Eldridge, Luciano among Giants’ spring training roster cuts originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO — The first round of spring cuts included the two best position player prospects the Giants have had in the last decade.
Outfielder Marco Luciano was optioned to minor league camp on Wednesday morning and first baseman Bryce Eldridge was reassigned. Neither decision was a surprise, as neither player was going to make the Opening Day roster and the Giants want both to focus on their defense this spring. There will be far more reps available on the minor league side than in big league camp.
The Giants also optioned right-hander Mason Black and reassigned pitchers Raymond Burgos, Miguel Del Pozo, Ethan Small, Kai-Wei Teng and Cole Waites. Black, who made nine big league appearances as a rookie, was a long shot for the roster at the start of camp and has thrown just 3 1/3 innings in Cactus League play since the pitchers ahead of him on the depth chart are all healthy and on track for the regular season.
Eldridge hit a loud homer in his second at-bat of the spring, but the 20-year-old is 2-for-11 overall with eight strikeouts. He primarily has been entering games as a late-inning DH, but the Giants want him playing every day, not just to get three or four at-bats, but also to work on his defense.
First base still is relatively new to the 2023 first-rounder, who is one of the top-20 prospects overall in the minor leagues. Eldridge worked closely with Matt Williams, Ron Wotus and J.T. Snow this spring, but there is a lot more to be done. The Giants now will have to decide if he begins the season in Triple-A, where he finished 2024, or goes back to Double-A since he spent just about a week there before the final promotion of an eye-opening first full professional season.
Before Eldridge, Luciano was the Giants hitter who popped up regularly near the top of prospect lists. After a disappointing 2024, he came to camp as a left fielder, and he mostly has looked comfortable defensively. He was just 2-for-19 at the plate this spring, though, never gaining any traction in what was a long shot bid to try and win a bench job. Luciano almost certainly will be the everyday left fielder in Sacramento at the start of the season.
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