Baseball-Reference projects the SF Giants hitters to regress in 2022

The 2022 season is right around the corner! With that in mind, I decided to take a look at how Baseball-Reference projected the SF Giants hitters to do this season. Each website has its own unique models and ways of projecting, but I decided to use BR because of my familiarity with it. Let's start with the catchers.

Baseball-Reference projects the SF Giants hitters to regress in 2022

Catcher

Joey Bart: 5 HR, 24 RBI, .248 AVG, .700 OPS.

Curt Casali: 11 HR, 38, .226 AVG, .708 OPS.

Baseball-Reference projects Casali to receive a slight majority of the plate appearances between the two (341-233). The 33-year-old Casali and 25-year-old Bart will attempt to solidify the spot held down full-time by Buster Posey since 2010.

INFIELD

Brandon Belt: 20 HR, 55 RBI, 55 BB

Brandon Crawford: 18 HR, 70 RBI, .258 AVG

Wilmer Flores: 19 HR, 59 RBI, .265 AVG --- 476 PA, 430 AB

Tommy La Stella: 12 HR, 44 RBI, .261 AVG --- 383 PA, 341 AB

The projected opening day infield comes with little to no surprises. Evan Longoria being out until mid-May leaves Flores as the likely Opening Day third baseman. Flores, Belt, and Crawford are expected to hit dingers (.451, .476, .438 slugging percentage respectively). Meanwhile, La Stella will be productive in other ways and is projected to tie his career-high in RBIs. (.328 on-base, .747 on-base + slugging).

Thairo Estrada: 11 HR, 37 RBI --- 280 PA, 253 AB

Mauricio Dubón: 10 HR, 38 RBI --- 341 PA, 310 AB

Jason Vosler: 8 HR, 27 RBI --- 241 PA, 214 AB

Luke Williams: 6 HR, 25 RBI --- 254 PA, 227 AB

Evan Longoria (injured; reportedly out six weeks): 15 HR, 53 RBI, 400 PA

A few notes about these projections; Dubón's career total in home runs is 13, while Estrada's is 11, and both players are projected not only to come close to those surpassing their career totals but with RBIs as well. (Dubon career total in RBI is 50, Estrada 37). Volser has seen very limited action in The Show, but three of his 12 career hits have gone for homers. Finally, Williams is 24-98 for his short career thus far, good for a .245 average, and his projections believe he'll slightly eclipse that this season (.247)