This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado's Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

One of the biggest long-term challenges facing new Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey is finding a way to ramp up the organization’s player development efforts.

While there have been some success stories, San Francisco’s farm system came in at No. 23 in MLB Pipeline’s latest rankings and has struggled to produce a homegrown star in recent years.

The Giants could use more depth, but they still have a handful of young prospects who have the potential to develop into impact players moving forward.

3 players who forced their way onto the radar

1B Bryce Eldridge (Giants' No. 1 prospect, No. 35 overall)

Eldridge’s meteoric rise has been well documented, and he’s continuing to get more reps by playing for the Scottsdale Scorpions of the Arizona Fall League this year. The 6-foot-7 slugger appears poised to break into the Majors as soon as 2025, and he should help address the Giants’ need for a power-hitting first baseman.

OF Bo Davidson (Giants' No. 25 prospect)

Signed as an undrafted free agent last year, Davidson debuted on MLB Pipeline’s list of Top 30 Prospects this summer after batting .327 with a 1.042 OPS and 11 home runs over 63 games between the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League and Single-A San Jose in 2024. The left-handed hitter earned second-half team MVP honors for San Jose, and he is seeing more action in the AFL alongside Eldridge. Davidson, 22, has one of the best power/speed combinations in the Giants’ system and has enough athleticism to stick in center field in the future.

SS Jhonny Level (Giants' No. 13 prospect)
Level enjoyed a smooth transition into pro ball after landing a $997,500 signing bonus from the Giants in January. The 17-year-old Venezuelan batted .275 with a .909 OPS, 10 home runs and 18 stolen bases over 48 games in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, drawing comparisons to three-time All-Star Rafael Furcal and Guardians infielder Brayan Rocchio. A switch-hitter, Level has a fluid swing from both sides of the plate and possesses enough range to stay in the infield.

2 breakout players to watch in 2025

OF James Tibbs III (Giants' No. 2 prospect)

The 13th overall pick of the 2024 MLB Draft, Tibbs earned a quick promotion after batting .415 with a .941 OPS over nine games at Single-A San Jose. He slowed down once he reached High-A Eugene, though, hitting only .134 with a .455 OPS and two homers over 17 games. The 22-year-old is likely to return to the Northwest League for the start of the 2025 season, but he could move quickly if he adjusts to the advanced competition and continues to showcase the elite swing decisions that helped turn him into a first-round pick.

OF Rayner Arias (Giants' No. 5 prospect)
The prize of the Giants’ 2023 international signing class, Arias hit .414 with a 1.332 OPS, four home runs and 21 RBIs over 16 games in the DSL last season before breaking his left wrist on a diving catch in shallow center field. He was viewed as a breakout candidate heading into this season, but he sustained another wrist injury during Spring Training that sidelined him until June. Arias came back to hit .250 with a .735 OPS and no homers over 25 games in the ACL this season, but he’s still only 18 and should have more chances to develop his electric right-handed swing if he can stay healthy.

One big question for next season

How will Reggie Crawford bounce back after undergoing shoulder surgery?

Crawford, the Giants' No. 9 prospect and 2022 first-round Draft pick, looked like he might have a shot to reach the Majors this season after recording a 2.95 ERA with 30 strikeouts over 18 1/3 innings between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento, but he didn’t pitch after June 5 due to a torn labrum in his left shoulder that needed to be surgically repaired in late September. The estimated recovery timeline is 10 to 12 months, which will force the 23-year-old to miss most, if not all, of the 2025 campaign.

Crawford previously missed time while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and has logged only 37 1/3 innings since turning pro, so it remains to be seen how his latest setback will affect his possible trajectory with the Giants, especially since he'll be eligible for the Rule 5 Draft next offseason.