Giants roster preview: Where team stands entering spring training originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — No matter what kind of offseason you have, the first day of camp always brings hope.
In two weeks, future Hall of Famer Justin Verlander will stand on the grass at Scottsdale Stadium and chat with Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong and other young pitchers as they go through monotonous fielding drills. When the full squad reports a few days later, Willy Adames and Matt Chapman will team up for the first time. It’s possible they’ll make some throws to Bryce Eldridge, the most-hyped Giants prospect in years.
Even after a relatively quiet offseason, those first few days should be exciting ones for an organization under new leadership. As the Feb. 12 first workout fast approaches, here’s a look at where the roster currently stands and what else might be coming before players take the field:
Who’s In?
It took a little over a month for Buster Posey to make his first addition to the 40-man roster, and when Adames was introduced with a press conference at Oracle Park, part of the talk was about what else could be done. Adames was eager to dive in, saying he would place a call to former teammate Corbin Burnes, who at the time still was available.
Well, it seems that exciting day at the ballpark won’t be repeated. The Giants signed Verlander to a one-year deal (he was introduced over Zoom) and traded for catcher Sam Huff, but otherwise they have made no additions to the 40-man roster.
Of the 39 players currently on that roster, 36 were with the organization at the end of last season. That’s a lot of continuity, which is a bit surprising. There’s no doubt that Posey and new general manager Zack Minasian will avoid a lot of the roster-churn that became a theme of the Farhan Zaidi era, but that’s still showing a lot of faith in a roster that was inherited, one that went 80-82 last season.
Adames should be a game-changer on both sides of the ball and in the clubhouse, and the Giants are hopeful Verlander can turn back the clock one more time after he turns 42 this spring. But for the most part, they’ll be counting on improvements from within.
Jung Hoo Lee’s return should bolster the lineup and there are high hopes for Tyler Fitzgerald, who is moving over to second base, a position where his offensive potential could stand out. There are other areas where the Giants might find upside. Heliot Ramos only is 25 and has room to grow. If…