San Francisco Giants Positional Preview: Right Field

As Spring Training approaches, we’ll take a look at the San Francisco Giants depth at every position. The eighth, and final offensive position examined is right field.

There were a lot of “what if’s” surrounding the San Francisco Giants during and after the 2015 season, but maybe non were more prominent than “what if Hunter Pence was healthy all season?”.

Hunter Pence missed the first 36 games of the season last year after suffering a fracture in his wrist during Spring Training. From June to July, he missed 30 more games because of inflammation and irritation in that surgically repaired wrist. He would then miss the final 44 games of the season because of an oblique strain. After playing in all 324 games in the two years prior, he played just 52 games last season, less than half as many as his previous career low (108 games in his rookie year of 2007).

Pence’s leadership was sorely missed, as was his bat in the middle of the lineup. He was a thumper as usual when he did play, hitting nine home runs and driving in 40 runs, while his .478 slugging percentage would have matched Brandon Belt for the team’s lead had he qualified. But the 110 games missed may have been the biggest difference for the orange and black. They did go 34-17 in games in which Pence started, after all.

More from Golden Gate Sports

Getting Pence back in the middle of the order will be a huge boost for the Giants’ already stout lineup, and his defense in right field is nearly unmatched. No one in the game plays the tricky right field in AT&T Park like Pence, and his strong arm (despite his quirky throwing motion) is an added dimension to the team’s defense. The one thing that absolutely can’t be replaced is Pence’s spirit and energy. He makes the guys around him better by simply being himself.

With Pence on the shelf last season, Justin Maxwell and Gregor Blanco played the brunt of the year in right field. Maxwell is gone, heading to the Miami Marlins on a minor league deal, but Blanco remains the backup outfielder at all three spots. He plays a great defense, doing a very nice job in the tricky right field as well, and has become a solid batter as well. Should something arise in any outfield position, Blanco is usually always there to pick up the slack.

Kyle Blanks has the potential to be this year’s Maxwell, cracking the opening day roster as a non-roster player with a strong spring. Blanks has experience in both corner outfield positions as well as first base, and brings a strong bat with him. He has his own dicey injury history as well, but then again, so did Maxwell.

Jarrett Parker received an opportunity to prove himself in the final month of the season last year, and played very well in his limited time. He hit six home runs in 21 games, quickly proving himself as a potent hitter. Parker may not be a future everyday player, but he certainly has the potential to fill in for short periods.

More from San Francisco Giants

Mac Williamson, on the other hand, looks like he may be a starting outfielder of the future. If not for a lost season in 2014 because of Tommy John surgery, he may be entering this spring competing for a starting job, but instead is competing for an opening day roster spot as a backup outfielder. Williamson is a good hitter with a lot of pop, slashing .291/.376/.486 in his minor league career with 50 home runs and 74 doubles, and has a very strong throwing arm. With Angel Pagan‘s contract set to expire after the 2016 season, Williamson could stake his claim to a starting job beyond that.

Among the Giants’ non-roster players, Ryan Lollis and Gorkys Hernandez have both played right field in the big league careers. Lollis played once at the big league level last year, and has 326 minor league games in right field. Hernandez has eight big league games in right field, but has been primarily a center field through his professional career. Both are organizational players for the foreseeable future.

Next: San Francisco Giants Positional Preview: Center Field

With Pence healthy again, the Giants have their emotional leader back again. His presence in the lineup and the dugout will be huge for the Giants as they attempt to win their fourth championship in seven seasons.

Home/San Francisco Giants