Since 2017, the Giants are 137-187 and mainstays in the bottom of the NL West finishing last in 2017 and 4th in 2018. Things are starting to change in the mindset of the ownership, bringing in longtime rival executive Farhan Zaidi from the Los Angeles Dodgers to fill the role of President of Baseball Operations. Zaidi brings a track record of success in his years with Los Angeles and Oakland and will look to make smart, calculated moves in order to bring another World Series back to the Bay.
Gone from last year’s Top 50 are Austin Slater, Steven Duggar, Andrew Suarez and Reyes Moronta. Success was also found in Dereck Rodriguez, a November signing as he was let go by the Twins. The system to most looks pretty rough as there are only a few key pieces to build around, but the further you dig into the system, the more likely you are to find players who are showing signs of life, development and the ability to make and contribute on the MLB roster in the near future.
With the recent investment into the international market, the Giants are starting to be an organization you can expect to sign some of the highly touted J2 prospects, as well as the lower end J2 prospects. Hopefully with Zaidi in the fold for the Giants, not only will this continue but an importance on the Amateur Draft will need to develop. Another year with a high draft pick and a miss on impact young talent could be costly for Zaidi and the Giants organization.
When it’s all said and done, I am excited to see this list below develop over the year and in years to come. Having the chance to add more impact players to this list via trade, draft or INTL signing is exciting for any fan of the Giants. 2019 will be an eventful and fun packed year we all can’t wait to experience.
Prospects1500 Tiers:
Tier 1: Players with high expectations of both making the majors and playing at an All-Star level for a number of years
Tier 2: Players with an above average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 3: Players with an average expectation of making the majors and being a solid contributor
Tier 4: Players who have the potential of making the majors, or have high likelihood of making the majors but providing minimal impact (e.g. middle reliever, low-ceiling UT guys)
Tier 5: Players who are worth keeping an eye on, but likely to never make a team’s 40-man roster.
Tier 1:
1. Joey Bart, C
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A
Bart is the prize of the San Francisco Giants organization. Bart was drafted #2 overall in the 2018 draft as a player who could replace Buster Posey behind the dish. The Giants will need to find other pieces to protect him moving forward, but he has shown all the skills necessary to be an All-Star for years to come. Bart’s power and ability to hit for average makes him the best C prospect in dynasty leagues. If Bart can control the strike zone at all times, he’ll be able to fully tap into his star potential and reach the ceiling of best catcher in all formats. Defensively, Bart will stick behind the dish for a long time. His ability to handle a pitching staff and throw out runners will prove to be valuable to the Giants in the long-run. In FYPD, Bart should be one of the first players taken.
Tier 2:
2. Heliot Ramos, OF
Age: 19
2018 Highest Level: A
I ranked Ramos out of my top 100 list mainly because of the concerns I have for him to hit at higher levels. I do believe he is an impressive athlete and prospect but in a system that lacks star power, he stands out. Ramos performed at a high level in the AZL in 2017, but still his plate discipline stood out to me. In 35 games, Ramos had 48 K’s but was still able to hit a high level .348/.404/.645/1.049, very impressive. Then in 2018, Ramos was sent to the Sally where he stayed and played his first full season. Ramos numbers dropped significantly. In 124 games, Ramos had 136 K’s and hit .245/.313/.396/.709, big difference. I do think that it may have been slightly aggressive, and yes he has a lot of solid tools, but to me these numbers standout. I am hesitant to think Ramos will be an All-Star in the future. Sure, things can change. Ramos will be 19 for most of the 2019 season. I’ll be watching closely to see what kind of development Ramos will endure, but as a fantasy owner, I would not want to own him currently.
3. Marco Luciano, SS
Age: 17
2018 Highest Level: DNP
Luciano, the prize of the 2018 J2 class, has yet to play a professional game, but that hasn’t stopped many around the game and within the organization from being excited about the future prospect. Luciano was considered the best all-around hitter in the class and the ability to stick at SS in the future. Luciano has good size and frame that should allow him to gain more muscle in the future. From a system standpoint, Luciano is a guy dynasty owners should target in upcoming drafts as he should be a fast riser among prospect rankings.
