1) Joey Bart, C
Age: 22.05 (12/15/1996)
.298/.369/.613, 13 HR, .315 ISO, 166 wRC+, 5.8% BB%, 19.7% K%, 2 SB
Highest Level: SS-A
Many consider Bart to be the best catching prospect in baseball. He has a good catcher frame: strong and athletic, but maybe a smidgen taller than you would want in a catcher. At the plate his swing is efficient, with little wasted motion. He strides forward in a controlled manner, keeping his hands back; they slot at shoulder length right before his front foot lands. Bart takes advantage of good bat speed by allowing the ball to travel. His swings are strong, max-effort cuts with good use of the lower half. Bart is very strong, and his swing plane produces loft. The swing is mechanically-sound overall but the max-effort nature of it may expose him to swing and miss. Bart’s approach is very aggressive. One knit-pick is his lack of two-strike approach; the swing is max effort at all times. Scouts believe in Bart defensively despite his atypically large catcher frame. His movements are loose and fluid behind home, and he has a plus arm. Bart projects to a role 60 and has a good chance to reach his projection.
2) Heliot Ramos, OF
Age: 19.32 (9/7/1999)
.245/.313/.396, 11 HR, .151 ISO, 104 wRC+, 6.5% BB%, 25.4% K%, 8 SB
Highest Level: A
The Giants took Ramos 19 overall in 2017, and he quickly ascended to the top of their prospect lists. Ramos is one of the few guys in the system who has a chance to be an impact every day player. His stats in 2018 were not great, but all underlying skills remained in tact. His body is thick but athletic, and I especially love his ass and quads. He projects for easy plus raw power. But how much will he be able to tap into in games? Pitch recognition is a work in progress for Ramos, and it looks to be the root cause of swing and miss in his game; he expands the zone vs spin too often. Marginal improvements in pitch recognition may result in greater than normal improvements in his production because his bat speed and bat control control are both above average. Ramos has a quality approach to hitting despite the low walk rate; he has an idea of how to use all fields and take what the pitcher is giving him. Defensively, Ramos played center but may not stick there if weight gain eats into what is currently 55 speed. At present he plays 50 grade CF with a plus arm that would play in right. Ramos has a role 60 ceiling predicated on pitch recognition improvements and role 50 realistic role due to his well-rounded skill set.
3) Marco Luciano, 3B
Age: 17.31 (9/10/2001)
Highest Level: Yet to play stateside.
Jesse Sanchez (@JesseSanchezMLB) of MLB.com and Ben Balder (@BenBadler) of Baseball America both ranked Marco Luciano 2nd overall in the 2018 J2 class. Luciano is a physically-advanced and gifted 17-year-old with big raw power. The swing has mild bat wrap, but the subsequent bat path generates easy loft. His front leg bends back with a twist of his hips to generate torque, which allowing his lower half to uncoil with the swing. Effective use of his lower body in turn produces power without having to sell out for it. It’s an aesthetically pleasing, fluid swing. Luciano plays shortstop, but his body is already filling out. Defensively, his hands and reactions look playable in the infield, but future growth will likely force him to third. Current run times were around average or a tick below with 60 yard dash times in the 6.90-6.96 range. His ceiling is sky-high and his floor is equally cavernous. In a system this thin he warrants a top spot on upside alone.
4) Alexander Canario, OF
Age: 18.65 (5/7/2000)
.250./357/.403, 6 HR, .153 ISO, 119 wRC+, 13.0% BB%, 24.5% K%, 8 SB
Highest Level: Rk-AZL
Canario is a big-variance prospect with a chance to play every day. The frame is wiry. He is a plus runner who has a chance to stick in CF. There is a rawness to his game on both sides to the ball. At times he looks overmatched with spin, and defensively he made some indirect routes to flyballs. Mechanically there is some bat wrap to his swing, but he might have the best bat speed in the system. The swing utilizes a short stride and incorporates his lower half well with excellent use of his hips. It can be inconsistent though. Sometimes his center of mass drifts backwards, and he swings from his heels. His two-strike approach also leaves something to be desired, but I am reticent to ding Canario too much for that considering his age. Plus raw emerges in BP and has yet to consistently translate into game power. There is a lot to like about Canario, but being so far away from the majors presents substantial risk. He will need to show an aptitude for making adjustments and polish his overall game to reach his ceiling.
