Which Players Will Make the Giants Roster — And Which Won't

The San Francisco Giants are trying to sort through the 26 players they’ll need on opening day. Here are three that will make it and three that won’t.

San Francisco Giants catchers Eric Haase (center) and Daniel Susac (right). | Arianna Grainey-Imagn Images

By the time the San Francisco Giants head back to the Bay Area for their opening day matchup with the New York Yankees, they will have settled on their 26 players for the roster.

San Francisco will make plenty of moves on opening day, including injured list moves and designating players for assignment. But, for the next few weeks, the roster remains theoretical to some degree.

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Many Giants players are basically locked into making the roster. That includes 10 position players, five starting pitchers and one reliever. Barring injuries between now and opening day, that’s 16 players.

Who are the remaining 10? That’s what spring training is for. Here are three players that will make the opening day roster and three that won’t.

Giants Who Will Make Roster

Pitcher Michael Fulmer. | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

C Daniel Susac: The former Athletics first-round pick and Rule 5 selection must make the opening day roster to remain with the Giants or he must be waived. The good news is he’s been the best hitting catcher in spring training so far. He’s slashed .417/.417/.500 with an RBI. Eric Haase has batted below .200 while Jesus Rodriguez is also batting under .200 and can be optioned back to Triple-A. With a Gold Glove catcher in Patrick Bailey, the offense is more important for the back-up.

RHP Gregory Santos: Back in 2023 with the Chicago White Sox, he went 2-2 with a 3.39 ERA in 60 appearances six holds, five saves in nine chances and 66 strikeouts in 66.1 innings. He’s been hard to read since then. But in Scottsdale he seems to have reclaimed it in spring training. He’s given up three hits in two innings with two strikeouts and three walks. In a wide-open race beyond Ryan Walker, he’s picking up momentum.

RHP Michael Fulmer: He’s a solid veteran reliever who has pitched in at least 52 games in each of the last three seasons. He’s closed out 30 games and has 45 career holds. He missed time with Tommy John surgery in 2024 and last season he only pitched in three games. He’s proving he’s ready for a full-time job again. In four spring training innings, he hasn’t given up a hit with six strikeouts and three walks.  

Giants Who Won’t Make Roster

San Francisco Giants pitcher Hayden Birdsong. | Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

Hayden Birdsong: The right-hander may have helped former Giants pitcher Kyle Harrison with his kick-change, but he’s been the least effective pitcher in camp. In two appearances he’s pitched 1.1 innings and allowed seven hits, eight runs, two home runs and three walks against just one strikeout. It’s a baffling start for him and it will keep him off the opening day roster.

Victor Bericoto: The outfielder is having perhaps the best offensive camp of any player. In eight games he’s slashed .500/.500/.938 with two home runs and nine RBI. He has the potential to be a back-up outfielder down the line. But, with only 11 games at Triple-A, his terrific spring is going to position him to return to Sacramento and build up his offense for an opportunity to join San Francisco when it needs him.

Jerar Encarnacion: This may be the year he gets squeezed off the roster. He’s quite versatile, but his offense has been lacking to this point in spring training with a slash of .190/.190/.190 with no home runs, no RBI and seven strikeouts. He hasn’t drawn a walk. The emergence of Will Brennan as a backup outfield option. Luis Matos is having a fine spring. San Francisco needs someone like Casey Schmitt to be the utility man. That could be the bench, and it would leave him out in the cold.