Tier 3:
4. Alexander Canario, OF
Age: 18
2018 Highest Level: AZL
As a Giants fan or a prospect junkie, Canario is a guy you can really get excited about. As he continues to develop, he should jump up prospect rankings and should be owned in deep dynasty leagues. Canario performed well in the DSL in 2017 and was sent to the AZL this past year where he held his own again. Plate discipline stood out to me as he continued to show patience and pitch recognition. A potential OF with Canario and Ramos is a possibility in the upcoming years.
5. Heath Quinn, OF
Age: 23
2018 Highest Level: A+
I like Quinn a lot, I think he’s going to be a solid regular moving forward. He reminds me of a guy who not many people will care to own in fantasy, but will provide value without costing an arm and leg. Quinn showed last season he was ready to make the jump after repeating A+ as evident of his .300/.376/.485/.861 with 14 HR’s. I’m looking forward to seeing how Quinn performs in AA in 2019.
6. Shaun Anderson, RHP
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: AAA
Coming to San Francisco via trade with Boston, Anderson has the best chance to stick as a starter moving forward. He isn’t an overwhelming prospect by any means, but he’s no slack either. Anderson works in the low 90’s, with a slider/cutter and a developing changeup. Commanding all of these pitches at the highest level will be the deciding factor for Anderson. He won’t blow anyone away with his stuff, but if his command stays tight, he’ll be able to provide solid value for a roster lacking in starting pitching depth.
7. Logan Webb, RHP
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: AA
Webb bounced back from TJ surgery and impressed at A+ San Jose to the tune of 20 starts, 9.0 SO9 and only a 4.4 BB9. Typically after coming back from TJ, pitchers have a tough time gaining their control back and they struggle for a time period. Webb showed good command in San Jose and then again after earning a promotion to Richmond in August. Webb has a 4 pitch mix that the Giants believe is good enough to get big league hitters out as they added him to the 40 man roster this past off-season. Webb looks like a back of the rotation type arm.
8. Chris Shaw, OF
Age: 25
2018 Highest Level: MLB
Shaw has always exhibited strong power numbers but as he’s slowly moved up the ladder, he’s started showing larger flaws. In 2016 Shaw walked 48 times, in 2017 38 times and lastly in 2018 21 times. At the same time, his strikeout numbers have climbed as well from 125, to 132 and lastly 144 in 2018. Shaw came up for a brief time period last year and looked over matched. Hopefully this was just an outlier and he’ll be able to put together a strong off-season and make an impact on this years roster. I still believe he’ll be able to hit for modest numbers, but I’m not too sure if he’s the impact guy we once thought he was.
9. Diego Rincones, OF
Age: 19
2018 Highest Level: A-
All he does is hit, and hit well. Rincones has the type of bat that can carry a guy to the bigs. He’s aggressive and will virtually swing at anything, the plus side to that is his ability to make contact at a high rate regardless of pitch location. His career .290/.357/.412/.769 is impressive along with a 53:84 BB:K ratio. Defensively, Rincones has been able to hold his own at LF and RF. A move to full-season ball and another season like last year, Rincones will shoot up other prospect lists. I believe in the bat and the ability to make contact moving forward.
10. Gregory Santos, RHP
Age: 19
2018 Highest Level: A-
Acquired from the Red Sox, Santos is still very young and raw. He has a mid 90’s fastball with good sinking action along with a late breaking curveball and improving yet inconsistent changeup. Santos has some the highest potential out of the small group of starting pitchers in the system. Potentially a mid-rotation starter with the chance to impact the Giants roster in a couple years.
11. Sean Hjelle, RHP
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A-
Stop me if you’ve heard this one yet, but Hjelle is tall. I know, I know. Maybe I should be a little more descriptive. Well folks, the man is 6’11 and for hitters, that’s intimidating. If you aren’t excited to see him on the mound, you may have a problem. He’s touched 96 mph and features a curveball and changeup. If he can continue developing his change, he’ll start to see production tick up a bit as he moves towards a backend rotation piece. I’m excited.
