Giants Outfielder Drew Gilbert Quietly Heating Up Heading into Summer

The 25-year-old talent has steadily improved during the course of the season, as he establishes himself as solid contributor for San Francisco.

San Francisco Giants outfielder Drew Gilbert | Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

As the San Francisco Giants continue to reel from an unexpectedly bad season so far, they are beginning to realize that the team needs a new battle plan.

After acquiring huge stars with big contracts over the years, that formula has blown up in the franchise's collective face. It's also another indication that young, solid players like outfielder Drew Gilbert will be a valuable part of the team's future.

Gilbert, 25, has been a sparkplug at times for San Francisco, and he seems to be gaining confidence. Even though he's fairly new to the big leagues, Gilbert is already playing for his third franchise since being drafted by the Houston Astros and later traded to the New York Mets. His upside appears to be contingent on whether he can become a solid offensive threat. And based on his performance this month, he is on pace to do just that.

Drew Gilbert drives in JHL to tie the game 👏 pic.twitter.com/mwVAoq8XPb

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 20, 2026

After hitting just .217 last season as he got his feet wet by the Bay, Gilbert has seen that number consistently rise in June. He's now hitting .234 on the year, but he's ticked in at .268 over his last 30 games, along with one home run, seven RBI, 11 walks, and 12 stolen bases. So, while he isn't putting up the stats of a superstar, he's finding ways to help the team win.

Gilbert Could Soar in San Francisco

Gilbert, leaping for a fly ball | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

For now, Gilbert is solid and steady for San Francisco, but his future still has a lot of upside remaining. He's not only drawn praise from the Giants organization for his talent and work ethic, he's got a few fans around the league, as well. Opposing managers and coaches have taken note of his daredevil style on the diamond.

"He's got speed, he's got the arm, and he's a gamer," Carlos Mendoza, manager of one of Gilbert's former franchises, the New York Mets, has stated about Gilbert per SNY.TV. "This is a guy who's going to go get the baseball, and he's going to run through walls. Special player, special talent."

Considering the club is going to have to move some of their veteran players as they try to revamp the roster, a young, inexpensive contributor like Drew Gilbert could be a valuable asset going forward. He's good defensively, has solid fundamentals, and if he can get his bat going, is a player who has all the tools to stick in MLB for a long time.