Giants top prospect Bryce Eldridge to play in Sacramento this week

Sep 17, 2024, 8:15 AM | Updated: 8:18 am

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: San Francisco Giants draftee Bryce Eldridge takes batting prac...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Lead Editor & Kings Beat Writer

When the Sacramento River Cats take the field for the final time this week, Bryce Eldridge will be taking his position at first base.

That’s right. Eldridge, the 16th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft out of Madison High School in Virginia, will finish his first full professional season of baseball in AAA after beginning the year in Single-A San Jose.

Eldridge, 19, is the top prospect in the San Francisco Giants farm system, and fans in Sacramento will have a chance to see the young talent on display this week as the River Cats conclude its 2024 season at Sutter Health Park.

Has Bryce Eldridge collected a hit with this @SFGiants affiliate in 2024?@SJGiants? Yes.@EugeneEmeralds? Yes.@GoSquirrels? Yes.@RiverCats? Yes! pic.twitter.com/UCraTZHZv4

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 15, 2024

More on top SF Giants prospect Bryce Eldridge

If it feels rare to see a 19-year-old rookie make an ascension like Eldrige’s in 2024, that’s because it is.

But after a red-hot year that saw the prospect hit .293 with 23 home runs and 90 RBI to go along with a .903 OPS over three levels of minor league baseball, San Francisco felt it was worth giving Eldridge another week of action following the conclusion of the AA regular season.

“As his stint [in Double-A] has gone on, it has been short, but we’ve had a lot of people in there talking about how he really has been the best guy on the field, and the at-bat quality has been phenomenal,” Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said of Eldridge over the weekend following the news of his promotion to AAA.

“I know the [stat] line doesn’t jump off the page, but even his outs are 100-mph hard-hit balls, and as much as anything, we just want him to keep playing. He’s in a really good groove, we think he’s getting better every day, and just the chance to play an extra week was a big motivator.”

Los Angeles Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel went through a similar experience last season after being drafted with the 11th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Within two months, the Angels called up Schanuel to the show, and the 22-year-old has remained there ever since.

College experience played a significant role in Schanuel’s road to the early call-up, while Eldrige–who was playing high school baseball in Virginia last spring–could need a longer run in both Double and Triple-A before getting his call-up to join the Giants.

Then again, San Francisco will have one week of action following the River Cats’ final game on Sunday. Could Eldridge get a call-up for a few MLB at-bats before heading into the offseason? We’ll see in the coming days.

For now, Eldridge will be in Sacramento, and you can find all of your River Cats ticket information by clicking here.