The Giants Have Great Outfield Depth Out of the Blue

Going into the offseason, it was clear the San Francisco Giants had their sights set on adding a defensive-minded outfielder. With the signing of center fielder Harrison Bader, Jung Hoo Lee got pushed to right field.

Now, several names who thought they’d could be the everyday guy in right field have been pushed further down the depth chart. While the Giants do have a solid starting group of Heliot Ramos, Bader, and Lee, the outfield depth looks much better as well.

Let’s break down which familiar faces and new names have contributed to an improved outfield group for Giants in 2026.

New Kids on the Block

Jared Oliva

The 30-year-old rookie has had quite the journey in professional baseball. After cups of coffee with the Pirates in 2020 and 2021, he spent 2022 through 2025 in the minor leagues completely.

Fortunately, he’s exactly what this Giants roster needs and was able to break camp with the big-league team, despite being a minor-league signing in the offseason.

The real calling card with Oliva is the speed and ability to run the bases. In that 2020 cup of coffee, his sprint speed of 29 feet per second ranked in the 96th percentile of big leaguers. Unlike many speedsters the Giants have had in recent years, Oliva actually puts it to use.

In 164 games across the last two years at the Triple-A level, he’s successfully swiped 94 bases. His 14 bags in spring training led the Cactus League and was second in MLB.

Known as a plus defender, he quickly became a perfect fit as the fourth outfielder for the current iteration of the Giants. With Ramos being a poor defender and Lee being shaky at times, he’s the perfect late game defensive substitution.

Will Brennan

The Giants have reportedly liked Will Brennan for quite some time now. Once he elected free agency from the Guardians this winter, it was a no brainer for them to bring him to San Francisco.

While he is starting the year in Sacramento with the Triple-A Rivercats, he had a very nice showing in spring training. In 21 games, he slashed .325/.386/.500 with 8 RBIs and a 130 wRC+.

Unlike many on this list, Brennan has actually had real run in the big leagues. In 866 career plate appearances — all coming with the Guardians — he’s hit .267 while striking out just 12.7% of the time.

Avoiding strikeouts and putting the ball in play is a feat the new regime in San Francisco has clearly been in love with. Mix in solid defense and above-average speed, and it makes sense why they’ve liked him for awhile.

Familiar Friends

Jerar Encarnacion

Encarnacion has just 77 games under his belt at the big-league level and has had a tough time staying healthy. However, the Giants organization has struggled to part with the potential that’s in the profile.

While he’s posted a lowly wRC+ of 71 and OPS of .626 in his big-league time, the underlying numbers suggest there’s a real masher in there somewhere. In 2024, he posted some wildly consistent quality of contact numbers that are second to few.

In 91 events at the Triple-A level, he held a hard-hit rate of 57.1% and an average exit velocity of 94.7 mph. After getting called up, those jumped to 58.8% and 95 mph.

Of course, the clock is ticking. Encarnacion is going to have to finally produce in 2026 for him to stick around much longer. With no options remaining and Bryce Eldridge waiting in the wings, a power bat that’s not actually providing will be deemed unnecessary.

Drew Gilbert

Gilbert was the favorite to start the year as the big-league team’s fourth outfielder. A left-handed bat off the bench and his relationship with new manager Tony Vitello almost made it a lock.

However, a spring training injury made it difficult and he’s now starting the year at Triple-A. Gilbert still brings a lot to the table for an organization lacking true big leaguers in the upper minors.

For one, the 25-year-old is likely seen as the best outfield defender in the organization not named Harrison Bader. In just 271 innings at the big-league level in 2025, he was able to rack up +2 outs above average.

The offense has struggled in recent memory, but Gilbert was a former top-100 prospect for a reason. There’s still a good amount of raw power in the swing, and an extra left-handed bat off the bench never hurts.

Grant McCray

McCray is undoubtedly the toolsiest of the bunch. He brings an impressive combination of speed, defense, and power to the table. The first of the two are always present for the 25-year-old.

His arm strength has ranked in the 99th percentile while his sprint speed is slightly worse in the 96th percentile. Outfield defense and speed on the basepaths are two traits the current regime appears to be heavily drawn towards.

The offensive side of things is a bit more questionable for McCray. At the Triple-A level in 2024, he held a wRC+ of 113 with a .272 batting average. At the same level in 2025, he launched 15 home runs and swiped 27 bases.

However, in 59 games at the big-league level, it’s been a rough showing for him. He’s struck out nearly 43% of the time while hitting just .185.

He was able to put himself right back in the conversation this spring, though. A vastly improved approach at the plate and strikeout rate of 15% definitely opened some eyes in Scottsdale and showed real adjustment.

Prospects Getting Close

• Bo Davidson will be starting the year in Double-A, and the 23-year-old had quite the year in the minors in 2025. Slashing .281/.376/.468 for a 137 wRC+ in 114 games across High-A and Double-A, Davidson is another prospect coming through the pipeline.

• Parks Harber was acquired for Camilo Doval at last year’s trade deadline and thrived at the lower minor-league levels last season, slashing .323/.420/.550 for a 174 wRC+ across Low-A and High-A.