Bryce Eldridge is leaving the Giants with no choice but to be aggressive with the 2023 first-round draft pick.
The Giants informed the 19-year-old Eldridge on Sunday that they are promoting him from High-A Eugene to Double-A Richmond for the remainder of the 2024 season, ThereRGiants.com's Roger Munter reported Monday.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
The Flying Squirrels have 12 regular-season games remaining this season.
The first baseman began the 2024 minor league season at Low-A San Jose and produced well enough in 51 games to earn a promotion to Eugene in June.
But Eldridge's 48-game stint in the Pacific Northwest was historic for a 19-year-old.
With the Emeralds, Eldridge hit an eye-popping .335/.442/.619 with 11 doubles, 12 homers and 41 RBI. He finished with a 1.060 OPS in Eugene.
San Francisco Giants
Baseball America wrote Sunday that Eldridge's 185 wRC+ (Weighted Runs Created Plus) is the third highest for a 19-year-old at High-A, with a minimum of 150 plate appearances, since 2006.
Eldridge capped his stay in Eugene by hitting five homers in his final six games.
MLB Pipeline recently moved Eldridge to the Giants' No. 1 overall prospect and has him ranked No. 53 in all of baseball.
Eldridge likely could start the 2025 minor league season back at Double-A Richmond, and if that's the case, he could be in line to make his MLB debut next season as a 20-year-old.
The Giants have been searching for a cornerstone player for a while, and Eldridge might just be the guy.