SF Giants sign son of Hall of Fame infielder to minors pact

In addition to bringing in veteran backstop Andrew Knapp on Friday, the SF Giants made another move as well. They signed utility bat Cavan Biggio to a minor league deal and assigned him to Triple-A according to the team's transaction log.

SF Giants sign son of Hall of Fame infielder to minors pact

Of course, Cavan is the son of Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. The elder Biggio appeared in 20 major league seasons, all with the Houston Astros, and was one of the best second basemen in baseball history. He originally came up as a catcher, but transitioned seamlessly to second base and the outfield. Plus, he collected, over 3,000 hits in his long and illustrious career.

The younger Biggio is still looking to make a name for himself at the major league level. He originally came up with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019. Around that same time, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette debuted with the Blue Jays as well. All three players have well-established baseball lineages.

Biggio's career got off to a solid start. In his first two years, he registered a .240/.368/.430 line (118 wRC+) with a 16.1 percent walk rate, 26.5 percent strikeout rate, and .190 ISO. It looked like he was going to be a mainstay in Toronto's lineup for years to come.

However, the six-year veteran has slumped to a .675 OPS since the start of 2021. This includes a .614 OPS in 131 plate appearances with the Blue Jay this season before he was placed on waivers. The Los Angeles Dodgers scooped him, but he did not offer much offensive output there either. They released after just 30 games.

Biggio does not offer much power upside, but he does have some gap-to-gap power. He is a very disciplined hitter who is in no rush in the batter's box. He does not chase out of the zone often, sees a lot pitches, and will work deep counts, resulting in a healthy walk rate.

The 29-year-old has some defensive versatility. He has played all four infield positions as well as some time in the outfield. Second base is his best position, but he can spot start on the left side of the infield as well.

For much of this year, the Giants have needed a left-handed-hitting infielder and Biggio checks that box. Given this, there is a good chance that he plays for San Francisco before the year comes to an end.