Top SF Giants prospect snubbed by MLB execs in NL Rookie of the Year favorites

2026 could end up being a breakout season for top SF Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge, but MLB executives around the league do not seem to think so. In a recent poll, Eldridge did not get much love when it came to predicting the 2026 National League Rookie of the Year.

In fact Eldridge's name did not come up at all in a poll that included responses, all anonymous of course, from general managers, farm directors, scouts, and other front office types.

MLB execs seemingly not high on top SF Giants prospect

The top vote-getters in the National League were JJ Wetherholt of the St. Louis Cardinals, Nolan McLean of the New York Mets, and Konnor Griffin of the Pittsburgh Pirates. All three are ranked above Eldridge on MLB's list of the top 100 prospects in baseball, but Eldridge is ranked 12th so he definitely deserved a little more love.

Maybe executives are reading too much into Eldridge's small sample size after getting called up late in 2025. He slashed .107/.297/.179 with no home runs and four runs batted in. The numbers were not pretty, but he did hit the ball hard when he put it in play which is a positive sign going into next season.

Of course, it is not a sure thing Eldridge will be a regular starter in 2026. He could potentially be the team's designated hitter and could also see time at first base, but he needs to improve defensively at first before he is trusted there regularly.

If the Giants feel he is not quite ready, they could bring in a designated hitter/first base type like Dominic Smith or Rhys Hoskins.

Earlier in the offseason, Eldridge's name came up in trade rumors. It always felt a little unlikely that the Giants would trade Eldridge unless the return was something incredible, so Eldridge does still seem to factor into San Francisco's future plans.

Maybe it is for the best that Eldridge is flying into 2026 a little under the radar. Sure, Giants fans have high hopes for him but it is not like all of the pressure is on him to save the team as there are proven veterans in the lineup who will be relied upon more. The Rafael Devers trade, while making Eldridge's fit on the team a bit more unique, may actually have the added benefit of taking some pressure off the 21-year-old's shoulders.

One could argue part of why Joey Bart and Marco Luciano flamed out after being top prospects for so long is because they were expected to take the reins from Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford, two of the most beloved players in franchise history.

That is a lot of weight to carry, so thankfully Eldridge does not have that same burden. Maybe without that added pressure he can surprise some folks and be the NL Rookie of the Year in 2026.