going to go get the baseball, and he's going to run through walls. Special player, special talent."
The early Giants glimpse was encouraging enough to keep the hope alive. "Giants fans, meet Drew Gilbert! The @SFGiants' No. 13 prospect, acquired in the Tyler Rogers deal, crushes an RBI triple in his first at-bat with the Triple-A @RiverCats: pic.twitter.com/wUIRyQVvDC"
But the big-league production hasn’t matched the pedigree. In limited playing time, Gilbert hit .190 with three home runs and 31 RBI in exactly 100 at-bats. This year, with more chances in the lineup, he’s up to only a .226 average.
That’s the backdrop for why Giants analysts Alex Pavlovic and Cole Kuiper recently addressed a fan question about Gilbert’s place in the lineup. Their answer pointed to a player who still has real utility, even if he’s not yet the finished product.
"There's something interesting about Drew," Pavlovic asserted. "He's 25, and he's a former and a first-round pick...
If he had come through the system, he would be viewed differently. This isn't a 32-year-old who is taking starts from young guys.
He's a young guy as well. So, I'll say that."
Pavlovic also said Gilbert has built a meaningful enough track record against right-handed pitching to justify the opportunities he’s getting.
"But it's a pretty large sample now of him being pretty usable against right-handed pitching. Not a leadoff hitter or anything, but his numbers against righties are fine. He's above average in centerfield."
That doesn’t mean the flaws have disappeared. Pavlovic was clear about the weak spot that keeps showing up.
"He struggles against leftys. I think that is the glaring thing that we've seen.
We've seen him get a lot of those starts or get into some games... I wouldn't knock Drew as far as starting him too often during this current situation."
So while the stat line still looks uneven, the Giants appear to be weighing more than just batting average. Gilbert’s age, his defensive value in center field, and his work against right-handed pitching are all part of the equation. For now, that’s enough to keep him in the mix.
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