The Giants plan to select the contract of outfielder Wade Meckler, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (Twitter link). San Francisco is reportedly designating Luis González for assignment to create a 40-man roster spot but will need to make a corresponding active roster move.
Meckler, an eighth-round pick from Oregon State last July, moved exceptionally quickly up the minor league ranks. The 23-year-old finished last season in the low minors and began this year with High-A Eugene. He destroyed generally younger pitching and was bumped to Double-A by mid-May. Meckler didn’t slow down, hitting .336/.431/.450 over 39 appearances to move up to Triple-A two weeks ago.
The left-handed hitter needed just 10 games with the River Cats to force the organization’s hand. He raked at a .400/.546/.600 line at the top minor league level. Overall, Meckler sports a ridiculous .379/.463/.522 batting line in 294 plate appearances on the season. He’s walking at an elite 13.3% clip compared to a modest 14.6% strikeout percentage.
Meckler doesn’t have overwhelming physical tools. He’s only homered five times and swiped just six bases in 10 attempts. Yet there’s little doubt he has quickly raised his profile thanks to his excellent contact skills and strike zone awareness. In June, Eric Longenhagen and Tess Taruskin of FanGraphs ranked him ninth among Giants’ prospects. Baseball America slotted him sixth in the system on their midseason update.
Both outlets call Meckler’s contact skills his carrying tool. He’s mostly a corner outfielder, though the Giants have given him 20 starts in center field this season. The extreme contact approach will be tougher to pull off if Meckler can’t stick in center field, but there’s little question about his minor league dominance. As Passan points out, he’s just the fourth player from the 2022 draft class to reach the big leagues — and the first non-Angel, as Zach Neto, Ben Joyce and Victor Mederos are the others.
Must be sending Matos down. Meckler has been having a great year in the minors
maybe could be someone having ‘tightness’
Hi reno,
Matos and Mathias back to AAA, LuGo dfa’d, Disco to the 60 day IL, Meckler and Camargo activated and at Oracle Park
Too bad about LuGo, he will get picked up. Mathias could use some time in AAA.
Welcome to SF Meck! We love you already!
yeah I see mathias as a fill in with options
Meckler is oblivious to the fact that it is supposed to get harder with each level you go up. This will be the 4th level this year I believe. Here is hoping he stays oblivious and continues to crush
Still, I’m surprised the Giants designated Luis Gonzalez. He will certainly and quickly find a home. I think this is a mistake that will end up biting the Giants.
When injured he slumped. but the guy showed signs of a Major League contact hitter. Let’s see where he turns up.
I’m a Dodgers fan so I’m completely unbiased with respect to Gonzo. That said, the Giants are making a mistake letting him go. His struggles occurred due to shoulder and back issues. With both issues medically repaired and apparently healed, dropping him could haunt the Giants. Why you might ask? I’ve been playing, watching and coaching the game over 50 years. My eye tells me this kid can really hit when healthy. That simple. Should be interesting to follow.
leftcoaster — Completely agree. (see, Giant and Dodger fans can agree on some things.)
I saw the same thing and agree. Great hit tool and confidence at the plate. This is a byproduct of the churn that Zaidi lives by. Already several have come and gone on to better things as he finds new shinny objects that catch his eye he has to let go of someone. It’s a lot like how i manage my fantasy baseball team
Go Meckler go go go go!!!!!! We need you!!!!! Be your true self and hit the crap out of the ball!!!!!! Wohooooo!!!!!!!!! Yes yes yes!!!!!!!!!
Hey Agnes. I just get home, turn on the tv and top of the feed is Amy G doing a thing with Meckler. Classic underdog story. All good. Then I log on here and boom, here he comes. Let’s go Wade. This whole youth thing is fun to watch !
Can you please repost that link ?
Hi foppert! Our Giants are in a hitting funk but I do love seeing all the kids, it’s just the beginning of what is hopefully a bright future!
Here is where we are for the Rays series:
sfgiants.blog/2023/08/14/rays/
Tyler Fitzgerald is better and deserved the nod. He’s likely hoping the Giants don’t put him on the 40-man so he gets drafted by another team..
So skull, do you think that Fitzgerald being an infielder and Meckler being an outfielder had any bearing?
Fitzgerald has been playing CF lately.
in AAA. He’s learning CF in AAA. First time. Point being Meckler is an outfielder first. If they bring Fitzgerald up it will be to play infield and not to play a position he’s never played until this year.
