Potential SF Giants DH candidate showcases raw power against Dodgers

The SF Giants will most likely use a variety of players for the designated hitter spot in their lineup in 2025, but they could still have a primary DH they turn to most often. Jerar Encarnacion showed why he could be that guy on Saturday.

The 6-foot-4 righty mashed a huge home run over the center field fence against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Cactus League play. He easily cleared the wall which is 410 feet from home plate. It was an impressive swing of the bat that showcased the raw power he gave us a glimpse of last season.

Jerar Encarnacion making strong case to be SF Giants designated hitter

Now, one could slightly discount the homer because he hit it in the dry heat of Arizona where the ball seems to fly forever. However, Encarnacion hit a very similar home run on a cool night in San Francisco last September.

The Dominican-born outfielder and first baseman had a fascinating story last year going all the way from the Mexican League to the majors by the end of the season. If you add up all of the homers he had between the Mexican League, Triple-A, and the majors, he hit 24 home runs in 94 games. Five of those came with the Giants in 119 plate appearances.

It is important to note that even though Encarnacion has a lot of power potential, his profile as a defensively limited right-handed bat is remarkably similar to Wilmer Flores which means the Giants will probably not have room for both players on the roster for the entire season.

Encarnacion is out of minor league options so the Giants may be tempted to keep him on the Opening Day roster just so they do not lose him to another team right away. As our own Jeff Young noted, that could put a lot of pressure on the 27-year-old Encarnacion to get hot with the bat immediately otherwise the Giants may be tempted to move on from him especially with Flores being a lock on the roster.

Still, Encarnacion's power is undeniable and his big home run against the Dodgers is proof of that. If he can build upon that impressive swing and provide consistent power for the team, then it will be hard for the Giants to get rid of him and he could even become a fairly consistent DH for the team depending on how well he fares.