3 big questions for the Giants this spring

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Spring Training has arrived for the Giants, who will spend the next six weeks evaluating the best fits for a roster that will be looking to improve on its fourth-place finish in the National League West last year.

The Giants plugged two holes by signing shortstop Willy Adames and right-hander Justin Verlander, but they still have several question marks at other positions that will need to be resolved before Opening Day rolls around on March 27.

Here are three storylines that could dominate the conversation in camp this year:

Can Jung Hoo Lee bounce back?

Lee was the Giants¡¯ biggest free-agent addition last offseason, but he appeared in only 37 games before suffering a season-ending left shoulder injury last May. Lee, 26, is expected to be full go for Spring Training and should slot back in at center field and possibly the leadoff spot, where the Giants still believe he can be a dynamic offensive force due to his elite contact skills. San Francisco will be counting on most of its improvement to come from within, so a breakout season from Lee would go a long way toward bolstering the club¡¯s chances of staying competitive in 2025.

What¡¯s the best fit for Marco Luciano?

Luciano was viewed as the frontrunner to succeed Brandon Crawford as the Giants¡¯ everyday shortstop last spring, but he ended up losing the job to veteran Nick Ahmed amid concerns about his defense. Those concerns proved valid, as Luciano later committed a series of costly errors when he got a brief callup with the Giants in May, prompting the club to option him back to Triple-A Sacramento.

Luciano also got looks at designated hitter and second base last year, but he was never given enough runway to establish himself and spent the final week of his rookie season in Arizona, where the Giants planned to begin transitioning him from the infield to the outfield.

Despite his struggles, the Giants still believe the 23-year-old Luciano has lots of upside, especially if he can get comfortable in the outfield and unlock the swing that made him such a highly touted prospect from the moment he entered the organization in 2018. The Giants might not have a ton of outfield reps to offer if their starting trio -- Lee, Heliot Ramos and Mike Yastrzemski -- stays healthy, but they¡¯re pretty thin on DH options, so there could be an opening for Luciano to earn some at-bats there if he produces in camp.

How far away is Bryce Eldridge?

The Giants¡¯ No. 1 prospect will be in big league camp for the first time this spring and figures to draw a big crowd once he gets a chance to take batting practice at Scottsdale Stadium. The 20-year-old first baseman is known for his huge raw power and recorded an .890 OPS with 23 home runs over 116 games in 2024, climbing from Single-A San Jose to Triple-A Sacramento in the process.

While Eldridge was promoted aggressively at the end of last season, he¡¯s played in only 17 games above High-A Eugene and is expected to open the 2025 campaign in the Minors, where he will likely focus on improving his defense at first. President of baseball operations Buster Posey has said that he doesn¡¯t want to rush Eldridge, but prospects of that ilk tend to dictate their own timetables, so it wouldn¡¯t be a surprise to see the 6-foot-7 slugger impact the big league roster sooner rather than later.