The Giants need thump in their line-up not another “punch & Judy” hitter. Meckler has five HR’s in two years. Over the same time Fitzgerald has 33. That’s why I believe the Giants called up the wrong OF from AAA..
The Giants have enough guys with thump. The problem with thump is the all or nothing nature that comes with thump. Conforto, Davis, Wade, Slater, Joc, Yaz, Haniger (when healthy), and even Crawford (to a lesser extent), all have the thump to hit the ball out. But I’ve seen too many times with RISP, when all they needed was a single to score a run or two, but instead, the guys with thump, fly out to the warning track, or worse yet, hit into a DP. I’d love to see a punch and Judy hitter come up when they’re in a situation where all they need is a base hit.
fitzgerald isn’t going to need to be added to the 40 man till next year – he will be on it by then
Great opportunity for Meckler. Breezed through minors maybe another Bailey.
Anyone else bummed about the Casey Schmidt, now Luis Matos demotions? Not saying they both weren’t deserved but these two came with some much hype and promise as mainstays on the big league roster. I’m sure they’ll be up again but still feel underwhelmed by what they showed after all the buzz.
Kudos for Giants for giving these guys shots this year. Up to them to take advantage of it (lookin to you Patrick Bailey)
Let’s give them both a little more times, especially as they already have Major League gloves.
I kind of like this year’s plan of throwing rookies at the wall to see what sticks. It will get this team younger and give a lot of guys a chance at the bigs.
Not bummed about about Schmitt. I was excited when he got called up, but for me he rapidly became the most annoying hitter in the lineup.
Here’s one example why. He came up in a big situation a couple weeks ago, with the Giants down, but runners in scoring position and a potential rally. Schmitt struck out swinging. For some reason he complained bitterly to the umpire (frustration from a previous AB?). Granted, even the greatest will strike out with RISP, but Schmitt saw 5 pitches, and not one was in the strike zone. In fact nothing was closer than 6 inches to the zone.
Right now he’s a mindless hack, that hasn’t seen a pitch he won’t offer at. He has a worse approach than Pablo Sandoval, but without the bat to ball skills that Pablo possessed. I loved his defense, but right now he doesn’t have the bat skills to play at the ML level.
Unlike Matos, unless Schmitt can make serious changes, I don’t see him having a future with the Giants. Matos will be back, will be productive, and has a future with the Giants.
Made it to the show … a stickler for hard work
Wade Meckler sounds like the #3 real estate broker in a small town.
In the 1980s
Love that he has hustled his way from Eugene to San Francisco. Like another commenter said, stay oblivious and keep hitting, Mr. Meckler!
My new favorite player.
Meckler has no pop and no speed. Unless he hits .400, he won’t provide what the Giants need.
Hate to say it, but SF ain’t making the playoffs. SP is weak; defense only so-so at best and the bats don’t produce often or consistently enough.
Not Gabe’s fault. He can only play who he has. The GM dealt him a bunch of low and middle valued cards. And anyone who has ever played poker knows, you can’t win a lot of cheese with bottom to middling cards.
I would not be shocked if LA is the ONLY team from the NL West to make the playoffs.
Backup catcher, your take is so laughably incorrect! What a doomer! Lololol
Well, Agnes, it doesn’t look like the D-Backs or Rockies are in the hunt. The Padres have some nice talent, but their SP was hit by injuries. Still, they could make a run at that last wild-card if they can go on a hot streak.
Judging by your comment, I’ll assume you are a Giants fan. If the Giants do make the playoffs, Kapler, given the short stack he’s had to play with all year, ought to be named NL Manager of the Year.
I’m a Phillies fan, so I don’t have a dog in the NL West fight. JMHO, but the Giants appear to be just a tad less than prime time worthy.
If by chance SF makes the playoffs, and the first round is your Giants vs. my Phillies. I’ll buy you a ticket. Oh, a ticket to the game, not an airline ticket.
Good luck. Liked Kapler when he was in Philly. I wish him well.
I’ll easily jump at that offer if agnes doesn’t! Signed Giants fan living in San Francisco.
What a great name… now batting…Waaaaaade Meckler!
Meckler
kuiper that whole first game kept calling him merkle – I assume he had merkle’s boner on the brain