Speedy outfielder in Triple-A making strong push to join SF Giants

The SF Giants do not have a ton of players knocking on the door in Triple-A, but one speedy outfielder could be someone to keep an eye on. Grant McCray is putting up great numbers and could earn a promotion soon if he keeps it up.

In 294 at-bats with the River Cats, McCray is slashing .265/.333/.435 with 10 home runs and 46 runs batted in. He also has 17 stolen bases and has only been caught stealing twice.

SF Giants may promote speedy Grant McCray soon

Last season, McCray had a cup of coffee in the big leagues towards the end of the year and impressed. His overall slash line of .202/.238/.379 in 37 games was not that impressive, but he hit five home runs and also had five stolen bases without getting thrown out once. He also had an eye-catching two-homer game in which he flashed some power that did not seem to be a prominent part of his game.

Plus, his outfield defense stood out as his impressive speed allowed him to cover a lot of ground in center field at Oracle Park. It definitely seemed like he could have played his way into the team's plans for 2025, but Luis Matos beat him out for a roster spot in spring training.

After Matos struggled as a bench player for the Giants this season they decided to send him back down to Triple-A where he would get more consistent at-bats. Now the Giants have Daniel Johnson as their backup outfielder and he has been serviceable for the team, recording four hits in 18 at-bats thus far. However, if he begins to struggle, his time on the team could prove to be short-lived.

If the Giants were to move on from either Johnson or the struggling and injured Jerar Encarnacion, McCray seems like a natural call-up for the team. Even if he does not do a ton with the bat, his speed makes him a solid option to pinch-run and provide solid defense in the outfield.

Of course, the concern with calling up McCray is that the lack of consistent at-bats would prove to be detrimental much in the same way it was for Matos. Given McCray is only 24, the Giants may want him to keep on getting consistent at-bats in Sacramento rather than call him up to the big leagues where he might only start once a week.

However, if the Giants have an injury to an outfielder or if they feel they need some more speed on the roster then McCray seems like the most likely candidate to receive a promotion.