5) Gregory Santos, RHP
Age: 19.35 (8/28/1999)
49.2 IP, 4.53 ERA, 3.45 FIP, 20.3% K%, 6.6% BB%, .303 BAA
Highest Level: SS-A
One can make a case Santos has the best pure stuff in the system. Mechanically, his delivery is compact with little lower half use but electric arm speed and explosion. Santos is an easy plus athlete. The shortness of his arm action makes it hard to see ball out of hand. His command within the zone has been poor, but his three-pitch mix is downright nasty. While Santos has spotty feel for all pitches, they all show big movement. The changeup flashed double-plus depth and fade. The slider features excellent late break with reportedly high spin rates. Santos’ FB is heavy with quality sink. His overall command within the zone has been well below average, and he has been hit hard as a result. Despite the command issues, Santos is extremely intriguing due to his age and the quality of his stuff, which could play in a middle of a rotation if command takes a step forward. That is the rosy projection. The mechanics are not exactly picture perfect and it would not be hard to see Santos ending up in a pen, but he may be a prime candidate for multiple inning fireman role if that were to happen.
6) Ray Black, RHP
Age: 28.52 (6/26/1990)
35.2 IP, 2.52 ERA, 1.67 FIP, 48.5 K%, 8.8% BB%, .153 BAA
Highest Level: MLB
It is a bit odd that Ray Black still qualifies for this list at age 28, but here we are. Black has sustained a plethora of injuries over the course of his career including elbow (resulting in TJ), shoulder, and elbow again. He has an amazing fastball. It is a true 80. Not only does it average high 90s, it also has elite spin at 2640 rpm. To contextualize, the spin rate ranked 3/559 among MLB pitchers who threw 200 FBs. The whiff/swing% of 34.1% ranked 6/559. Black also reportedly touched 104 on several occasions. There is effort in his delivery, which frankly should not be much of a surprise considering the velo. The fastball is so dominant, who cares? Black works it up and down effectively. He also uses a SL/CUT and a hard CB. Both secondaries also have elite spin rates, 3083 and 3191 rpm, respectively. They don’t move as much as you might expect from the high spin rates, but they break late and the change of pace vs the fastball is devastating. Both have a chance to play to plus. Black just has to stay healthy. He will be back in the Giants pen in 2019 with closer-caliber stuff.
7) Melvin Adon, RHP
Age: 24.57 (6/9/1994)
82.1 IP, 5.03 ERA, 4.41 FIP, 21.5% K%, 10.1% BB%, .281 BAA
Highest Level: Hi-A
The Giants sent several Rule 5 bubble players to the AFL last fall and Adon was the best of them. He stands out immediately for his size and physique. Adon is a 6’4” 245 lb linebacker on the mound. He is basically a two-pitch guy but both pitches could play to double-plus or better. He throws incredibly hard, sitting routinely 96-99 and touching 102, but he often gets too much of the plate and is consequently hit hard. Sometimes his fastball has decent life, but at other times it stays flat and is very hittable. The high 80s slider can be downright filthy. Adon showed the ability to locate it to both sides of the plate. It was arguably at its best when front-doored to right-handed hitters. It flashed 70 but like the fastball was inconsistently located within the zone. Adon’s limbs are pretty long and his body control is a work in progress. They can inhibit his command and control. At 24, it is fair to wonder how much command projection he really has left. Getting it to 40 grade would be enough for him to operate in the back end of a pen because his stuff is that good.
8) Shaun Anderson, RHP
Age: 24.18 (10/29/1994)
141.1 IP, 3.69 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 21.4% K%, 5.6% BB%, .253 BAA
Highest Level: AAA
The Giants system is very thin with SP depth. Shaun Anderson probably has best chance to remain a starter. He ascended from Richmond to Sacramento during his age 23 season. Anderson’s pitch mix starts with his mid 90s fastball. The pitch has some sink to it, and Anderson throws strikes consistently to both sides of the plate; he works off the pitch in a “traditional manner”. His slider is mid 80s and the shape can be cutter-y at times; it is his best secondary. The changeup, also mid 80s flashes above average. The overall pitch mix is well-rounded but lacks a dominant put-away offering. Instead, Anderson needs to rely on command and sequencing to get the job done. Anderson’s AA 12.1% SwStr% dipped to 10.1% in AAA, which is somewhat concerning. His 46.9% GB% in the Eastern League ranked 12/34 among pitchers with 90+ innings. Mechanically, Anderson seems to have made a cognizant choice to sacrifice momentum for balance in his delivery. The current iteration reminds me of Matt Cain. Anderson is slow to home and upright, but the delivery is much more stable than it had been previously. The result is below average extension but good repeatability. Should he be unable to stick as starter, Anderson’s future in a pen is murky.
