With two weeks left until the first 2026 Spring Training workouts, one of the best position players left on the board is coming off it. The Giants have reportedly signed Harrison Bader to a two-year deal, adding a dependable defender who had a career year offensively in 2025.

A Look at Bader

Last February, the Twins signed outfielder Harrison Bader to a one-year deal to shore up the outfield. At the time, Bader was coming off a down year with the Mets and joined a Twins team that could use someone like Bader. Not only could he spell Byron Buxton on rest days but he could also help mix and match alongside left-handed hitters Matt Wallner and Trevor Larnach.

However, that’s not how things played out.

Bader became a fixture of the Twins’ lineup for much of 2025, as he was a highly productive player. He hit 12 home runs before Minnesota flipped him to the Phillies. With Philadelphia, Bader was a hit. The 31-year-old slashed .305/.361/.463 with five home runs and 17 extra-base hits across 50 games with the Phillies.

His .346 wOBA was 56th-best among all Major Leaguers (242) who accrued at least 350 plate appearances last season.

Even though Bader is a right-handed hitter, his splits have bounced back and forth over the years. He’s never strictly been better against lefties compared to righties. And in fact, Bader has beaten up on right-handed hitters over the years.

Just this past season, Bader slashed .300/.369/.476 with 11 home runs and 31 extra-base hits over 344 plate appearances. Against left-handed pitching, Bader slashed .227/.299/.390.

Perhaps part of the reason why that’s the case is that Bader hits the fastball very well, in general. The 31-year-old has a shorter, level swing that allows him to get to high & inside fastballs efficiently.

Where Bader has been more vulnerable over the years has been on the breaking balls and splitters/changeups. Bader hit his fair share of breaking balls; 11 of his home runs from 2025 were off them. However, he’s also had a lot of swing-and-miss, as noted down below against right-handed pitching.

Defensively, Bader remains one of the best outfielders in terms of speed and range. However, Bader saw time in left and right field last season, a change for him. Generally speaking, Bader has been a primary center fielder for the vast majority of his career, dating back to his days as a Cardinal.

Per reports, including from the New York Times, Harrison Bader agreed to a two-year deal with the Giants.

Analysis

Given how spacious the outfield in San Francisco plays, someone like Bader could be a slam dunk for the Giants — at least defensively. He’s a Swiss-Army knife who can play all three outfield positions. However, Bader may be the most useful in center field, the position where he’s suited up for most of his career.

Bader joins a Giants outfield that has plenty of bodies. Jung Hoo Lee and Heliot Ramos figure to be everyday players, while Drew Gilbert, Grant McCray, and Jerar Encarnacion are also on the 40-man roster.

But one thing to note about how the Giants have configured their outfield in the past is with Jung Hoo Lee in center. Lee is an agile player and one with premier arm strength. In fact, his arm strength velocity measure (91.4 MPH) was among the top 10% in the league last season.

The problem with Lee is his range and his ability to make reads out in center field. Bader is efficient in that regard. Hence, Lee — who has a good arm — may very well be a better fit long-term in a corner outfield spot.

Another positive of this pickup is that, aside from the defense, Bader has always been a good fastball hitter. We’ll see what he can do offensively in 2026. Bader did set a career-high in home runs (17) last season, and he will be heading to a more pitcher-friendly environment.

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