SF Giants have some key decisions to consider as roster deadlines loom next week

There is a good chance that the SF Giants 40-man roster at the start of next week will look different by the end of it. They have some tough decisions to consider as the deadlines for both protecting eligible prospects from the Rule 5 draft and the non-tender deadline are looming.

SF Giants have some key decisions to consider as roster deadlines loom next week

Prospects eligible for the Rule 5 draft depends on when they originally signed. If a player was 18 or younger when they originally signed, they need to be added to the 40-man roster within five seasons or they will be eligible for the Rule 5 draft.

If they signed at 19 years or older, they must be protected within four seasons. The key is to be added to the 40-man roster to be protected from the Rule 5 draft. Typically, teams only protect players who are eligible. Those roster spots are so valuable and limited during the offseason, especially without being able to use the 60-day injured list. Teams evaluate it in terms of protecting prospects who are most at risk of being plucked away in the Rule 5 draft.

The deadline to do so is on November 19 and if the Buster Posey era is anything like the Brian Sabean, Bobby Evans, and Farhan Zaidi eras, they will wait until the absolute last minute to announce these decisions.

We will break down the candidates to be added in more detail in the coming days. However, some eligible prospects include Carson Ragsdale, Carson Seymour, Aeverson Arteaga, Onil Perez, Hunter Bishop, Christian Koss, and Will Bednar. It could be a light year for protecting prospects from the Rule 5 draft for the Giants.

On the other hand, the non-tender deadline is on November 22. The Giants have five arbitration-eligible players after Austin Warren attained Super 2 status. This deadline is also an opportunity for teams to non-tender pre-arbitration players, making them a free agent rather than going through the waiver process. This is often done to retain prospects by re-signing them to minor league deals.

The other arbitration-eligible players include Mike Yastrzemski, LaMonte Wade Jr., Tyler Rogers, and Camilo Doval. The first three players listed will all be going through the arbitration process for the final time this winter.

Yastrzemski is the most borderline case that the Giants have. He is due for a raise from his $7.9 million salary in 2024 and the Giants have hinted that they plan to tender him a contract. The decisions for Rogers, Wade Jr., and Doval are all a bit easier.

While the Giants could bring back many of the same faces next season, they could look to move one or two of their veterans. Jeff Passan of ESPN reported recently that the Giants are making both Wade Jr. and Yastrzemski available in trade talks. Of course, Doval is drawing trade interest as well.