Not much has gone according to plan for the San Francisco Giants during the 2024 season. Despite an offseason, they made several additions to the team they are going to miss the playoffs for a third straight year and for the seventh time out of the last eight.
Some of those moves have paid dividends, such as third baseman Matt Chapman finding his form and earning a long-term extension. After a slow start, Blake Snell has looked like the ace the Giants thought they were getting.
Others, such as the Robbie Ray trade, have not provided much of a positive impact. Another position that failed in the early going was shortstop, but that ended up being a blessing in disguise for the franchise.
Nick Ahmed and top prospect Marco Luciano battled it out in spring training for the starting job. Not even in the picture was Tyler Fitzgerald, who has emerged as one of the team’s most dangerous hitters.
How unexpected was this breakout?
As shared by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, who named the rising shortstop San Francisco’s top hidden gem of 2024, prospect evaluators missed this one as well.
“The 26-year-old was not ranked among the team’s Top 30 prospects at the start of the season, and he only appeared on that list once during his time in the minors, checking in at No. 28 prior to the 2020 season.
There are some regression red flags in his batted-ball data, but he has earned a shot at the team’s everyday shortstop job in 2025 and beyond, and could show up behind Jackson Merrill and Paul Skenes on more than a few NL Rookie of the Year ballots,” Reuter wrote.
The projected WAR for Fitzgerald this season was 0.1, but he has provided a 3.2 and counting through September 12th. The only players with a higher WAR this season are Chapman and ace starting pitcher Logan Webb.
Through his first 84 games and 294 plate appearances as a pro, he has produced a slash line of .296/.350/.530 with 14 home runs, 17 doubles and two triples. The electrifying playmaker has recorded 49 runs and 31 RBI as Bob Melvin has used him up and down the lineup.
While he has logged most of his innings at shortstop, Fitzgerald does offer some versatility. Two appearances at first base, six at second and 10 in the outfield provide Melvin some flexibility when he fills out his lineup card every game.
