Giants Sign Quality Veteran Outfielder, Adding Depth to Their Beleaguered System

The San Francisco Giants had a need for veteran talent, so they added to the roster.

Jun 4, 2023; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Drew Ellis (35) rounds the bases after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the seventh inning at Nationals Park. | Brad Mills-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants have kicked off the 2025 season in style, with a 25-19 record to their name they currently sit in third place among the National League West powerhouses. Their enormously strong start to the year is what propelled them here, and while they have begun to plateau a bit, they still have been producing as a unit in most cases.

The brand of baseball they have been playing has been fun to watch and ultimately effective at limiting mistakes, and in many cases, giving them a chance no matter the score. They have had a pretty substantial amount of comeback wins throughout this campaign so far, and will no doubt look to add to that total as things continue.

One of the keys to having success long-term in a 162 game season is putting together quality depth among the minor leagues, whether that be via prospects or by adding veteran talent to the mix that will be ready for action if any injuries were to occur. The Giants have a pretty outstanding prospect group that has been developing in the wings over the past few years, and they have called upon it multiple times, but what about their veteran depth?

Who Did the San Francisco Giants Add to Their Minor League System?

To give the team some more juice and veteran leadership in the farm system, San Francisco signed outfielder Drew Ellis to a minor league deal, as was reported by his previous team, the Lexington Legends. Ellis last saw MLB action back in 2023 with the Philadelphia Phillies, playing in 12 games as a stop-gap option before spending much of the season in Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

In 2024, he ended up with the Los Angeles Angels, playing 32 games in Triple-A Salt Lake and producing at a decent level. He would slash .243/.373/.414 with 21 runs, 13 RBI, five home runs, and 25 strikeouts to 21 walks. After this, he would make the move to an Independent team, playing with the Charleston Dirty Birds of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball.

He would remain in that league to start 2025 with the Lexington Legends, and has finally found his stride, slashing .373/.467/.765 with 11 RBI, 11 runs, five home runs, and 11 strikeouts to nine walks in 13 appearances. His early success won him a player of the series award from the Legends, and now he will look to aid the Giants in continuing to succeed with the summer stretch coming up.