Who will be the SF Giants 4th outfielder in 2025?

The hot stove has gone cold for the winter for the SF Giants. In the meantime, let's take a look at the 2025 roster. Who will be the team's go-to outfielder off the bench next season?

Who will be the SF Giants 4th outfielder in 2025?

Barring an upgrade, the Giants' outfield is relatively set to start the year. Heliot Ramos will be the club's primary left fielder after posting a .792 OPS with 22 home runs and 72 RBI while becoming the first homegrown outfielder since Chili Davis to make the NL All-Star team.

Jung Hoo Lee will patrol center field after missing much of last season following shoulder surgery. The young outfielder is on track to return by Opening Day. Lee will have an experienced glove in the corner with Mike Yastrzemski likely returning to hold down right field.

The Giants could still look to upgrade that position, but for the time being, Yastrzemski will get the nod. Teams can do worse than the veteran outfielder. He offers steady defense and modest power while offering a relatively low ceiling.

Given that Yastrzemski hits from the left side, he will continue to see plenty of playing time even if the Giants use him in a platoon role.

On the 40-man roster, the Giants have a few other outfielders including Luis Matos, Grant McCray, Wade Meckler, and Jerar Encarnación. Brett Wisely and Tyler Fitzgerald have also seen time in the outfield in recent seasons but that feels like an experiment that this front office is not as motivated to pursue. In an emergency, either player could still see time in the outfield.

For the past several years, Austin Slater has served as the team's fourth outfielder. He performed nicely in a difficult role as a platoon bat from the right side, albeit this role had a low ceiling.

Similar to Slater, the Giants would likely prefer a right-handed bat with a pair of lefties in Lee and Yastrzemski penciled in to see the majority of the playing time in center field and right field, respectively.

Matos and Encarnación fit that description. Matos is performing well in winter ball and could make a case to break camp with the club. However, it is easy to forget that he turns 23 later this month.

Matos needs playing time and he has not yet performed well enough in the majors to supplant someone like Yastrzemski for a starting role. Does it make sense for him to be the team's fourth outfielder if he means he does not see the field every day? This is an especially pertinent question considering that Bob Melvin does not use platoons as aggressively as Gabe Kapler did.

Bench players can go days without getting into the lineup under Melvin. That is not a good thing for someone like Matos. Barring an injury, beginning the year in Triple-A makes sense.

On the other hand, Encarnación flashed some power at the end of 2024 but was still a below-average hitter due in part to a .277 on-base percentage. The right-handed bat has excellent bat speed, but the power plays down due to a bat path that results in a few too many ground balls.

Plus, Encarnación is a below-average runner and never graded out as more than a supbar outfielder in the minors. He could fill that role but it would put pressure on the other two outfield spots to cover extra ground. I still think the Giants have a decision to make on Encarnación before the season begins. Undoubtedly, he can hit for power, but he does not offer much else in terms of value.

That leaves Wade Meckler and Grant McCray. Both are excellent runners with McCray being the better glove in the outfield. Meckler has not been able to adjust to center field since becoming a pro and has even begun taking ground balls at second base.

A fourth outfielder typically needs to be able to handle center field. That would rule out Encarnación, Meckler, and even Matos. Both Meckler and Matos have the speed for the position, but struggle due to poor jumps and inefficient routes.

If the question is who among this bunch can play center field, then McCray has the clear edge. His profile does not come without wrinkles as well given he struck out in 43.1 percent of his plate appearances with the Giants last year. If that number comes down below 30 percent, he might become a viable option. Until then, it is hard to envision him filling any role in the majors.

So, who will be the team's fourth outfielder when the season begins? While the Giants have only made one notable move this offseason, there is still plenty of time for them to add. My bet is they bring someone in to compete with the internal options for that role.