THE APEX TIMES
Eldridge ranks No. 5 on MLB Pipeline’s long-term value ranking, with Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle listed first and second.
MLB Pipeline’s annual long-term value assessment for the 2026 rookie class ranks Giants first baseman Bryce Eldridge as the No. 5 prospect, placing him behind Konnor Griffin (No. 1) and Kevin McGonigle (No. 2) on the list.
The ranking is built to estimate the career value of players who have graduated from prospect status by reaching specific MLB thresholds. Players are eligible only after surpassing 130 at-bats, 50 innings, or 45 days of active service time during their careers.
Griffin, a shortstop for the Pirates, is listed first based on what MLB Pipeline frames as an especially high ceiling. The evaluation highlights his potential 30-30 profile and Gold Glove-caliber defense, while noting that he made his April big league debut at age 19 and then produced a standout May before injuries sidelined him for most of the following three months.
McGonigle, a Tigers middle infielder, is ranked No. 2 and is credited by MLB Pipeline with league-leading Rookie-level production, including 7.1 WAR (Baseball Reference style) and an emphasis on both floor and ceiling in the projection.
For Eldridge, MLB Pipeline’s rationale centers on a blend of power and discipline at age 21. The Giants hitter is described as combining a 92.7 mph average exit velocity (tied for 13th in the Majors) with a 13.2% walk rate (projected to rank 16th if he had qualified), and he is noted for hitting 17 home runs as a rookie Giants age 21 or younger, the most in that age group since Orlando Cepeda’s 25 in 1958.