9) Logan Webb, RHP
Age: 22.12 (11/18/1996)
104.2 IP, 2.41 ERA, 3.84 FIP, 23.0% K%, 10.8% BB%, .218 BAA
Highest Level: AA
In an overall uninspiring system, Webb’s development in 2018 was one of the more encouraging story lines. He did not make a single start in 2017 after returning from TJ, and some now believe he can be a back end starter. His performance in the CAL warranted a AA promotion, where he held his own at age 21. Web is a good athlete; he played two sports in high school, also quarterbacking the football team. Entering pro ball he was perhaps less polished than the average high school draftee for that reason. The fastball is generally mid 90s, and Webb works with plane from a high arm slot. His CB is probably best secondary but improvement with his CHG and SL have made him into a potential starter. Much like Anderson, Webb lacks a sexy lights out pitch. In spite of this the Giants believe in him; they added Webb to the 40 man roster in November. Mechanically, he has below average balance, with frequent head movement at foot strike and an inconsistent finish, at times falling off to 1B side. The delivery is high effort, but he also good arm speed. Some scouts believe the body has become too dense and added muscle threatens his functional strength and flexibility. There are split opinions on his SP/RP future. In spite of his gains, the more likely outcome is still probably the pen.
10) Chris Shaw, OF
Age: 25.20 (10/20/1993)
.259/.308/.505, 24 HR, .246 ISO, 107 wRC+, 5.0%, 34.1% K%, 0 SB (MiLB Only)
Highest Level: MLB
Shaw is not a sexy name, but he looks like a safe bet to contribute some sort of major league value. He has double-plus raw power. In fact, his first career hit was a 468 foot titanic blast off Seung-Hwan Oh at Coors Field. Obligatory but terrible nickname reference: One might say he beat The Final Boss on his first try. Zing! Other than plus game power, Shaw does not bring much to the table. His strikeout rate and limited defensive value are both concerning. Shaw is a below average runner with poor range in left field. The only real options defensively are LF and 1B, which both have high bars for the bat. I genuinely hope he proves me wrong and becomes a second-division regular type, but there is a strong likelihood he settles in as strong side platoon guy. His 2018 MiLB OPS vs RHP was .822 and his OPS vs LHP was .639. AT&T Park has been historically unkind to left-handed power hitters, which does not bode well either. Shaw is a finished product and ready to compete for a job in 2019.
11) Jairo Pomares, OF
Age: 18.41 (8/4/2000)
Highest Level: Did not play stateside.
While Pomares has big upside, this ranking probably speaks more to the state of the Giants system. He would not rank this highly in many other orgs. Last July the Giants signed the (then) 17-year-old Cuban for a $975,000 bonus as part of their 2018 J2 class. Ben Badler ranked Pomares the 11th best player in the class. Jesse Sanchez did not rank him in his top 30. Pomares has large, thick thighs and a frame that looks primed for big gains. He appears to have a good feel to hit and the ability to use all fields. It feels wrong even typing the word old in reference to an 18-year-old kid, but he is relatively old in comparison to his 2018 J2 peers. It is possible he will hit the ground running more quickly than other J2 signees for that reason. There are a wide range of outcomes with Pomares: he could be an impact player or never reach AA.
12) Camilo Doval, RHP
Age: 21.50 (7/4/1997)
53 IP, 3.06 ERA, 2.72 FIP, 34.2% K%, 11.8% BB%, .202 BAA
Highest Level: A
Signed as a J2 guy in 2015, Doval has consistently missed bats throughout his minor league career. His career strikeout rate is 34.2%. Doval stands out immediately for his athleticism and electric arm speed. He works from a low 3/4 slot, which borders on sidearm. The arm angle coupled with a short arm action make it very difficult to see the ball out of his hand. Some deception plus elite FB velo equal an exploding FB out of his hand. It has been also been reported he touches 99. Sounds pretty good, right? It gets better; Doval’s FB is not straight. The cross-body arm action results in a cutting shape. Doval is a two-pitch guy working exclusively FB, SL. The slider flashed plus and had big frisbee tilt, also a product of the low arm slot. Doval’s arm angle is particularly tough on RHH, but he has had success vs both sides. Last season opposing RHH had a .468 OPS and opposing LHH had a .679 OPS. Doval’s stuff is nasty but he needs reps vs higher-caliber competition to warrant a higher spot. He will be an exciting follow and projects for a back end of the pen future. *Disclaimer - I am probably industry high on this man.*
13) Sean Hjelle, RHP
Age: 21.64 (5/7/1997)
21.1 IP, 5.06 ERA, 4.63 FIP, 23.4% K%, 4.3% BB%, .270 BAA
Highest Level: SS-A
The Giants took Hjelle 45th overall in the 2018 draft. He’s an extremely tall, lanky pitcher, listed at 6’11” 225 lbs. Some weight gain is possible, but seeing as he is almost 22, big weight projection seems unlikely. Hjelle works from a low 3/4 slot but still gets some plane due to his height. The fastball has good sink but does not generate much swing and miss. His knuckle curve is his best secondary, and his changeup is serviceable. Mechanically, Hjelle is plus extension guy and has a fairly smooth mechanics. The height of his front leg lift doesn’t seem to serve much purpose and slightly disrupts his momentum home but otherwise the delivery is smooth and repeatable. Despite a poor statistical 2018, he still has a back end starter ceiling more through his ability to generate weak contact than strike people out. Expect high groundball rates. More velocity through body projection is possible, although I would not bank on it. If it does come his odds of sticking at as a SP increase exponentially.
