The first of potentially several Giants prospects is poised to debut Tuesday night at Oracle Park, 34 games into the season.
Casey Schmitt, San Francisco’s fourth-ranked prospect, is getting called up to the big leagues, the Giants announced. The 24-year-old Schmitt is lauded for his glove in the infield, but likely won’t begin at his natural third base.
His high school, Eastlake High School in Chula Vista, CA, first announced the news. NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic also reported Schmitt’s upcoming call-up.
In corresponding moves, the Giants designated Darin Ruf for assignment and optioned outfielder Cal Stevenson to Triple-A.
Schmitt has hit .313 with a .762 OPS in 32 Triple-A games to begin 2023. Those numbers are encouraging, especially for a player just first tasting Triple-A competition, but he’ll need to sure up his plate discipline; Schmitt has struck out 28 times and walked eight times. That’s in a league in which automated balls and strikes have inflated everyone’s walk rates.
Any production from the plate could be a bonus, though, considering how Schmitt can impact the game in other ways. He won a MiLB gold glove at third base, filled in valiantly in High-A at shortstop, and has played second base over the past week. He’s drawn comparisons to Matt Chapman.
A third baseman and closer in college for San Diego State, arm strength is one of Schmitt’s most impressive traits. In spring training, where he won the annual Barney Nugent Award, Schmitt turned heads with his natural defense.
“He looks different than a lot of infielders I’ve played with in the past,” Brandon Crawford said in the spring. “You can see that just when he’s taking grounders in practice, stuff like that. He moves a bit different, his hands just always seem to be in the right spot. Nothing against the infielders I’ve played with before. He just seems like he’s on another level.”
Schmitt’s speed on the bases could also add a dimension for a Giants team that has mostly operated station-to-station.
Crawford currently being on the injured list is one reason the Giants are currently short one infielder. David Villar would naturally be the option to replace Crawford, with Thairo Estrada moving from second to shortstop, but is hitting .145 with a 33.7% strikeout rate. His playing time has diminished in recent games.
Crawford’s calf strain, coupled with Villar’s struggles, opened a lane for Schmitt. Against left-handed starter Patrick Corbin, it’s fair to expect the Giants to start Schmitt on Tuesday, either at second base or shortstop.
Schmitt could be the first in a caravan of prospects to join the Giants this year. Kyle Harrison is coming off his best performance at Triple-A over the weekend, as he fanned seven in four shutout innings. And he did so while working with Patrick Bailey, the switch-hitting catcher SF drafted with the 13th overall pick in 2020. Bailey had been promoted after just 14 Double-A games and the Giants believe his glove if MLB-ready.