12. Jacob Gonzalez, 3B
Age: 20
2018 Highest Level: A
Gonzalez has the bat speed and the pedigree to provide an impact offensively, however he struggles with plate discipline and he’ll need to improve on the 21.1 K%. Defensively, not many people believe he’ll continue playing at 3B or he’ll hit enough to profile at 1B. He has a lot of work to do in order to make an impact but he’ll be a speculative add in deep dynasty leagues because of his name. I’d be weary.
13. Abiatal Avelino, 2B/SS
Age: 23
2018 Highest Level: MLB
Avelino earned a late season call-up and appeared in only 6 games. Avelino is more of a utility guy than an every day regular. Potentially a younger version of Alen Hanson. I like him more as a real life player than I do for fantasy purposes. If he’s able to gain eligibility in 4-5 positions he would hold more value. He’ll be 24 for all of 2019 and if he’s able to tap into the power he showcased last year, he’s going to be fun to watch.
14. Jalen Miller, 2B
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A+
Miller is developing into a guy who could contribute soon and when he gets there he may stay. 2018 brought the best year of Miller’s brief minor league career as he set high marks in HR’s with 14 and matched 11 SB’s to years past. He’ll need to continue to develop plate discipline in order to not be just a reserve, utility guy at the MLB level.
15. Melvin Adon, RHP
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: A+
Adon, like Ray Black (18), has an 80 grade fastball that has helped generate a lot of buzz this year for Adon. A FB that has touched 102 MPH and sits in the upper 90’s is mixed with a true wipe out slider that can really make hitters look foolish. However, when Adon is unable to locate his FB and it gets flat, he gets into trouble. Adon is easily on my top list of players I am excited for this upcoming year.
16. Manuel Geraldo, SS
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A
Geraldo spent all of 2018 in Augusta and produced some solid numbers as their starting SS. More hit than power at the moment but potentially 10-12 HR pop to go along with double digit SB’s. Defensively, Geraldo is a solid defender with the chance to play a utility role at the big league level. I’m excited to see how he does this upcoming year and to see his continued development.
17. Jairo Pomares, OF
Age: 18
2018 Highest Level: DNP
A 2018 J2 signing from Cuba, Pomares is a bit older than some J2 prospects which should allow him to move a little quicker than others. He does show a good feel for hitting and a plus runner. Power should develop over the upcoming years and while his body matures.
18. Ray Black, RHP
Age: 28
2018 Highest Level: MLB
Black is an old for prospect ranks, but he’s still around and its great to see it. Black features an 80 grade fastball that produces a very high swing rate at 34.1% In order for Black to leave the minor league ranks and be a staying force for the Giants, he’ll need to consistently locate his FB and work his slider/curveball combo off of it. Black gave up 16 runs in 23.1 IP with the Giants last year.
19. Sandro Fabian, OF
Age: 20
2018 Highest Level: A+
Two different seasons for Fabian from 2017-2018 is not what you want to see from a guy many in the industry like. Fabian does not show good plate discipline and this is possibly why his season this past year was down. He posted an awful 17.5 K% and 2.0 BB% in 2017 followed by an even worse 23.8 K% and 5.8 BB% in 2018. If Fabian can’t improve his K% and BB%, it’ll be hard for him to advance to higher levels. At 20, he still has time to overcome these issues, but I’m not holding my breath.
20. Aramis Garcia, C
Age: 25
2018 Highest Level: MLB
Garcia earned a September call-up and produced moderate numbers during this time span. Power is Garcia’s best offensive skill at this point and he showed with 4 HR’s 19 games with the Giants last year. Lack of plate discipline comes with that power unfortunately as he posted an awful 31:2 K:BB ratio. Although during his minor league career, his K:BB hasn’t been that bad so hopefully some correction will occur. A solid backup to Posey and a place holder for Bart, Garcia should provide some fantasy value in 2019.
