Which SF Giants will be in the lineup for the Cactus League opener on Saturday?

At long last, baseball is back. According to Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News, the SF Giants lineup later today should feature a handful of regulars, including Bryce Eldridge, Heliot Ramos, Harrison Bader, Christian Koss, and Casey Schmitt.

Which SF Giants will be in the lineup for the Cactus League opener on Saturday?

Ramos and Bader will eventually head to the World Baseball Classic (WBC), so their preparation will be about getting ready for the WBC, as well as the regular season.

Along with Jung Hoo Lee, once Ramos and Bader depart, it should open up playing time for outfield prospect Bo Davidson. This will be a subplot in the competition for the backup outfielder role.

The focus will be on Eldridge, Schmitt, and Koss. Eldridge finished last season with the Giants. Despite only recording three hits in 28 at-bats, he flashed plenty of the raw power that has made him one of the top prospects in baseball.

The Giants have not necessarily committed to the left-handed bat beginning the year with the club. They could assign him to Triple-A to continue working on his approach at the plate, along with his defense at first base.

The Giants also did not add a DH this offseason, so there is a clear path to playing time for Eldridge. If he hits this spring, he will likely take the decision out of the Giants' hands and they would be okay with that.

On the other hand, Schmitt and Koss could be competing for playing time this spring. Schmitt was penciled in as the everyday second baseman until they added Luis Arráez on a one-year deal. This move pushed Schmitt one peg lower on the depth chart into more of a utility role.

Schmitt's role to start the year might depend on what the Giants do with Eldridge. If Eldridge begins the season in Triple-A, that opens up at-bats at DH for Schmitt and a few others. If not, then it likely means that Schmitt will serve in a utility role.

Speaking of utility roles, Koss could also make the roster as a reserve infielder. He put together a strong Cactus League performance last year to earn a spot on the Opening Day roster. Overall, he put up a .676 OPS with three home runs and 23 RBI in 191 plate appearances. Plus, he had a knack for the clutch hit and was a serviceable defender.

After a long and cold winter, baseball is finally back and it will hang around until the fall!