Last week, we had a full rundown on the Giants projected opening day roster.
This week, we'll look at nine players who may not start the year with the big club, but look to figure into the Giants' 2023 plans at some point.
Kyle Harrison, LHP
We've heard a lot about this kid over the last 2 years and we should be getting his arrival at some point in 2023. He's the most hyped Giants pitching prospect since Madison Bumgarner and has done nothing but dominate at every stop he's made during his minor league career.
Despite the Giants' depth they have in the rotation this season, they don't have any long-term fixtures aside from Logan Webb. Four of their six starters are likely going to be free-agents after this season. They're hoping Harrison entrenches himself this year. He's a big reason the club was OK with letting Rodon walk this offseason. They envision him being that co-ace with Webb for years to come.
He hasn't thrown above AA yet, but that doesn't necessarily matter. We see pitchers make the jump from AA to the big leagues often. He'll probably start the year in Sacramento for a little more seasoning and if he performs as expected, the Giants will find a spot for him sooner than later.
Casey Schmitt, 3B
Schmitt's glove is already MLB ready, as he's one of the best defensive third basemen at the minor league level. His bat took a huge step forward in 2022 as well.
After watching a lot of video on him this offseason, I see a lot of Matt Chapman in his game. They both have a very similar approach at the plate and gold glove caliber defense. Chapman showed more power potential in the minors than Schmitt, but the ladder has shown better bat-to-ball skills.
The 23 year-old slashed .293/.365/.489 across AA and AAA last season. It was a small sample size in Sacramento but he looked good at the highest level in the minors and he's now on the fast track to San Francisco.
David Villar tore it up in September and will begin the year getting the bulk of playing time at third for the Giants. He'll get every opportunity to further prove he's ready to be a major league regular. Villar can move to first to make way for Schmitt when he's ready, and that's what I think the long-term plan looks like.
One way or another, Schmitt is expected to arrive this year, and the hope is that when he does he's here for good.
Heliot Ramos, OF
Ramos has become somewhat of an afterthought in the Giants' system after failing to breakthrough last season. He had a terrific spring and got a few looks with the big club, going just 2 for 20 with San Francisco. It was his performance in Sacramento that was the real discouragement, however. He hit .227/.305/.349 in 475 plate appearances for the River Cats.
He'll likely get the first call when the Giants need help on one of the corner outfield spots. He's still just 23 and was a consensus top-100 prospect as recently as 12 months ago, so the Giants haven't given up on him. The pressure is on him to perform at this point though. If he can prove himself in AAA, the Giants will find a spot for him somewhere, whether with them or as a possible trade chip in July.
RJ Dabovich, RHP
The hard-throwing right hander has an outside shot at making the big club this spring but enters just behind Cole Waites for that last bullpen spot. If he doesn't make the sqaud, he'll land in Sacramento and throw in high-leverage situations there until the Giants need relief help.
The 24 year-old has struck out an impressive 131 batters over 82.3 minor league innings, so he's certainly got the stuff to be a big leaguer. His command is still a bit of a work in progress but I expect we'll see him at some point in 2023.
Isan Diaz, IF
Diaz is an interesting player, particularly when assessing the Giants' needs at the big league level but also due to his 2022 showing in Sacramento. He hits left handed and plays the middle infield and the Giants lack depth in both those areas.
We likely would have seen Diaz make his Giants' debut in September but he got injured and never got a chance. He's a 26 year-old former 2nd round pick and has pretty much proved himself at the minor league level. He exploded with the River Cats after coming over in a trade with the Marlins early in the year, slashing .264/.367/.551 with 23 home runs in only 89 games.
The Giants have had some success with adding those older, proven minor league bats with good pedigrees. The hope is Diaz can follow in the steps of similarly acquired guys like Thairo Estrada, Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr.
Unless there's an injury, he likely doesn't have much of a shot at making the club out of spring. However, as soon as this club needs a reinforcement in their infield, he'll be here.
Brett Wisely, IF
Wisely was added this winter in a minor league trade with the Rays. The 23 year-old is another left-handed hitting middle infielder who's hit well at the minor league level. He'll likely start the year behind Diaz on the organizational depth chart, but he's another guy who the Giants expect to help them at some point this season.
The team has a couple options who can play 2B/3B which is primarily what Wisely has played. He's looked good during his stints at short though, and if he can show capability there, that could be what really gets him on the big club's radar.
Thomas Szapucki, LHP
Szapucki was part of the Darin Ruf/JD Davis trade last year. His overall numbers from '22 look bad but they were largely due to one horrendous outing with the Mets early on. As a Giant, he went 13.2 innings with a nice 1.92 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. He punched out 16 batters to just 4 walks for a sparkling 209 ERA+.
Scott Alexander will start the season as the Giants' second left-handed reliever after Taylor Rogers at the moment. He has the experience and threw very well and emerged as the Giants best lefty reliever last year. Szapucki is third on that depth chart though.
At some point, the team is going to need another lefty reliever and when they do, they'll call on the 26 year-old.
Sam Long LHP, Sean Hjelle RHP
I clump these last two together because they've gotten pretty good looks already. Both were up with the big club at some point in 2022, but none enter '23 as key parts of the Giants' plan.
Long and Hjelle looked pretty good at times, especially Long. With the starting pitching depth they've accumulated though and the ascending Harrison knocking on the door, the Giants are hoping to not need them in the rotation this year. We all know how fickle pitching is, however, and I would expect to at least one of them at some point.
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