Shortstop Casey Schmitt Has Been A Spark For The San Francisco Giants

The San Francisco Giants have called up their #4 prospect Casey Schmitt, who is off to an historic start.

By: Nicholas Mukhar

A month and a half into the 2023 MLB season the San Francisco Giants are hovering around .500 and in fourth place in the National League West division. So in an effort to jumpstart their offense and make a move up in the division standings heading into the summer and the thick of the season’s schedule, the Giants recently called up shortstop Casey Schmitt – their #4 minor league prospect – who is off to a career start not seen in San Francisco since the days of Willie McCovey.

Homering in his first Major League game was just the beginning for Schmitt, who coupled his impressive offensive start with strong defensive play. Below are some of the historic numbers Schmitt has posted since being called up to the show:

5th player in franchise history to hit two home runs in his first three career starts
2nd player in franchise history to have multiple hits and score at least one run in his first three career starts
First shortstop in Major League history to hit for extra bases in his first three career starts
Tied with hall of fame Giants star Willie McCovey for most hits (8) in his first three career games
Tied for 2nd in franchise history for most hits in the first 10 games of a career (10)

San Francisco Giants Defense Welcomes Schmitt’s Glove

If Casey Schmitt continues to make a case to keep his bat in the lineup, where do you put him in the field? Current Giants shortstop and team captain Brandon Crawford is hitting just .162 this season, and replacing Crawford at shortstop is not out of the question for Schmitt. But Brandon Crawford still plays gold glove-caliber defense, so keeping his glove in the field will depend on Schmitt’s defensive versatility. Schmitt has already played shortstop with Crawford on the bench, and then third base when regular third baseman J.D. Davis is slotted in as designated hitter.

But J.D. Davis is also playing strong defense at third base for the Giants. That means Schmitt may have to try playing second base in place of everyday second baseman Thairo Estrada if his impressive hitting continues.

The San Francisco Giants rank 25 out of 30 MLB teams in total defense, so it would make sense to put their best defensive club on the field. That would mean J.D. Davis at third base, Brandon Crawford at shortstop, and Casey Schmitt at second base depending on how the rookie adjusts to a third defensive position. The Giants rank in the middle of the pack – 14th – in total offense this season. That’s higher than four out of five of their opponents on their schedule to close out May: Brewers, Marlins, Pirates, and Twins. The fifth team on San Francisco’s schedule, the Philadelphia Phillies, rank one spot ahead of the Giants in total offense.

Schmitt’s bat could help the San Francisco Giants’ mediocre lineup get closer to the top 10 in total offense. That would certainly be a welcomed site for a team currently six games under the .500 mark that’s looking to at least hit .500 before the month ends.