As the San Francisco Giants attempt to wrap up the 2024 season on a positive note, they will be focusing on who will be the building blocks for the franchise moving forward.
Just a couple of weeks ago, the Giants made the big decision to lock up third baseman Matt Chapman to a long-term contract. The six-year extension makes Chapman one of the highest paid third baseman in the league, and rightfully so.
Chapman has had an excellent season for San Francisco as both a hitter and a fielder, while setting a good example for young players that it is important to do both.
Playing next to the veteran third baseman for most of the year has been shortstop Tyler Fitzgerald. At 27 years old, Fitzgerald has finally solidified his spot in the big leagues with the Giants, as he has played in just under 90 games so far this season.
In his rookie campaign so far, Fitzgerald has batted .291 with 14 home runs, 34 RBIs, and 17 stolen bases. It has been an excellent rookie year for Fitzgerald, and he recently reflected on his chances of winning the Rookie of the Year Award in the National League.
“I don’t personally feel like I am (ROY),” Fitzgerald said to Shayna Rubin of the SF Chronicle. “There was a time when I was looking at, maybe I have a chance — a month ago when I had the same amount of home runs I do now. But there are guys that are way ahead of me because they played the whole year. It is cool to see myself on the list because of where I was as a utility player, I didn’t think it was a possibility.”
While it has been a great season for the rookie shortstop, he is surrounded by great rookies in the league. Jackson Merrill, Jackson Chourio and Masyn Winn all are having outstanding seasons as hitters, and Paul Skenes is looking like one of the best pitching prospects of the last decade.
Even though the ROTY award might not be in the cards for Fitzgerald, he looks like he is going to be a building block for the Giants for years to come. Playing alongside Chapman in the infield, the talented young shortstop will have an excellent mentor to learn from, especially defensively on the field.
While the 2024 campaign might have been a disappointment for San Francisco, the performance of Fitzgerald was certainly a bright spot this season.
