Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target in free agency
MLB teams non-tendered 64 different players at the non-tender deadline on Friday evening, infusing the free-agent market with even more talent. The SF Giants themselves decided to non-tender a trio of pitching prospects of their own, but could they be in a position to capitalize on another team's non-tenders? Here are five players who are potential fits with the Giants:
Rays OF Austin Meadows doubles against the SF Giants at Oracle Park. (2019)
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target:
1. OF/DH Austin Meadows (Tigers)
It's hard to know what the future holds for left-handed hitting slugger Austin Meadows. Once a consensus top-100 prospect in the league, who was named an All-Star before his 25th birthday, hitting 33 home runs with a .922 OPS in 2019. However, a series of health issues, have led him to miss a significant amount of playing time since. Meadows was still an above-average everyday player in 2021, but has been sidelined for most of the past two seasons with anxiety. If Meadows does want to continue playing, he will likely sign a minor-league deal this offseason looking to compete for a roster spot in spring training. Given how heavily the Giants have in mental health support over the past few years, they may be uniquely situated to support Meadows. Meadows would immediately slot into a competition for playing time in left field and designated hitter, where the Giants currently don't have a left-handed hitting option outside of Blake Sabol, who is primarily a catcher at this point. It's impossible to know whether Meadows will ever play in the major leagues again, but his career .259/.333/.472 triple-slash should intrigue the Giants.
Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target:
2. Utility Garrett Hampson (Marlins)
A former Rockies top prospect, Garrett Hampson was non-tendered by the new Marlins front office after his most productive big-league season as a utilityman. Hampson hit .276/.349/.380 in 98 games while playing every position except catcher, pitcher, and first base. Granted, batted-ball data suggests he may not have been able to sustain that level of production. Still, Hampson has a solid .261/.330/.416 triple-slash against southpaws (contrasted by a below-average .231/.291/.348 line against righties) and has been a playable defensive player all over the field, including shortstop and center field. He also has elite speed, which would bring some much needed athleticism to San Francisco. Given the fact that Hampson was only expected to get $1.3 million in arbitration and the Marlins could not find a trade partner, it seems like he may be forced to settle for a minor-league contract. If that's the case, the Giants could keep a spot on the 40-man roster open until adding him to the Opening Day roster to be a useful swiss-army knife off the bench and some veteran insurance at shortstop for Marco Luciano.
Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target:
3. RHP Brandon Woodruff (Brewers)
If we were ranking non-tenders by potential impact, Brandon Woodruff would have easily topped the list. However, he's not as easy a fit as Meadows and Hampson because of the demand for his services. Woodruff will likely receive at least $25 million in guaranteed money for the 2023-24 seasons this winter. The signing team will hope he can return to action late next season and immediately make an impact before reasserting himself as a bonafide ace in 2024. However, the Giants are already going to be starting next season without veteran starting pitcher Alex Cobb and were reportedly already active in the market for free agent starting pitchers. Woodruff would undeniably raise the ceiling of San Francisco's rotation, but the question is whether the front office is willing to dedicate the resources (salary and roster spot) it would take to bring him in.
SF Giants reliever Trevor Gott pitches in the ninth inning against the Rockies. (2020)
Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports
Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target:
4. RHP Trevor Gott (Mets)
The Giants may not be inclined toward a reunion with Trevor Gott given how things ended during his last tenure. However, he has reestablished himself as a high-quality middle reliever since he imploded as San Francisco's closer back in 2020. Gott has recorded a 4.17 ERA (3.75 FIP) with 106 strikeouts and 31 walks in 103.2 innings pitched over the past two seasons, acclimating himself well to stints with the Brewers, Mariners, and Mets. Moreover, Gott is exceptional if his manager can help him avoid left-handed batters. The righty has held opposing hitters to a .213/.265/.317 triple-slash when he's had the platoon advantage over the past two seasons, but lefties have posted an OPS .857. Those platoon splits will likely keep him from ever being a viable setup option, but that does not mean he could not be a solid right-handed middle reliever.
Five non-tendered players the SF Giants should target:
5. RHP Lou Trivino (Yankees)
Former closer Lou Trivino missed the entire 2023 season with UCL surgery and will miss the start of next season as well. However, the same front office that signed John Brebbia, Scott Alexander, and Luke Jackson would presumably be willing to bet on Trivino's ability to bounce back from injury. A nasty right-handed reliever, Trivino has been limited by inconsistent command and some struggles against left-handed hitters, but he's still a solid reliever with an impressive track record to help solidify the Giants bullpen.
Others of note
If the Giants are open to depth arms, Penn Murfee, Angel Perdomo, and Cooper Criswell could all draw some interest. Murfee and Perdomo both underwent UCL surgery and will likely miss most (or all) of the 2024 season. Murfee is easily the most intriguing, with option years remaining and the best big-league track record.
Perdomo was solidifying himself as a solid left-handed setup arm with the Pirates this year before he went down. Perdomo has better stuff than Murfee, but has a shorter track-record of MLB-ready control and no remaining options.
Criswell is more of a fringey big-league arm with options remaining, but the ability to provide some length.
Hampson is not the only potential bench bat that was non-tendered. Nick Senzel has , but has only been a quality defender at center field, third base, and second base. If the Giants were trading Austin Slater and failed to add another center fielder, Senzel could be decent insurance in case younger players fail to take a step forward. However, that seems unlikely at this point in the offseason.
Luis Guillorme is a contact-oriented left-handed hitter who has been a solid defensive player at every spot on the infield. He would have been a perfect fit coming off the 2022 season, but his offensive and defensive metrics all took a step back last season. Still, he could be a player worth targeting on a minor-league deal to compete for a utility role.
Jacob Stallings' offensive and defensive numbers cratered after he was traded from the Pirates to Marlins two seasons ago. With that said, he remains an elite blocker who had been an elite pitch framer as well in Pittsburgh. If the Giants want a veteran glove-first backup catcher to lessen their reliance on Sabol, Stallings could be a fit.
