The San Francisco Giants continue to reshuffle their roster amid a difficult stretch of the season, designating 25-year-old utility man Eddys Leonard for assignment on Tuesday.
The move came as the club reinstated outfielder Victor Bericoto from the injured list and added catching depth by signing Andrew Knizner to a major league contract while optioning Zach Morgan back to Triple-A Sacramento.
Leonard’s time with the Giants proved brief. Promoted from Triple-A Sacramento earlier this month to provide outfield depth after the trade of Heliot Ramos and Bericoto’s injury, the Dominican-born player appeared in just three games, all in left field.
He managed two hits in eight at-bats before being designated for assignment. Prior to joining the Giants organization, Leonard spent time developing in the minor league systems of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Detroit Tigers.
While his major league sample was limited, Leonard has shown intriguing power potential throughout his minor league career.
Across his time in the affiliated ranks, he has posted a lifetime .458 slugging percentage and an .807 OPS, numbers that suggest a bat capable of producing extra-base damage when given consistent opportunities.
Those underlying tools helped him earn a brief look at the highest level, even if the results did not stick long enough to keep him on the active roster.
The Giants’ recent roster activity reflects a team still searching for traction. San Francisco has struggled since the August 3 trade deadline, going 2-5 and sitting a season-low 21 games under .500.
The club moved several established pieces in deals that sent Luis Arraez, Heliot Ramos, Robbie Ray, Tyler Mahle, Erik Miller and Caleb Killian elsewhere. With the season winding down and contention hopes fading, the organization is prioritizing evaluation of younger or more immediate contributors.
Bericoto’s return offers one such opportunity. The 24-year-old outfielder has already made an impression in limited action this year, hitting .293 with four home runs and an .857 OPS across 24 games.
Reinstated from a rehab assignment, he is expected to see regular playing time in left field. Knizner, a familiar presence who appeared in 33 games for the Giants last season as a backup to Patrick Bailey, provides veteran insurance behind the plate.
For Leonard, the designation for assignment opens a 10-day window in which the Giants can trade him, release him, or place him on waivers.
Given his minor league track record and relative youth, other organizations may see value in a player who has already demonstrated the ability to drive the ball with authority at lower levels.
Whether that next opportunity comes in San Francisco or elsewhere remains to be determined, but the power numbers he has compiled in the minors ensure he will not be easily overlooked.