21. Camilo Doval, RHP
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A
Doval looks the part of an impact arm out of the bullpen, pitching exclusively in all 73 IP in his brief minor league career. 153 K’s in 107 IP is good for a 34.2% K rate. Reports on Doval are outstanding to this point, showcasing a 99 mph fastball with cut and a slider that has flashed plus at times. Doval has a cross-fire arm action adding in good deception. I am excited about his development moving forward and I am hoping he develops a change or a split to compliment these pitches at the next level.
22. Luis Toribio, 3B
Age: 18
2018 Highest Level: DSL
A 2017 J2 prospect, Toribio has an advanced feel for hitting. Scouts liked his ability to barrel balls and his power at age 17, and boy were they right. Toribio posted some impressive numbers in the DSL last year in first taste of professional baseball. In 64 games, he showcased a 51:62 BB:K ratio, coupled with 10 HR’s and a slash line .270/.423/.479/.902. Defensively, Toribio posted a .829 FLD% leaving a lot of work left for him to be a solid contributor at 3B. Regardless, his bat is his carrying point for the foreseeable future.
23. Juan De Paula, RHP
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A
The Giants acquired De Paula from the Yankees in the Andrew McCutchen trade this past summer. De Paula is slender in size and needs to add more weight as he matures in the system in order to continue developing as a starter. Even though he has the skills and makeup to continue being a starter, if his mechanics and durability falter, his power arm would stick in the backend of the bullpen
24. Jake Wong, RHP
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A-
Wong, a 3rd round draft pick in 2018 started in A- Salem-Keizer and pitched pretty well while the Giants monitored his workload leaving him with only 27.1 IP. The Giants like Wong a lot and rightfully so. His fastball sits mid 90’s with sink and his curveball is a large drop off in velocity as it comes in typically in the upper 70’s. Developing his change up and potentially a slider would go a long way in how quickly Wong will shoot up the system.
25. Travis Bergen, LHP
Age: 25
2018 Highest Level: AA
Bergen was the first of two picks in this past years Rule 5 Draft. Bergen comes from Toronto and the Giants are thrilled to have him in the mix. Bergen will be a solid LHP to add to the bullpen fold this upcoming season and potentially moving forward. He was impressive during the 4 seasons with Toronto, minus tearing his UCL and suffering through injuries. He did however post a .95 ERA in 2018 with an impressive 11.8 SO9 while working the end of games for AA New Hampshire.
Tier 4:
26. Ryan Howard, SS
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: AA
I like Howard a lot, I like his ability to hit – showing solid plate discipline 11.6 K% and his ability to play SS. Ultimately, Howard should be able to contribute as a reserve if he isn’t able to hit for more power than what he already provides. In 2017, Howard hit 9 HR’s compared to his 5 in 2018. Not exactly the power I’d want to see from a regular moving forward. I’m hoping to see a small tick in power and would be happy to see 12 HR’s in the upcoming year. Whether that happens, only time will tell. Regardless I like Howard’s makeup and ability to make solid contact regularly.
27. Seth Corry, LHP
Age: 20
2018 Highest Level: A-
Corry, a high draft pick in 2017 has been somewhat of a disappointment. Corry is still very raw but showed at times what he could bring to the table. Corry posted a 9.2 SO9 in 57.2 IP but command lacked as he walked 5.0 BB9. Next step in development for Corry will be adding another pitch to go with his low 90’s fastball and his curveball.
28. Garrett Williams, LHP
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: AA
Long gone are the days when we watched Williams be a star at the 2007 Little League World Series. Now are the times of watching Williams get hit around in AA Richmond this past year. Williams mixes his curveball, which is arguably his best pitch, with a low 90’s fastball. Command at times can be shaky for Williams and at times he looks destined to be a LHP out of the pen. I still think he has a chance to be a backend starter if he can iron out his fastball command and continue developing his change up.
