Giants Reportedly Call Up Top Prospect Bryce Eldridge Amid 2025 MLB Playoff Race

The San Francisco are making a late push in the National League playoff race, and they are reportedly turning toward their top prospect for the stretch run of that race.

ESPN's Alden Gonzalez reported Monday the National League West team is calling up first baseman Bryce Eldridge. According to MLB.com's prospect rankings, he is the top prospect in the Giants' system.

This move comes after the Giants placed left-handed hitter Dominic Smith on the injured list because of a hamstring strain.

San Francisco has been platooning Smith and Wilmer Flores, who hits right-handed, in whichever spot between first base and designated hitter that Rafael Devers isn't occupying on a given night, and it is fair to assume Eldridge will assume Smith's role in that situation.

Eldridge joined the organization as the No. 16 overall pick out of high school in 2023 and has already worked his way through the organization to the major league level. He has played at the Single-A, Double-A and Triple-A level this season alone.

In all, he is slashing .260/.333/.510 with 25 home runs and 84 RBI across those three levels.

That the Giants are even within reaching distance of a playoff spot as they add that power to their lineup is a testament to their quick turnaround. They fell to 61-68 with a loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Aug. 22 and seemed to be well out of the race but then proceeded to win 11 of the next 12.

Even with a 3-5 mark in the last eight games, San Francisco is above .500 at 75-74 and just 1.5 games behind the New York Mets for the final NL wild-card spot.

It is also a half-game ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks and one game ahead of the Cincinnati Reds in a tight race that figures to come down to the final handful of games. 

That means Eldridge will be immediately thrown into the pressures of a playoff race, but the Giants surely plan on him being a focal point of the organization for years to come. Ideally for the NL West team, this will be the first of many playoff races for the 20-year-old.