SF Giants sign Vallejo native to minor league contract, bolstering outfield depth

The SF Giants have signed outfielder Daniel Johnson to a minor league contract. The 29-year-old Vallejo native will provide some depth in the outfield for the Sacramento River Cats in Triple-A and will give the Giants a potential call-up.

This transaction was first reported by Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle on social media and the move is now official per the team's transaction page. It may be a minor move, but given the roster continuity the Giants have had this season any transaction feels notable.

SF Giants sign Vallejo native to minor league contract, bolstering outfield

Johnson has seen time in the major leagues before. He played for Cleveland in 2020 and 2021 and last season he had one at-bat with the Baltimore Orioles. He has 18 hits in 90 at-bats with four home runs in his MLB career.

Drafted by Washington Nationals in the fifth round of the 2016 MLB Draft, San Francisco is the sixth MLB organization Johnson has been part of. He was born and raised in Vallejo, just 40 minutes north of San Francisco. If he is able to get promoted to the Giants this season, it would be a cool moment for him to get to play for a team he grew up so close to.

He was swinging a hot bat in the Mexican League which likely caught the attention of the Giants. In ten games this season in Mexico he slashed .429/.512/.943 with five home runs and twelve runs batted in.

Last season the Giants signed Jerar Encarnacion after he tore it up in the Mexican League so maybe they are hoping they can replicate that success with Encarnacion currently on the shelf due to a hand fracture.

Johnson will join other outfielders in Sacramento like Grant McCray, Marco Luciano, Wade Meckler, and Hunter Bishop. He may not be the most likely to receive a call-up from that group, but if he continues to swing a hot bat he could be the next man up if there is an injury.

Johnson bats left-handed so he could be a guy who gets called up if either Mike Yastrzemski or Jung Hoo Lee is forced to go on the IL.

It is not a huge move, but it gives the Giants some extra depth to draw upon in Triple-A. It could also set up a feel good story if Johnson can make his debut with the Giants and play for his hometown team at some point in 2025.