2 SF Giants veterans could just be placeholders in 2025 due to top prospect

The SF Giants have a very exciting prospect on their hands in Bryce Eldridge. If he hits well in the minor leagues next year and gets called up, that could mean veteran first basemen LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores are nothing more than placeholders.

Eldridge is ranked as the number one overall prospect in the SF Giants organization. The 19-year-old hit his way up to Triple-A Sacramento by the end of the season, posting a slash line of .291/.374/.516 with 23 homers and 92 RBI across all the minor league levels he played in.

Those are impressive numbers and they have many fans excited about the prospect of Eldridge being a major catalyst for the Giants on offense in 2025. The only problem is that Eldridge plays first base and the Giants already have a first baseman in LaMonte Wade Jr.

LaMonte Wade Jr. and Wilmer Flores could just be placeholders for SF Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge

Wade had a solid 2024 campaign. He hit .260/.380/.381 with 8 home runs and 34 RBI. His .380 on base percentage is very good, but he lacks the power that one would usually expect from a first baseman.

As our own Michael Swinehart points out, the Giants will also likely have Wilmer Flores on the team next season at least at the beginning of the year. He can play first base and will most likely join Wade in a platoon at first base.

The question is how long will that platoon last?

If Eldridge begins the year in Triple-A and starts raking while Wade and Flores struggle, the pressure placed upon the front office to call up Eldridge will be immense.

Farhan Zaidi made it clear before he was fired that he did not want to sign any player that would block Eldridge's path to the big league. Now, with Buster Posey in charge we do not know what he thinks about Eldridge. Does he think he needs another full season in the minors rather than rushing him up and seeing if he sinks or swims? We do not know the answer to that question as of yet.

As of right now, the plan will most likely be to have Wade and Flores serve as a stopgap measure as the Giants wait for their top prospect to make an impact at the big league level. That means that Wade and Flores, despite being solid players and good teammates in San Francisco, could just be placeholders in 2025.