SF Giants power-hitting bat off to a rough start in spring training

SF Giants power-hitting bat Jerar Encarnación is out of minor league options, so he will need to make the team out of camp. The coaching staff is seemingly motivated to give him a long look in the Cactus League, but he has not done much yet with that playing time.

SF Giants power-hitting bat off to a rough start in spring training

Playing time in spring training usually reveals a lot about who a team wants to see perform. For the regulars, playing time is more about getting ready for the reason. They are not competing for a spot.

For players who are competing for a roster spot, playing time is usually a good indicator that the team wants to give them an extended look. For example, Daniel Susac caught Robbie Ray in Friday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That may not mean much, but if Susac makes the team, he would likely catch Ray at some point, so it behooves them to build a rapport now. For what it is worth, Susac has put together a strong case to make the club.

Bryce Eldridge leads the club with 18 plate appearances. He has recorded four hits, including two doubles and a home run, with three RBI in 14 at-bats. The Giants went into this spring without fully committing to Eldridge beginning the year with the club, but he is building a strong case to make the team in the early going.

Jerar Encarnación is second on the team with 15 plate appearances. He has not done much with that playing time, recording only two hits with five strikeouts in 15 at-bats.

This comes on the heels of missing much of last season due to injury. When he was healthy, the right-handed bat put up a .578 OPS with two home runs and seven RBI in 56 plate appearances.

Encarnación has shown intriguing power with the club, but there are some flaws in his profile as well. He is an aggressive hitter and struggles to lift the ball, leading to a lot of ground balls. He has shown all of these traits in the Cactus League. Encarnación has recorded a 94.9 MPH average exit velocity, which is great, but this comes with an extremely high 75 percent ground ball rate.

There is still plenty of time for Encarnación to turn it around. It will need to happen soon, as the Giants are already about one-quarter of the way through the Cactus League.