San Francisco Giants Top Prospect Slogs Through First Week in Minor Leagues

The San Francisco Giants believe that Bryce Eldridge is their future at first base. The future is going to take a bit longer than hoped.

The Giants’ top overall prospect wrapped up his first week at Double-A Richmond on Sunday, as he got a late start on the season due to a left wrist injury he suffered during spring training.

In Richmond’s final game of the week, he went 1-for-4 with an RBI, a run, a strikeout and a walk.

Aside from a home run that announced his start of the season, it was a sluggish week for one of the best hitting prospects in the game.

In four games he slashed .154/.267/.385 with a home run and two RBI. He struck out six times and walked twice.

It’s a far cry from what he did in his first minor league at bat of the season as he clobbered a home run. Sunday’s RBI hit was just his second of the season.

The rust was expected. After he was invited to Major League spring training for the first time and created buzz with his appearance in Scottsdale, Ariz., he suffered a left wrist injury that took him out of the lineup. He was unable to play in the spring breakout game.

After spring training, the Giants decided to assign him to Double-A Richmond, near his hometown of Vienna, Va., even though he ended lasts season at Triple-A Sacramento.

The Giants didn’t activate him from the injured list until Tuesday.

The imposing 6-foot-7 Eldridge, a left-handed hitter, is expected to be the long-term answer for the Giants at first base and could earn an MLB job next season. He is universally considered the franchise’s top prospect and a Top 100 prospect in baseball.

San Francisco selected him No. 16 overall in 2023 and signed him for a $4 million signing bonus. After his selection, he did a short stint with the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team and the Class A San Jose Giants, where he slashed .294/.400/.505/.905 with six home runs and 19 RBI in 31 games.

Last season, Eldridge played for San Jose, High-A Eugene, Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento, exceling at every stop. He finished with a slash line of .291/.374/.516/.890 with 23 home runs and 92 RBI. He was also selected to play in the MLB Futures Game during All-Star weekend.

He even played in the Arizona Fall League, but after a few successful at-bats the Giants put him on the shelf to make sure he was a full go for spring training.