1 player Giants must trade before spring training

San Francisco’s countdown to the season has started. Giants are still figuring out a second base situation with Spring Training just around the corner, and to shore up their infield for the future, the solution may very well entail trading a highly touted young pitcher.

Carson Whisenhunt is a 25, year, old southpaw and probably the most valuable asset the Giants can package for trade. Although trading a former second-round pick who debuted in the majors in 2025 won’t be simple, the Giants’ pressing need for a reliable second baseman makes Whisenhunt the clear choice to lead a trade before pitchers and catchers arrive in Scottsdale.

Why Carson Whisenhunt Makes Sense as Trade Bait

Whisenhunt’s profile is one that any team in contention will be willing to pay dearly for, a fresh, easily manageable for a few years, left-handed pitcher coming with a plus changeup, and potential for being a starter. Before the 2024 season, Baseball America ranked him as the Giants’ fourth-best prospect, with scouts praising his double-plus changeup, a powerful weapon that results in both misses and weak contacts.

In his first full season as a professional, the left-hander advanced to Double-A. He spent the entirety of 2024 at Triple-A Sacramento, where he successfully negotiated the offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League. Evaluators still see him as a potential No. 4 starter with a ceiling for more if his breaking ball improves, despite the fact that he had some difficulty with the automated ball-strike system and saw a slight decline in his changeup effectiveness.

Trading organizational depth for controllable talent is the most sensible course of action for a team that has continuously minimized making costly long-term commitments in free agency. The front office’s commitment to “keep looking and trying to be opportunistic” with regard to possible trades was highlighted by general manager Zack Minasian, who suggested flexibility in examining all options.

The Nico Hoerner Connection

Nico Hoerner, the second baseman for the Chicago Cubs, is the most sensible target for a Whisenhunt-centered package. The Cubs’ acquisition of Alex Bregman has put third baseman Matt Shaw in a tight spot, making the two-time Gold Glove winner, who is nearing the end of his contract, potentially expendable.

The Giants have been aggressively pursuing a 2B and have engaged the Cubs on Nico Hoerner and the Cardinals on Brendan Donovan, per @JeffPassan pic.twitter.com/d49UxnncrW

— SleeperSFGiants (@SleeperSFGiants) January 13, 2026

With outstanding defense at second base and a career-best batting average of.297 in 2025, Hoerner led all Cubs position players in Baseball Reference’s WAR calculations. The 29-year-old, who has shown that he can play shortstop at a high level, combines positional versatility with outstanding contact skills, as shown by a pitiful 7.6% strikeout rate.

Hoerner is the exact kind of player that the San Francisco Giants need. He is a veteran, defensively elite middle infielder who rarely strikes out and can bring stability to the top of the lineup. A salary of $11.67 million for 2026 is well within the Giants’ current payroll structure of around $185 million.

The Steven Kwan Alternative

Should the Cubs balk at trading Hoerner, Cleveland’s Steven Kwan becomes a compelling option. The two-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, a left fielder, just signed a $7.725 million contract for 2026, sidestepping arbitration. However, trade rumors have been circulating about him for quite some time.

Steven Kwan is the type of hitter the Giants’ front office likes. Low power upside, but elite contact skills and reaches base at a healthy clip. He has 2 years of control remaining and the cost will still be considerable, even in a down year. 3+ fWAR players are hard to come by. https://t.co/eFaXbqIlwR

— Jeff Young (@BaseballJeff1) November 14, 2025

Kwan, who has two years of team control left before free agency after 2027, is a prime trade candidate because of the Guardians’ reputation for being frugal. Although Cleveland has reportedly set a high asking price and remained firm at both the trade deadline and Winter Meetings, the calculation changes as Spring Training approaches without an extension in place.

Kwan would require the Giants to get creative positionally, probably sliding into left field and moving Heliot Ramos around the outfield. His elite contact skills (.311 average in 2025), along with defense, make him an appealing target even if he doesn’t directly address the second base need.

While the team still has enough pitching depth to compete, trading Whisenhunt now and packing him with complementary pieces to acquire a proven contributor like Hoerner or Kwan fills a need. It’s exactly what San Francisco needs before the first pitch of Spring Training, and it’s the kind of opportunistic move Minasian mentioned.

The Giants have a potent infield led by Matt Chapman, Willy Adames, and Rafael Devers, a rising star in Heliot Ramos, and one of the best catchers in baseball in Patrick Bailey. They are inconsistent at second base and in the outfield corners. The front office must act before the opportunity expires because whisenhunt is the key to obtaining that assurance.

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