29. Luis Matos, OF
Age: 16
2018 Highest Level: DNP
Signed J2 in 2018, Matos is very young at age 16. It’ll likely be roughly another year or two before we see him stateside. However, Matos showed flashes a plus arm and the ability to hit for average and power. Matos reminds scouts of a solid regular at his current state, rather than a star.
30. Drew Ferguson, OF
Age: 26
2018 Highest Level: AAA
Ferguson comes to the Giants via the Houston Astros from the Rule 5 Draft. Ferguson offers flexibility in the OF being able to play multiple positions although they’ll likely give him the most playing time in CF. He also fits the mold of the type of player Zaidi wants as Ferguson is a career .297/.393/.455/.848 in 4 minor league seasons and stole 30 bases in 2016.
31. Malique Ziegler, OF
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A
Recently earning the honor of being the fastest player in the Giants farm system given by MLB Pipeline, Ziegler missed a good portion of 2018 while dealing with a core muscle strain. Ziegler is a raw CF who, when healthy, showed a nice blend of power and speed in years past. If Ziegler can improve his durability and use his speed at the plate, he’s going to be fun to watch in 2019.
32. C.J. Hinojosa, SS
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: AA
Hinojosa played only 74 games in 2018 after being suspended for 50 games for testing positive for his second drug-of-abuse violation. When his suspension was over, Hinojosa came back and produced similar numbers to years past. Offensively, Hinojosa remained contact oriented while only striking out 34 times in 311 PA. Outside of solid plate discipline, Hinojosa does not offer much. Defensively he played 3 different positions in 2018 2B/SS/3B, likely sticking as a utility guy moving forward.
33. Sam Coonrod, RHP
Age: 26
2018 Highest Level: AA
Coonrod suffered a torn UCL and the end of 2017 and missed most of 2018 with TJ. He was able to return to the mound in July and pitched 11.2 IP. Coonrod was added to the 40 man roster this winter, it’ll be interesting to see if he’s able to make it to the show at some point this year – more than likely as a RP.
34. Garrett Cave, RHP
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A
Cave struggled in 2018 at Augusta as evident of the 1.54 whip in 116 IP. However through two seasons with the Giants, Cave has shown a penchant to striking batters out. There is still something in the tank for Cave that pushed me to rank him this high, if, and its a big IF, Cave is able limit hard contact (11 HR allowed last year, 0.9 HR9) he could start turning the corner.
35. Matt Frisbee, LHP
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A-
An 80 grade name and a 15th round pick in the 2018 draft, Frisbee turned in solid results out of the bullpen in A- Salem-Keizer this pasts season. In 3 years at UNC Greensboro, Frisbee started 46 games and he should get a chance to start in 2019.
36. Aaron Bond, OF
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A
Bond, Aaron Bond… sorry, I had to do it. I’ll start by saying I am a huge fan of Bond. Especially with the challenge from Trevor Bauer to hit a HR off of him. Back to Bond, in 2017, he showcased why the Giants took him in the 12th round. Hitting for power and showing off some speed. In 2018, the Giants saw Bond perform admirably in A- Salem-Keizer and then a promotion to the Sally League in Augusta. Bond hit 14 HR’s and added 11 SB’s last season across the two levels. Bond at times, gets a little pull happy 51.6% of the time and his swing can get a touch long. I’m looking forward to seeing how he develops this year and if he can add a little more consistency at the plate. Defensively he’s been solid in the OF showcasing his speed to track down balls in the gap.
Huge thank you for the opportunity @BauerOutage I told you I was gonna take you deep before I leave 😈😂 @drivelinebases #Blessed pic.twitter.com/D6NdfCTlM8
— Aaron Bond (@Aaron_Bond) December 20, 2018
37. Pat Ruotolo, RHP
Age: 23
2018 Highest Level: AA
The Giants seem to have a good grasp on how to develop and acquire relief pitchers. Ruotolo is no different. Ruotolo has good deception and brings a solid 3 pitch mix to the table. Ruotolo has a career 13.3 SO9 and a sub 2 era since being drafted in the 27th round in 2016. He should be able to help the bullpen in the near future.
