Giants Boss Doesn’t Want Bryce Eldridge Focusing on Making Opening Day Roster

The San Francisco Giants’ top prospect is seen as a piece of the future, but Tony Vitello wants him to focus on getting better.

San Francisco Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Tony Vitello comes from a place of player development. As head coach of the Tennessee Volunteers, that was the way to build success.

The new manager of the San Francisco Giants still believes that player development is key, but he also realizes that sometimes the track can run faster in pro baseball. The Giants see first baseman Bryce Eldridge as part of their 2026 lineup and their long-term future. The goal? He and Rafael Devers are in the lineup most days at either first base and/or designated hitter.

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For now, with spring training entering the second day, he doesn’t want Eldridge focused on opening day. He wants him focused on getting better.

“In college, development is so key because the guys are young,” Vitello said to reporters on Tuesday, including the San Francisco Standard. “They're still finding their way, and they need reps. Age doesn't always define that because guys come from different places and different backgrounds.”

Tony Vitello on Bryce Eldridge’s Future

San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Eldridge remains the Giants’ No. 1 prospect, even though he made his MLB debut in September. If he makes the opening day roster and stays with the team, he’ll graduate from prospect status sometime in April.

Vitello doesn’t want Eldridge to treat making the opening day roster as the “end all be all” but he admits it would be a “confidence boost” for the 21-year-old left-handed slugger. His first-year boss is already impressed with how far the 2023 first-round pick has come out of high school in Vienna, Va.

“We’re talking about a guy from a northern state who was a true two-way prospect as a pitcher,” Vitello said. “It's amazing that he was able to accomplish what he did last year. But for right now I think he's just got to mature as a player. He's incredibly mature as a kid.”

San Francisco called him up because he had proven everything he could in the minors. Last year in 102 minor-league games he slashed .260/.333/.510 with 25 home runs and 84 RBI. That was after suffering an injury in spring training as a non-roster invitee that kept him off the field for the first month of the minor league season.

The potential NL Rookie of the Year candidate Eldridge is going to have to produce like he did in the minor leagues to claim that award. He’s slashed .279/.360/.512 with 54 home runs and 194 RBI outside of the Bay Area. In his small sample size in the Majors, he slashed .107/.297/.179 with no home runs and four RBI. He played four games at first base and six at designated hitter.