SF Giants: Three Potential Switch-Hitting Outfield Targets

The SF Giants are still in the hunt for a left-handed hitting outfielder, but if they pivot to a switch-hitter, there are several attractive targets as well.

With Alex Dickerson, Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, Mauricio Dubon, and Darin Ruf coming in as the outfield incumbents next season, the SF Giants feel good about the outfield core, but there is still room to make an addition.

Adding a switch-hitter gives Giants manager Gabe Kapler a little more flexibility as they look to leverage the platoon splits even more. There are not many options available, but the ones that are can be reeled in on a reasonable contract.

Three Switch-Hitting Outfield Targets for the SF Giants
1. Robbie Grossman

Similar to  Jurickson Profar, A’s outfielder Robbie Grossman is one of my favorite offseason targets this winter as he has the skill set that the Giants front office targets. The switch-hitter was originally drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth round of the 2008 draft but bounced around the league before finding his footing with the Minnesota Twins and Oakland Athletics.

In eight seasons, he has slashed .252/.350/.380  (101 OPS+) line with 50 home runs and 254 RBI. Those numbers do not necessarily jump off of the page, but he brings a patient and gritty approach to the plate. Since he debuted back in 2013, Grossman has posted a stellar 12.6 percent walk rate against a 20.9 percent strikeout rate.

As a team, the Giants posted an 8.6 percent walk rate in 2020, so there is still a lot of room for improvement, and adding a player like Grossman would help in achieving that end.

The 2020 season was a modest breakout year for the 31-year-old. In 192 plate appearances, Grossman registered a .241/.334/.482 line (130 OPS+) with eight home runs and 23 RBI. He displayed surprising power that came as he posted career highs in both exit velocity (89 MPH) and launch angle (15.2 degrees).

With the glove, Grossman has experience at all three outfield positions, but he is best suited as a corner outfielder. He has never been known for his glovework, but he has improved as his career has progressed. With the Athletics, he has been work 1 DRS and 4.1 UZR over the last two seasons, so he has shown he can be a peg above-average.

The question with Grossman is going to be his market. He is a versatile outfielder with a knack for drawing a walk. There is going to be demand, and he may want a starter’s workload. Can the Giants offer that with the five outfielders they currently have? That remains to be seen, but if the two can match up, then it could make the Giants outfield a strength.

Given that he does not have the most consistent track record, Grossman’s next contract will not break the bank. He may be seeking a multi-year deal, but the annual value will not likely exceed $5 million per season. That said, he would give the Giants a patient bat that may have a little extra power if he is in the right environment.

Three Switch-Hitting Outfield Targets for the SF Giants
2. Danny Santana

Since the December 2 non-tender deadline, the SF Giants have been active on players who were late entrants to free agency. Matt Wisler and John Brebbia were non-tendered by the Minnesota Twins and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively, and both have inked deals with the Giants in recent weeks.

Danny Santana is in the same boat as Wisler and Brebbia. While the fact that Wisler and Brebbia became free agents was a mild surprise, the same cannot necessarily be said about Santana after a rough 2020 campaign.

Santana was signed by the Twins as an international free agent during the 2007-2008 J2 signing period. He spent parts of four seasons with the Twins before being shipped to the Atlanta Braves in exchange for reliever Kevin Chapman. He became a free agent again following the 2018 season but then latched on with the Texas Rangers for the next two seasons.

Since debuting in 2014, the switch-hitter has demonstrated good power, but he has struggled with plate discipline and consistency. In that time, he has slashed .260/.299/.418 (90 OPS+) with 42 home runs and 188 RBI. However, this comes with a rough 4.6 percent walk rate against a 25.8 percent strikeout rate, so it is not an ideal fit, but he has value as a power bat coming off of the bench.

Speaking of consistency, 28 of his 42 career home runs came in a breakout season in 2019 where he posted an .857 OPS (112 OPS+) in 511 plate appearances. He followed this up with a tough 2020 season where he registered a .145/.238/.273 (39 OPS+) line with only one home run and seven RBI.

The Rangers’ decision to non-tender was not a surprise as he would have been due a raise on his $3.6 million salary from 2020. That said, Santana’s poor numbers could be a result of some small sample tomfoolery. While his surface-level stats were rough, it did come with a healthy 90.9-MPH exit velocity and a 14.7-degree launch angle. An unusually low .223 BABIP and a 38.1 percent strikeout rate contributed to his rough season, but the batted ball profile suggests that he was a better hitter than that.

In the field, the 30-year-old has experience all around the field. With the Rangers, Santana spent the bulk of his time in the outfield or at first base, but he did spot start at shortstop, third base, and second base as well. Given that many of the Giants position players are relatively one-dimensional with the glove, Santana would bring some much-needed versatility to the roster.

The switch-hitter is still on a rookie contract, so he would basically sign on for a one-year deal at a rate that would not be higher than his 2020 salary. A move that the Giants can afford with some nice upside.