SAN FRANCISCO -- Gordon Beckham spent only a week with the Giants last season, but he made a big enough impact that he's getting a shot at an Opening Day roster spot.
Beckham got a minor league deal with the Giants on Wednesday, per Yahoo Sports. The 30-year-old joins a crowded group of veterans who will try to win a backup job in the infield. He will compete with the likes of fellow non-roster invitees Jimmy Rollins and Jae-Gyun Hwang, 40-man addition Orlando Calixte, and incumbent Kelby Tomlinson.
Beckham spent most of last season in Atlanta, hitting just .217 before a Sept. 27 trade to the Giants. He was hitless in five at-bats after being acquired as late-season infield depth, but teammates and coaches raved about the impact he had on a clubhouse that often felt lifeless during a second-half collapse.
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SIGN UP HERE Several team employees compared Beckham, a longtime friend of Buster Posey, to past Giants like Ryan Theriot and Jeremy Affeldt, who helped keep the room loose in down times. One member of the clubhosue even made a point of approaching general manager Bobby Evans after the season to relay the impact that had been made in such a short time.
Evans said at the winter meetings that he hoped to bring Beckham back, but he'll need a hot spring with the bat to actually win a roster spot. If he does make it, Beckham will make $1.25 million in the big leagues, according to Jon Heyman of FanRag Sports.