SF Giants breakout rookie set to switch positions after latest signing

The SF Giants reportedly signed Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million deal over the weekend. The signing will shift Tyler Fitzgerald, who appeared primarily at shortstop in 2024, to second base in 2025.

SF Giants breakout rookie set to switch positions after latest signing

In fact, team president of baseball operations Buster Posey told Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area that this will be a good move for Fitzgerald:

Fitzgerald put together a productive rookie campaign. He slashed .280/.334/.497 (132 wRC+) with 15 home runs, 34 RBI, and 53 runs in 341 plate appearances. This includes a 6.5 percent walk rate, 31.7 percent strikeout rate, and .217 ISO. He also swiped 17 bases in 21 opportunities.

The right-handed bat had an incredible stretch in July where he posted a 1.239 OPS with eight home runs and 15 RBI in 59 plate appearances. During this period, he tallied a home run in five straight games while earning NL Rookie of the Month honors.

Fitzgerald was looking like a potential Rookie of the Year candidate by the middle of August due to his impressive offensive output in the month prior. However, he did cool off in the final six weeks of the year as he tallied 31 hits, including one homer, in his final 135 at-bats. The Giants seem confident that this slump was part of the development process.

In the second half of the season, the young infielder was also the team's primary shortstop. They began the year with Nick Ahmed as the starting shortstop but he was released midway through the season. Fitzgerald grabbed hold of that spot and did not look back.

While the Giants did not have many other better defensive options, Fitzgerald was challenged at shortstop. He recorded -6 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS), -4 Outs Above Average (OAA), and -3 Fielding Run Value (FRV) in 2024.

A position change was likely and the Giants conveyed that they would be targeting a shortstop as soon as the offseason began. They checked that box off with the Willy Adames signing and this will move Fitzgerald to second base. Typically, shortstops can shift over to second base relatively seamlessly. Fitzgerald has the foot speed and athleticism to be a good option.

Infield defense was not much of an issue in 2024. However, adding Adames at shortstop and moving Fitzgerald to second base should make for a better defensive alignment.