Playing alongside Team USA ‘dream come true’ for SF Giants minor leaguers

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Before the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday night, there was an announcement over the Scottsdale Stadium loudspeakers. Team USA, scrimmaging with the Giants prior to the World Baseball Classic, had four defensive substitutions.

At first base, Pete Alonso. At short, Bobby Witt Jr.

There’s nothing more routine than mid-game changes in a spring exhibition. The guys entering in the middle innings aren’t typically home run derby champions and former top prospects — speaking to the depth of the Americans’ lineup that San Francisco manager Gabe Kapler called “ridiculous” — so for good reason, those two names caught the crowd’s attention.

The moment, though, undoubtedly meant more to the other two names.

At third base, Carter Aldrete. And in left field, Michael Gigliotti.

Not members of the national team, no, but rather two of seven Giants minor leaguers selected to serve cameos alongside the star-studded American roster. Along with Aldrete, 26, and Gigliotti, 27, Wil Jenson, Evan Gates, Hayden Cantrelle, Shane Matheny and Ryan Walker all suited up for Team USA, and all but two (Jensen and Walker) made it into the game, which, by the way, the Giants won by a score of 5-1.

Afterward, Matheny, who pinch-ran for Mookie Betts in the top of the fifth, and Gigliotti each described the experience as a “dream come true.” While both have filled in during Cactus League games this spring, Matheny’s 15-game stint at the end of last season with Triple-A Sacramento represented the only experience above Double-A for any of the seven players.

“That’s always been a dream of mine, to play for Team USA,” said Matheny, a 23rd-round pick in 2017 who last year converted from an infielder to an outfielder (not unlike Betts). “This was kind of dipping my toes in. …  It was one of the better days of my life so far.”

It may have meant even more to Gigliotti, which Matheny can attest to after sharing a locker room for much of last season at Double-A Richmond. Acquired from Tampa Bay in the minor-league portion of the Rule 5 draft in December 2021, Gigliotti’s first season in the Giants’ organization was cut short last August.

Chasing down a fly ball, Gigliotti dove and broke his collarbone. It required surgery. There is still metal inside him from the operation. By Christmas, he had begun swinging a bat again. And on Wednesday, that rehab was rewarded in a big way.

“I just told myself to come in today and soak it in as much as you can because this is a dream come true,” Gigliotti said. “I watched these guys growing up on TV every day. … Just seeing how normal they are. We hold them on a pedestal – as we should; they’re amazing players – but as far as humans and men, they’re normal. Cool guys, but just very normal.”

A natural center fielder, Gigliotti said Mike Trout was his “idol,” and that seeing him up close made him appreciate “the way he plays the game, the way he holds his head up high even after getting out. He keeps it light.”

This spring, however, Gigliotti has been working in the corners. And that’s where he entered Wednesday night, as a defensive replacement for Kyle Tucker. Just one problem.

“If we’re being honest, I hadn’t taken any (fly balls) in left in weeks,” Gigliotti said. “And today I get out in left field, like, oh, here we go! Not a single ball.”

Matheny, who took over in right, did get one ball hit his way, a pop fly from catcher Blake Sabol for the third out of the eighth inning.

“Most stressful can of corn fly ball I’ve ever caught, man,” Matheny said. “You can’t look bad wearing these colors.”

Gates was the first minor leaguer to enter the game, emerging from the left-field bullpen with two outs in the third inning to spell starter Miles Mikolas. Arriving on the mound, he was greeted by an infield of Paul Goldschmidt, Jeff McNeil, Trea Turner and Nolan Arenado. On the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast, Duane Kuiper joked that Gates ought to be asking for autographs.

“We were strictly told not to do that,” Gigliotti said, laughing.

Besides that, there were few other instructions provided. It wasn’t a totally immersive experience, though. The minor leaguers used a separate locker room and their navy blue uniforms were blank on the back.

“I did my best to stay out of their way,” Matheny said. “But you can’t pass up the opportunity to talk to some of these guys.”

It had been a typical Tuesday for the minor leaguers before they got the news.

Around 8 p.m., Gigliotti was home playing Rocket League when he received a phone call. It was Gabe Alvarez, one of the Giants’ player development staffers, calling to inform him that he could take the day off from camp; he had a game to play that night.

The selections were made by Kyle Haines, the Giants director of player development, who said they were determined by the needs of Team USA, as well as “rewarding some high character teammates who have worked hard this spring … and could handle the moment emotionally.”

Around the same time, Matheny learned he would also be suiting up for Team USA.

“My mouth dropped,” Matheny said.

“Phone might’ve dropped, too,” added Gigliotti.

Following Wednesday’s night game — one of two games the Giants will play under the lights this spring — the major leaguers were allowed a leisurely morning. They weren’t required to report until 11 a.m. Thursday.

For the minor leaguers, though, it was back to work with a normal early spring call time at Papago Park.

“Probably got a sim game,” sighed Gigliotti.

“Back to reality,” Matheny said.