Giants claim outfielder Gerber off waivers

LAS VEGAS -- President of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi opened the Winter Meetings by making his first addition to the Giants' 40-man roster, claiming outfielder Mike Gerber off waivers from the Tigers on Monday.
Gerber, 26, debuted with the Tigers in April and went 4-for-42 (.095) with 21 strikeouts in 18 Major League games this past season. He spent the bulk of the 2018 campaign with Triple-A Toledo, batting .213 with a .688 OPS and 13 home runs in 74 games. Still, those numbers might not be completely indicative of Gerber's offensive upside, as he hit .279 with an .814 OPS over five Minor League seasons with Detroit.
"Gerber is a guy who had very strong seasons in the Minor Leagues in 2016 and '17," Zaidi said. "He took a little bit of a step back in '18, but we like the skill set. He's a versatile player, which is the kind of thing we're look for."

A left-handed hitter, Gerber can play all three outfield spots and will help restore some of the depth at center field that was lost following the departure of Gorkys Hernández. In 2016, Gerber captured a Minor League Gold Glove for his defensive work in right field. He was a 15th-round Draft pick of the Tigers in '14 out of Creighton University, where he played alongside reliever Ty Blach.
Gerber becomes the fifth outfielder on the Giants' 40-man roster, joining Steven Duggar, Chris Shaw, Austin Slater and Mac Williamson. San Francisco's 40-man roster now stands at 35.