38. Joey Marciano, LHP
Age: 24
2018 Highest Level: A+
Marciano is a big, BIG LHP who was drafted late in 2017 as a 36th round pick. The Giants did a good job scouting and finding him late is promising. A strong start in Augusta earned him a promotion to San Jose in early July, however, Marciano struggled in 4 early starts before moving to the pen a month later. Not an overly hard thrower, Marciano is better known for his curveball.
39. Jacob Heyward, OF
Age: 23
2018 Highest Level: AAA
Heyward was able to bounce back from a lackluster 2017 season in the Sally to produce a solid campaign that saw him go to AA Richmond and a brief call-up to AAA Sacramento at the end of the season. Heyward improved across the board in 2018 and showcased why the Giants drafted him in 2016. Look for Heyward to contribute in AAA with potential to make the MLB roster in 2020.
40. Tyler Beede, RHP
Age: 25
2018 Highest Level: MLB
This was a hard ranking for me, Beede was a guy I liked a lot coming out of Vanderbilt back in 2014. The hopes and dreams of him being a top prospect have fallen hard over the last 3 years. Beede has struggled with command especially last season with 56 BB’s in 74 IP in AAA. The Giants also brought him up in April for 7.2 IP where he walked 8 during that time. If Beede isn’t able to right the ship that made him twice, a 1st round draft pick, I’m not too sure we’ll hear from the righty again.
Tier 5:
41. David Villar, 3B
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A-
Drafted in the 11th round out of University of South Florida, Villar showed the ability to hit and hit with power. Over 56 games in Salem-Keizer, Villar hit 13 HR’s and added a nice .279/.332/.549/.881 slash line over 226 AB’s. He was tied with Bart for 2nd on the team in HR’s and one behind Bond. Villar has a chance to stick at 3B and move quickly – potentially a deep dynasty add for fantasy owners.
42. Yorlis Rodriguez, 3B
Age: 19
2018 Highest Level: AZL
Rodriguez signed with the Giants out of Cuba in 2017 and was sent stateside in 2018 to the AZL. He showed the advanced hitting most scouts reported in 2018 as he posted a 25:18 SO:BB ratio. Strong numbers continued for Rodriguez in 41 games as he hit .323/.409/.445/.854 over 155 AB’s. Rodriguez likely won’t hit for power as he moves up the ladder but he’s still an interesting prospect. Played 3B in 2018 but likely will move to 2B in the future.
43. Mike Gerber, OF
Age: 26
2018 Highest Level: MLB
Gerber was claimed off waivers in early December from Detroit and added to the 40 man roster. Gerber does offer some flexibility in the OF, being able to play all 3 spots. Whether he can hit will be the key for Gerber in 2019 if he wants to make an impact with the Giants. In 2018, Gerber hit .095 in 42 AB’s with Detroit and a lowly .213 in AAA Toledo. Gerber however holds a MiLB career .346 OBP over 5 seasons which likely factored into Zaidi signing Gerber from Detroit as his first move in San Francisco.
44. Keaton Winn, RHP
Age: 20
2018 Highest Level: A-
Winn, a 2018 draft pick out of Iowa Western CC was sent to A- after the draft. Contributing 43IP, Winn showed good command and why the Giants spent a 5th round pick him. He’ll likely start in Augusta this year with the chance to be a key cog in 2019.
45. Gio Brusa, OF/1B
Age: 25
2018 Highest Level: A+
Brusa, an older prospect, repeated A+ San Jose last year. Power has been real for Brusa as he’s hit 36 HR’s over the 2 years he’s been in San Jose but during the same time, Gio has 263 K’s and only 68 BB’s. Plate discipline will be the key in 2019 to see if he can cut down on the K’s and tap into more of his power. Defensively in 2017, he played LF only and during his repeated season in 2018, Brusa played 1B exclusively.
46. Jose Layer, OF
Age: 21
2018 Highest Level: A-
Health has been a long time issue for Layer, causing him to miss several games and development time since being drafted in the 13th round back in 2016. Layer was healthy enough to contribute in 39 games hitting .280/.354/.446/.800 over 157 ABs. Still very raw and needing healthy times in the future, Layer could start showing more flashes in 2019. Fingers crossed.
