How Buster Posey sees top Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge's MLB path – NBC Sports Bay Area & California

SAN FRANCISCO – After playing in just a handful of games following the 2008 MLB Draft, Buster Posey entered the following season as the No. 14 prospect in Baseball America's Top 100. A year later he was ranked No. 7, which confirmed would be far too low for a player who would lead the Giants to the World Series title that fall.

Over the last 15 years, there haven't been many potential Giants position players who have had anywhere near the hype that Posey did. Brandon Belt was a sneaky prospect during his meteoric rise to the big leagues, Joey Bart spent a few years in the top 50, and Marco Luciano peaked at No. 12 before his decline, but this isn't an organization that's used to guys in the top 10 or even top 20 on the lists every spring.

That could change in a few months. Bryce Eldridge was ranked No. 35 in Baseball America's last update, which didn't even take into account his rushing through Double-A. When Posey takes over, he receives an incredible gift from outgoing president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi, whose group selected Eldridge in the first round in 2023.

It's now up to Posey to decide when Eldridge will be ready, and the Giants really couldn't have asked for a better situation. The new boss knows how difficult it can be to live up to the expectations placed on the young first baseman

“I think every player is unique,” ​​Posey said on the “Giants Talk” podcast on Tuesday. “He had a wonderful first full season and I still look at that guy and can’t believe he’s 19 years old. Physically, he looks like he could be 30.”

Eldridge will turn 20 in three weeks while playing in the Arizona Fall League. Posey was there in 2009, although it was one of the few stops in his career that he didn't master. He was exhausted from two years of continuous baseball play, hitting only .225, but a few months later he was finally in the major leagues.

The Giants want Eldridge to work on his first base defense in Arizona, and it's likely he'll now have a little more time to master the intricacies of playing a relatively new position. Zaidi believed in advancing hitting talent when they showed they could handle a certain level, but in 2024, others in the organization felt at times that he was being aggressive in showing that the Giants had more in their farm system than outsiders think.

There certainly would have been added pressure on Zaidi to bring Eldridge to the big leagues in early 2025, but Posey can take more of a long-term view with young players. He may have the most job security of any executive in baseball.

Posey could also bring a new perspective to the position in general. LaMonte Wade Jr. was one of Zaidi's biggest finds and the addition of Wilmer Flores didn't long follow. But Wade is arbitration eligible and the future is uncertain for Flores, who can opt out of his deal but was noticeably absent down the stretch and went home before the final series at Oracle Park.

Zaidi didn't plan on bringing in free agents who could block Eldridge long-term, and Posey figures should take the same approach. But he might have other thoughts about how the Giants should handle the transition.

For example, could he try to sign former All-Star Game teammate Paul Goldschmidt? The long-time Giant-killer could keep the position open until Eldridge is ready, then perhaps split time at DH with the top contender.

Posey didn't provide many details on any frontline Wednesday. He's been in charge for two days, but he's already seen enough to know he might have a head start on rebuilding the lineup.

“I think the most impressive thing about (Eldridge) and what I've heard in the other reports and what my eyes have seen is just his presence in the box,” he said. “There are certain guys who just look like hitters, and he's one of those guys who looks like hitters. “Of course, as a group, we will again make decisions about what is best for the player and what is best for the organization, and we will continue to evaluate Bryce going forward.”

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