SF Giants recall speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson, option Brett Wisely
It sure was not long before the SF Giants made their first roster move of the 2023 season. Before the team's second game of the year, the Giants added outfielder Bryce Johnson to the 40-man roster and recalled him from Triple-A. In a pair of corresponding moves, the Giants shifted offseason free-agent signing Luke Jackson to the 60-day injured list and optioned infielder Brett Wisely (Giants #22 prospect) to Triple-A Sacramento. Jackson, a right-handed pitcher, was already slated to miss the start of the season while he rehabs from UCL surgery.
SF Giants center fielder Bryce Johnson singles against the Dodgers. (2022)
Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports
Johnson was one of the Giants biggest standouts during spring training, recording a league-leading 12 stolen bases with a .310/.423/.405 in 52 plate appearances. A sixth-round pick by the Giants back in 2017, Johnson has steadily progressed through the organization's minor-league ranks with a contact-focused offensive profile alongside elite speed and defense in center field.
Johnson recorded his first big-league hit during a short big-league stint last season. However, he was designated for assignment and outrighted off the 40-man roster by the end of the season. He posted a .111/.158/.111 line in 19 plate appearances with the Giants. At Triple-A, Johnson has a much more respectable .288/.373/.418 triple-slash with 61 stolen bases (70 attempts) over his career.
Acquired in a minor trade this offseason from the Rays, Wisely had an impressive spring as well but is far less experienced than Johnson. More importantly, Wisely was set to be manager Gabe Kapler's backup center fielder. While Wisely is an impressive athlete, he is also a career infielder with just three appearances in left field over his minor league career before this season.
Wisely made his big-league debut as a defensive replacement on Opening Day but did not record a plate appearance. He will now head to the minors. In 2022, Wisely hit .274/.371/.461 with 15 home runs and 31 stolen bases at Double-A before posting a far more middling .238/.261/.333 line in a small sample (23 plate appearances) with the Rays Triple-A affiliate.
The SF Giants outfield was depleted by injuries over the course of spring training, opening the door for Bryce Johnson to crack the Opening Day roster. While Johnson ultimately missed the first game of the season, the speedy outfielder joined the Giants roster before the end of their first series.
