Despite middling overall results, the SF Giants are finally beginning to deliver on promise

The SF Giants are slowly beginning to turn over a veteran-heavy roster. Perhaps, it is taking longer than expected, but the emergence of players like Heliot Ramos and Hayden Birdsong has the fan base excited.

Despite middling overall results, the SF Giants are finally beginning to deliver on promise

Heliot Ramos

Ramos is the obvious highlight of this youth movement. The 24-year-old has established himself as a cornerstone of this franchise for the foreseeable future. He has managed a 129 wRC+ with a slash line of .279/.334/.488, 18 HR, 36 R, 58 RBIs, and 4 SB.

The young outfielder been out of place in center field, hence the arrival of a name further down the list but has been a plus defender at either corner outfield spot. He has a lot of swing-and-miss in his game and chases too much but there should be no doubt that Ramos will start 2025 entrenched in one of the two corner outfield spots.

Tyler Fitzgerald

We all thought that shortstop was Marco Luciano's job to lose and Fitzgerald was a speedy super utility guy. However, after Luciano struggled defensively over his short time at the MLB level and the departure of Nick Ahmed, Fitzgerald was thrust into the starting SS role.

Since then, Fitzgerald has managed a 172 wRC+ (100 is average) with 14 home runs, 38 runs, 28 RBI, and 14 stolen bases while sitting in the 88th percentile in Outs Above Average among SS. His offensive production is likely beyond what he will produce moving forward. He swings and misses a lot, but the bat speed/exit velocity numbers are average at best. That said, the barrel accuracy is borderline elite and the pull-heavy approach is going to maximize his power potential. Fitzgerald's plus defense at shortstop, surprising power, 99th-percentile speed, and positional flexibility make him a guarantee for the 2025 roster and the likely starting shortstop on opening day.

Kyle Harrison

We got our first taste of Kyle Harrison in 2023 where he managed a 4.15 ERA with a 4.55 xERA and 5.01 xFIP which wasn't the greatest start to his big league career. That said, the 22-year-old pitcher has made a step forward in 2024.

Across 117 IP Harrison has managed a 4.00 ERA with a 4.77 xERA and a 4.24 xFIP. His ground ball % went from 26.8 to 40.7. These are strong steps forward for a young pitcher. The velocity is down but that is likely due to the fact that he has eclipsed his career-high in innings pitched this season and the team is likely trying to keep him healthy by telling him to pull up on his max effort throws.

Harrison easily slots into the fourth or fifth spot in the starting rotation for 2025 alongside Logan Webb, Jordan Hicks, and the next name on this list, Hayden Birdsong.

Hayden Birdsong

Hayden Birdsong's surface numbers are far from ideal. He has a 5.01 ERA across 41.1 innings in 2024. However, the underlying stats show a fantastic baseline for success. He has a 4.61 xERA, 4.14 xFIP, and 43.1% ground ball rate.

Birdsong managed a 2.05 ERA at AA this year and has a 15.2% K-BB ratio at the MLB level showing a baseline for success in the minors and quality stuff in the majors. Furthermore, Birdsong has an 18.2% HR/FB ratio when the average across MLB is 12%. The positives greatly outweigh the negatives with Birdsong and he should open the 2025 season as the favorite for the final rotation spot

Grant McCray

The final name on the list is Grant McCray. McCray only has five games at the MLB level, so his sample against major league pitching is too small to have substance. However, there are some exciting signs from the 23-year-old rookie. Firstly, he has a 173 wC+ in his short time at the MLB level with 1 HR, 2 R, and 2 RBIs.

Perhaps even more exciting, he has provided a positive Outs Above Average at center field already and the eye test seems to confirm that he is a plus defender. Furthermore, his bat speed measures well above average while maintaining an average swing length and 92nd-percentile sprint speed. He will swing and miss a ton and his plate discipline needs work but the power, speed, and elite defense combination is something to watch for the remainder of the season.