How San Francisco Giants Prospect Can Bolster Team’s Future Draft Hopes

The San Francisco Giants top prospect hasn’t played an MLB game yet, but he can help boost the team’s 2026 draft selections.

Jul 26, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants general manager Pete Putila, first round draft pick Bryce Eldridge, and president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi pose for a photo before the game against the Oakland Athletics at Oracle Park. / Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

Bryce Eldridge has yet to play a Major League game yet for the San Francisco Giants. But, he’ll be there in spring training when the team convenes in Arizona next month.

Given how he rocketed through the Giants’ minor league system last year, he’ll get a serious chance to show that he’s ready for a promotion now, even though he’s just 20 years old.

If he can make the team, and can stick, he could give the Giants some help in the 2026 MLB Draft.

He can do that through the Prospect Promotion Incentive, or PPI, according to Baseball America.  

Eldridge is one of 46 players that have not played in the Majors yet but have the chance to make a team. All of them finished the 2024 season at either Double-A or Triple-A, the latter of which is where Eldridge landed to end the year.

To qualify for the PPI, Eldridge must accumulate 172 days of Major League service time in 2025. To do that, he needs to make the opening-day roster or be called up during the first two weeks of the season.

If he can stick in the Majors and win one of the rookie of the year awards recognized by MLB, then his team would receive a bonus of sorts — a PPI selection in the 2026 MLB draft, which would be between the first and second rounds.

The PPI also applies if Eldridge figures into voting for other awards before he is eligible for arbitration, which usually happens after a player has three Major League seasons under his belt.

Eldridge, who stands an imposing 6-7, has been a Top 100 prospect for part of last season and has been the Giants’ No. 1 prospect for most of the last year. He was the Giants’ only Top 100 prospect as ranked by Baseball America. He was ranked No. 12 and the top-ranked first baseman.

San Francisco selected him No. 16 overall in 2023 and signed for $4 million out of Vienna, Va., as Eldridge turned his back on his commitment to Alabama and opted to start his pro career.

After his selection, he did a short stint with the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team and the Class A San Jose Giants, where he slashed .294/.400/.505/.905 with six home runs and 19 RBI in 31 games.

Last season, Eldridge played for San Jose, High-A Eugene, Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento, exceling at every stop. He finished with a slash line of .291/.374/.516/.890 with 23 home runs and 92 RBI. He was also selected to play in the MLB Futures Game during All-Star weekend.

Giants pitchers and catchers to report to spring training on Feb. 12. Position players are expected to report on Feb. 17.