Matt Chapman set to make his Cactus League debut with the SF Giants on Thursday night

The brief wait is over. New SF Giants third baseman Matt Chapman is set to make his Cactus League debut for the club on Thursday night according to the lineup posted by Maria Guardado of MLB.Com.

Matt Chapman set to make his Cactus League debut with the SF Giants on Thursday night

The Giants agreed to terms with Chapman late on Friday night and the deal was finalized earlier this week. Officially, it is a one-year deal with player options for the next two seasons and a $20 mutual option for a fourth season.

The Giants are slated to play the Los Angeles Dodgers at Scottsdale Stadium. Kyle Harrison is on the mound and the Giants will have a lineup that looks not too different from what the Opening Day lineup could be. Interestingly, if it is, then it would mean that Michael Conforto represents the 18th different left fielder the Giants have started on Opening Day since 2007.

And, the lineup should have some length to it. The first six hitters are projected to be league-average hitters or better in 2024. Thairo Estrada is a tad below that mark, whereas Patrick Bailey and Nick Ahmed are projected to be below-average hitters. That said, projections are great data points, but the games still need to be played.

Chapman is slated to hit in the fifth spot. That feels like an appropriate spot in the lineup for the right-handed bat to hit and there is some power upside as he has tallied at least 20 home runs in four of the last five full seasons.

The 30-year-old is coming off of a solid 2023 campaign in which he registered a .240/.330/.424 line (108 OPS+) with 17 home runs, 54 RBI, and 66 runs in 581 plate appearances.

Chapman is a well-rounded player. He adds value on the bases with his speed even if he is not much of a base stealing threat. The biggest strength in his profile is his glove at the hot corner.

The seven-year veteran recorded +12 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and +4 Outs Above Average (OAA) in 2023 while taking home his fourth AL Gold Glove award. Giants pitchers will be happy to have him in the field.