Defensive versatility could clear a path for this Giants prospect

SAN FRANCISCO -- One of the reasons the Giants value defensive versatility is because it creates more paths for young players to reach the Majors. Before calling up Casey Schmitt, the Giants gave the 24-year-old rookie a crash course at second base, which gave him more opportunities to get into the lineup once he broke into the big leagues.

A similar situation could be unfolding with fellow infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, who made his second career start in center field with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday.

Fitzgerald, a 2019 fourth-round Draft pick out of Louisville, has primarily played shortstop in the Minors, but the Giants have a greater need for right-handed-hitting outfield depth now that Mitch Haniger (right forearm fracture) and Heliot Ramos (right oblique strain) are on the 60-day injured list.

The 25-year-old Fitzgerald isn’t on the Giants’ 40-man roster, but he’s impressed by hitting .300 with an .897 OPS, 10 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 56 games between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento this year.

“I think we’re always trying to add to a player’s versatility and their flexibility,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said. “In this particular case, it’d be nice for Tyler -- if and when the time comes -- to be able to slide in somewhere in the outfield or on the dirt.”

Luis Matos, Austin Slater and the switch-hitting Bryce Johnson are the right-handed options in the Giants’ outfield right now, though the Giants also acquired center fielder Dalton Guthrie from the Phillies in exchange for cash considerations on Thursday. Guthrie, 27, reported to Triple-A Sacramento and went 1-for-5 in his first game with the River Cats on Saturday.

Guthrie -- the son of former Major League pitcher Mark Guthrie -- batted .280 with an .861 OPS and two homers over 22 games with Triple-A Lehigh Valley before joining the Giants organization.

Here are some other standouts from the Giants’ four full-season affiliates:

Triple-A Sacramento
Left-handed reliever Erik Miller, who was acquired from the Phillies in exchange for Yunior Marte over the offseason, has been on a dominant run with the River Cats, posting a 0.51 ERA with 26 strikeouts and a .103 opponent batting average over 15 appearances since May 12. The Stanford product has a 1.64 ERA with 47 strikeouts over 33 innings between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento this year.

Double-A Richmond
Shortstop Marco Luciano, who is ranked the Giants’ No. 2 prospect by MLB Pipeline, recorded his first four-hit game of the season with the Flying Squirrels on Saturday and then stayed hot by launching an opposite-field shot in Sunday afternoon’s series finale against Harrisburg. The 21-year-old slugger now has 10 home runs over 43 games this season.

Pitching prospect Mason Black (No. 9) has also been on a roll, firing 17 1/3 scoreless innings with 21 strikeouts over his last four starts. The 23-year-old right-hander now has a 4.00 ERA across 14 starts with Richmond this year.

High-A Eugene/Single-A San Jose
Veteran right-hander Alex Cobb struck out nine and allowed only one run over 3 2/3 innings in a rehab start with San Jose on Saturday. Cobb walked none and threw 66 pitches, with the lone damage coming via a solo home run in the fourth inning. Cobb hadn’t pitched since June 13 due to a left oblique strain, but the Giants are expecting him to come off the 15-day injured list and return to the starting rotation during their series against the Mets at Citi Field later this week.