The Giants and Jerar Encarnación are in agreement on a minor league deal, reports Mike Rodriguez on X. The outfielder had been with Guerreros de Oaxaca in the Mexican League, who also posted on X about the deal with the Giants. It’s not yet official as Encarnación is still waiting on his work visa and needs to take his physical, per Rodriguez.
Encarnación, 26, came up as a prospect in the Marlins’ system and spent some time in the big leagues with them. He was outrighted off their roster in July of last year and was able to elect free agency at the end of the season.
He has shown big power throughout his career but also a troubling tendency to strike out. In his 81 major league plate appearances in 2022, he hit three home runs but was also punched out in 39.5% of them. He spent all of last year in Triple-A, getting into 122 games at that level. He hit 26 homers there but also struck out 38.8% of the time.
With Oaxaca this year, he stepped to the plate 107 times and amazingly launched 19 home runs. That helped him produce an absurd batting line of .366/.439/.989. His 24.3% strikeout rate wasn’t as bad as his most recent stint in affiliated ball, though it’s hard to quantify the quality of pitching he’s been facing in Mexico.
It’s understandable why the Giants are willing to give him a shot and see if he can bring that strong performance with him to their system. They currently have seven position players on the injured list, including four outfielders in Jung Hoo Lee, Jorge Soler, Austin Slater and Michael Conforto. While Blake Sabol can play some outfield, he’s tied to the catcher position now with Patrick Bailey and Tom Murphy both on the IL. Wade Meckler is on the 40-man roster but dealing with a wrist injury in the minor leagues.
Mike Yastrzemski is the most established member of the outfield that’s currently healthy. The other two spots have mostly been filled by Heliot Ramos and Luis Matos lately, with each of those two fairly lacking in experience. Tyler Fitzgerald, who is also light on inexperience, is moving around to play both the outfield and the infield.
With all of those moving parts, the Giants will bring Encarnación to Triple-A Sacramento and see how he fares. If he keeps crushing the ball like he has been with the Guerreros, it’s not hard to see him earning some big league at-bats, whether he can tamp down the strikeouts or not.
Worth a shot, can’t be any worse than most of the starters
You forgot about the Angels. obvious choice. Arte Moreno Executive of the Year.
@Fletch
Are you talking about Guerreros de Oaxaca?
Giants just got 50% of bonds power back in the outfield (0% contact 0% walks 200% strikeouts)
Farhan is on his way out.
Ha ha. Been hearing that from doomers for 4 years. You will be right eventually, and the self congratulations will be hilarious.
Encarnación sounds like just another one of Zaidi’s hopeless lightning in a bottle signings.
Encarnación big bat potential & ton of strike outs. If he has so much potential why did Marlins give up on him?
The heat’s getting hotter & hotter & Zaidi’s trying to get out of the frying pan
Why not? Better to take a chance on someone like this (hot in the Mexican League) then run out someone off the DFA roundabout. I’m a firm believer in looking everywhere for talent even if the probability of success is low. You never know when someone finally gets it or finally matures at the right time. It’s not like he’ll block a budding superstar in Sacramento.
Watched a walk off day game their the other day and boy was that lineup underwhelming.
Surprising that he did not get a minor league contract during the off-season. He strikes out much, but he’s young, has power and had a .347 OBP at AAA last year.
19 HRs in 26 games = you move to Sacramento.
Did the A’s have 19 homers in 26 games? LOL
Geez. If you are going to the Mexican League to sign players then sign Trevor Bauer. All of these women claiming that he did something wrong are prudes. The evidence shows it was mutual. And many women love rough sex, both getting it and giving it. Get over it. Bauer would be the Giants ace if he were signed. Snell two. Webb three. Hicks four. Now we’re talking.
No
Bauer served his well deserved suspension so I am open to any owner who thinks Bauer is good for business, but my guess is that Bauer turns off more sponsors and fans then he brings in. Bauer does not have a likable personality. And it certainly won’t happen in a politically progressive city.
My man says he’s gonna move Webb to our #3 starter, and that’s where I started laughing.
Webb #3??!! You must be cracked! Webb is one of the top 5 best starters in the National League. He is the Giants’ ace
What does it mean to be light in inexperience? Have you ever been inexperienced?
One time, I hit 19 HR against the computer in Bases Loaded 3 on NES.
I once umpired a little league game and the leadoff batter hit for the cycle… in the first inning!
I actually love this signing. We’re at the point now (thank you, FZ) where any out of the box move is better than the same old Austin Slater types.
Gotta backfill AAA somehow when half the team is currently filling in for injured Giants.
Probably tough on the River Cat fans right now…
They get to see Snell start tonight. Soler and Hunter Bishop, too.
Ya I guess the rehab assignments are an occasional benefit. Snell better dominate. His ego and the team needs it
Clearly Farhan is responsible for all these injuries, geez stuff it already.
Losing Lee really hurts he’s a very good looking top of lineup ball player.
The Dodgers riches are laughable so just pretend they don’t exist.
It’s obviously tough to be excited at this point with all the injuries but as mentioned earlier the starting pitching will look pretty darn good come last 3rd of the season.
Giants are team that has to win 4-2, 3-2 so rough sledding right now, but I like what the future holds.
By the way Doval is so underrated!
Hang tough Giants fans.