SF Giants slugger with no options left making a valiant final push for a roster spot

With all of the starters set to play in the outfield away for the SF Giants at the World Baseball Classic, players competing for a spot or two on the bench are getting a lot of opportunities. One of those players is Jerar Encarnacion who is coming on strong after a rough start to spring training.

Encarnacion is out of minor league options, meaning that if he does not make the Opening Day roster he will be exposed to waivers and another team can claim him. He has shown potential in the last two seasons with the Giants but has yet to put all of the puzzle pieces together.

Jerar Encarnacion is making a strong final push to make the team

He looked lost early in Cactus League play and struggled to get much of anything going at the plate. It was looking like there was no way he could make the team, but in his last few games he has turned it around. His batting average is up to .294 on the spring and he just blasted his first home run of spring training.

The tall right-handed hitter has a ton of power in his bat and when he makes contact he usually hits it hard. He displayed that in 2024 and 2025, although injuries prevented him from getting a true audition in the outfield last season.

While the raw power is enticing, he does not bring much else to the table. He doesn't walk a ton, isn't especially quick, and is not a very strong defender. He'd be serviceable in left field or right field or maybe at first base in a pinch, but the Giants would basically be hoping that he can be a great pinch hitter or potentially a designated hitter if they choose to start Bryce Eldridge in Triple-A.

Encarnacion is competing with several other outfielders who have other tools in the tool belt. Drew Gilbert, Grant McCray, and Will Brennan are all superior defensively and can play all three outfield positions. The also have the speed that Encarnacion is lacking.

Luis Matos has been one of the most impressive hitters in spring training thus far and he too is out of minor league options so he seems to have a pretty good shot to make the team.

This competition is going to come down to the wire and Encarnacion is making a valiant effort to earn a roster spot. We'll have to see if it ends up being enough in a few weeks.