SF Giants ‘will listen’ on trade proposals with top prospect Eldridge, but Posey believes ‘sky’s the limit’

ORLANDO, Fla. — Buster Posey made it clear on Monday at MLB’s Winter Meetings that the Giants will listen when teams inquire about acquiring Bryce Eldridge. Whether Posey is willing to green-light a deal centered around their top prospect is another matter entirely.

“We think the sky’s the limit for this guy,” Posey said of Eldridge, who should be ready for spring training after undergoing left wrist surgery in October. “I know he didn’t put up great numbers in his limited playing time but … he didn’t look like he was overmatched or scared and thought he had some really good at-bats for not even being 21. Sometimes, you can say the guy’s young and you have to take that into account. This guy has flown through the system playing at Double-A, Triple-A at 19, 20 years old.

“I think he’s got a chance to be one of the biggest impact bats for the next 10-to-15 years in the big leagues potentially. We’ll listen, but we like him a lot.”

Posey’s praise does not guarantee that the 6-foot-7 first baseman will still be with the organization come spring training. The Giants have two vacancies in their rotation, and Eldridge’s talent and potential are the reasons he could headline a deal that returns an established arm.

That talent and potential, though, are also the reasons San Francisco would be inclined to keep him.

“I think you try to enter all these things being open-minded,” said general manager Zack Minasian last Thursday on KNBR 680. “I’m not one to say that there are untouchables in any scenario. … You try to stay open-minded as to not limit your player pool of who you can potentially access, but obviously, there are some players that are just very difficult to move because of the fit, because of their ability, what you think they will be at the major-league level. I’m not one that’s going to shut down any avenues, but the likelihood varies from player to player.”

Eldridge, who turned 21 in October, has maintained his top prospect status since being drafted with the 16th overall pick out of James Madison High School in the 2023 MLB draft as a two-way player.

The first baseman began last season with Double-A Richmond and earned a promotion to Triple-A Sacramento by early June. Eldridge dealt with injuries and inconsistency with the River Cats but the Giants called him up for his major-league debut in late September after he hit .249 with 18 home runs and 63 RBIs over 66 games.

Eldridge only went 3-for-28 with seven walks in 10 games with the Giants but often held his own at the plate, putting together competitive at-bats and making hard contact. He isn’t guaranteed a spot on next year’s Opening Day roster but stands to be part of San Francisco’s plans in 2026 and beyond.

The Giants will have to figure out the distribution of playing time at first base between Eldridge and Rafael Devers, but Posey said on Monday that he believes the team can make that pairing work.

Before turning pro, Eldridge garnered interest from new manager Tony Vitello during his days as Tennessee’s head coach. Vitello said in October that he attempted to recruit Eldridge out of high school, adding on Monday that the two have reconnected since Vitello became the team’s new manager.

“There was obviously heavy interest from everybody in the country, but his family had some ties to Tennessee as well,” Vitello said.

If San Francisco doesn’t trade Eldridge for pitching, the team will have to pursue other means of adding starting pitching. Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Tatsuya Imai are the top remaining free-agent starters after Dylan Cease signed a seven-year, $210 million deal with the Toronto Blue Jays, but those names may be out of the Giants’ price range.

Giants chairman Greg Johnson told The San Francisco Standard that the team would be “very cautious” about signing pitchers who would command nine-figure contracts in free agency. On Monday, Posey noted Johnson will “at least listen” if the Giants’ brass feels strongly about a player.

“Every team has to operate within a certain set of parameters,” Posey said. “That’s part of it. Again, Greg and the ownership group didn’t blink — I shouldn’t say they didn’t blink — when we brought the Devers deal to him. Obviously, they pushed it through for us. [Minasian] and I feel really lucky that we get to work with a group that if we’re passionate about something and we think that it makes sense and makes the team better, they’ll listen.”

When asked if the Giants could be a landing spot for bigger name starters, a list that currently features Framber Valdez, Ranger Suárez and Tatsuya Imai, Posey said: “We’re keeping our options open.” Vitello provided levity by quickly adding that he’s “not going to miss recruits telling me they’re keeping their options open.”