After a decade with the Arizona Diamondbacks, during which he secured two Gold Glove Awards, Nick Ahmed is now joining the San Francisco Giants on a minor league contract.
The Giants announced the signing on Monday morning, also revealing that Ahmed will participate in the team’s major league Spring Training camp in Arizona. Alongside this news, the Giants have moved left-handed pitchers Reggie Crawford and Thomas Szapucki to their minor league camp. Ahmed, aged 33, had been a fixture in the Diamondbacks organization since he was a promising prospect, eventually becoming their regular starting shortstop in the MLB.
Earlier this month, Nick Ahmed was linked to the Miami Marlins, but they ultimately signed former All-Star shortstop Tim Anderson instead. With the San Francisco Giants, top prospect Marco Luciano was expected to take the shortstop position for the 2024 season, especially since Brandon Crawford, a long-standing figure in the franchise, remains unsigned. However, Luciano has limited MLB experience, having played just 14 games, and appeared to be the sole shortstop set for the club’s Opening Day roster.
By bringing in Ahmed, the Giants gain a seasoned presence at shortstop along with elite defensive skills. Ahmed has a career batting average of .234 and a lifetime OPS of .664. In 2023, he batted .212 with a .560 OPS across 72 games and hasn’t surpassed five home runs or 38 RBI since 2019. Although he showed promise with an average of 18 home runs and 76 RBI between 2018 and 2019, his offensive performance has declined in recent years. Nonetheless, Ahmed’s defensive prowess is notable, having won two Gold Glove awards. Despite his career OPS+ of 75, his 12.2 career WAR is largely attributed to his exceptional defense. Throughout his career, Ahmed has averaged 15 defensive runs saved per 162 games, and his defensive WAR of 12.4 has been among the best in the National League since 2014.
If Ahmed secures a spot on the MLB roster, he could help fill the defensive void left by Crawford, thereby easing the pressure on the younger Luciano. However, with a month of Cactus League play remaining, there are still many uncertainties and potential changes before Opening Day.
