The San Francisco Giants have trotted out plenty of names at shortstop this year, but a surprising rookie may keep them from extending the search for an answer into the offseason.
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel took stock of where the top rookies around MLB stood, and while Tyler Fitzgerald didn’t make his top-15 players, McDaniel still said the slugger was worth keeping an eye on.
“Fitzgerald is another late cut [from the top 15] who has shown starter-level tools and performance in a hit-lucky rookie year,” said the writer.
The Springfield, Ill. native was taken in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB draft after playing college ball for the Louisville Cardinals.
He had a modest couple of seasons at the plate in college, putting up a .274/.356/.401 slashing line over three years. He flashed some speed on the base paths which made up for lacking in the power department.
The power started to pick up once he got to the minor leagues, as his speed on the basepaths continued to develop well. He never looked like an overwhelming presence at the plate, but things did start to get more promising as he settled into the farm system.
Still, he was not really considered a top prospect, rather someone who would just be a utility contributor at best.
He bounced back-and-forth between the Majors and Triple-A to start the season as he indeed ended up in a utility role. He has played everything except for right field and catcher for the Giants this year, which includes three innings as a pitcher.
By the time July rolled around, San Francisco still had one position they really needed someone to take over; shortstop.
The Giants have tried out five starters at the position, and the only one to stick was Fitzgerald.
Since taking over the starting job, the 26-year-old rookie has put up a .304/.359/.575 slashing line with 12 home runs with 23 RBI.
Baseball Savant has him listed in the 99th-percentile in terms of speed, and above average in terms of range in the field. He doesn’t have the strongest arm, but quick reactions have evened him out to being a serviceable defender.
Top shortstop prospect Marco Luciano hasn’t come along at a speed that San Francisco was hoping for, so he’s started to see starts at second base.
Given the uncertainty at the position for the future, Fitzgerald coming along could be a huge relief for the Giants.
If he finishes the year strong, the team may be able to spend money elsewhere rather than making shortstop an offseason priority.