47. John Gavin, LHP
Age: 23
2018 Highest Level: A+
Gavin, a big 6-6 LHP has shown the ability to win, dating back to his days at Cal-State. Gavin features moderate stuff and put up solid numbers in Augusta earning himself a promotion to A+ San Jose. Gavin ended up having a rough end of the year but it was still a promising one for the young lefty.
48. Luis Moreno, RHP
Age: 20
2018 Highest Level: A-
Moreno made the jump from the DSL to stateside this past year and showed very little effect. Moreno contributed solid numbers over 9 starts and the ability to get hitters out with a 8.9 SO9 in 13 games. Giants felt he earned a promotion and sent him to A- for a small cup of coffee at the end of the year.
49. Jose Marte, RHP
Age: 22
2018 Highest Level: A
The Giants are using Marte as a starter in hopes they can fully develop his other pitches and allow his upper 90’s fastball to get big league hitters out. He showed some promise in his jump from A- to A ball this past year. More than likely he ends up in the pen but an interesting arm to watch over the summer.
50. Dillon McNamara, RHP
Age: 27
2018 Highest Level: AAA
McNamara showed last year in AA the type of impact arm he could be after a small bump in the road at AAA Sacramento left a little to be desired. Still has the chance contribute especially if he continues to develop the command he showed late last season.
Just missed the cut:
My name is Paul Aiton and I’ll be covering the San Francisco Giants prospects. I grew up in Yorktown, Virginia until 2014, where I’ve since been traveling the country the last few years in attempt to chase a dream, working in professional baseball. I played 3 years in college, one season at New River CC and another two at Averett University after a shoulder injury derailed my dreams of playing professionally. Since then, I’ve gone on to coach high school and collegiate baseball. I also worked with Inside Edge Baseball for 5 years while working in their advanced scouting department. Outside of baseball I like to spend my mornings either on a golf course or taking my puppy Ace on hikes through Arizona. You can follow me @Paul_8en on Twitter. I’m always available to talk about Giants prospects, anything fantasy related or baseball!
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Paul Aitonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/giants003/
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Paul Aitonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/giants003/
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Paul Aitonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/giants003/
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Paul Aitonhttps://www.prospects1500.com/author/giants003/
Nice rundown of the Giants prospects. I don’t see anyone who I think should be significantly up or down from where you placed them.
However, I don’t think any discussion of Heliot Ramos’ performance in A-ball can be done without noting that he was an 18 YO player, competing against hitters who were 3.4 years older than him on average, and pitchers who were 3.9 years older than him on average (based on it being his 18 YO season).
Thus, first, it should be expected that he would perform much worse in such an environment. Second, thus he should be measured against what other 18 YO players have done in the Sally in the past. Third, after struggling initially in his first month plus, he hit .256/.320/.416/.736 the rest of the season, which is good compared to the average .249/.315/.379/.694 overall for the league. And if you subtract a 6 game streak of strikeouts galore, when he was momentarily lost, crossing April and May, he hit .257/.321/.415/.736 overall.
Thus, while he fell substantially, he still hit better than the league overall. And he did that as an 18 YO player competing against pitchers with 4 years more experience than he had at that time.
That said, I agree with his placement, and the knocks against him making the majors. He, in particular, still has a lot to learn about plate discipline, but that was evident in 2017 too. He took a good step forward in 2018, nothing to squash his prospect status much, but not taking a huge leap forward, either, to put him in solid competition for a Top 100 spot overall. Hopefully he can take that leap forward with San Jose, unlike Fabian, who took a giant step back.
Great list. John Gavin I am hopeful can become the next Kurt Reuter. Lefty who has pitching control, a rarity in today’s game, and can get outs. Really like him as a starting 4/5 after a few more years of seasoning in the minors. A player like that who has pitched lefty his whole life and has great control usually finds his way into the big leagues at some point.