14) Heath Quinn, OF
Age: 23 (6/7/1995)
.300/.376/.485, 14 HR, .185 ISO, 133 wRC+, 10.3% BB%, 24.1% K%, 4 SB
Highest Level: Hi-A
A man can only play where he is assigned to play so maybe this is an unfair critique. Quinn performed well statistically in 2018 but did so at an above average age for the level in an offense-friendly league, casting some doubt on the legitimacy of his numbers. Mechanically, Quinn has a pretty big leg kick. The front foot can get down too early at times resulting in an upper-body driven swing. Quinn’s torso and core are very strong so he may be able to get away with this, but the utilization of his lower half is sub-optimal. There is also some bat wrap and a hitch in his swing that may make him vulnerable to pitches low in the zone. Quinn swings with authority and has good bat speed; we are talking high exit velos when he makes contact. The AFL was not kind to Quinn, where he slashed .128/.222/.128 over 45 PAs. Often times end of season looks can be discarded or discounted, but the mechanical red flags worry me. Regression in AA seems probable. Buyer beware. In the OF, Quinn looked like a possible stick in right. He has a plus arm and moved around well enough to field the position. Overall, a second-division type ceiling looks unlikely but possible.
15) Garrett Williams, LHP
Age: 24.30 (9/15/1994)
81.2 IP, 6.06 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 17.9% K%, 15% BB%, .287 BAA
Highest Level: AA
The Garrett Williams writeup should start with his breaking ball, which may be a CB or SL depending on who you ask. Either way it is a solid plus pitch with good depth and late break. Williams throws it frequently and can comfortably spot it to both sides of the plate. He seems to have better feel for it than his fastball and will go to it any count. The fastball was 89-93 in my looks and Williams had a tendency to nibble corners with it. This approach served him well when borderline calls went he way but when squeezed he is in trouble, forced to fill the zone with a below average offering. Mechanically, he showed good balance but an upright finish with below average extension. The lower half was not heavily incorporated, and he was slow to home. Base runners had their way with him. Despite some impressive AFL starts, I am skeptical of his chances to remain a SP. The changeup is below average and FB command intermittently flickered to the glove side. Overall, the stuff looked insufficient for turning over a lineup three times. He has an outside chance to be a back end starter but more likely will be a breaker-heavy guy in the pen.
16) Jake Wong, RHP
Age: 22.33 (9/3/1996)
27.1 IP, 2.30 ERA, 2.93 FIP, 22.9% K%, 5.1% BB%, .255 BAA
Highest Level: SS-A
Among the lower level arms in the system, one might postulate Jake Wong has the best chance to take a big step forward next season. The Giants drafted Wong in 3rd round in 2017 out of Grand Canyon University. Wong has a near-ideal starting pitcher frame, listed at 6’2” 215 lbs, complete with large thighs and a huge chest. Something tells me he does not skip legs day. The frame enables mid 90s velocity with fairly low effort, an enticing combination. The arm action is pretty simple and clean, but he does not really utilize his lower half much. Wong’s fastball features moderate sink and run. The curve is his best secondary. It has big velo difference to his fastball, registering in the mid to high 70s. He also has a changeup that projects to around average. A 51.3% GB% and .329 BABIP suggest Wong may have been slightly unlucky in his 11 starts last year. Alternatively, one could examine the same Fangraphs page, see a 5.1% BB% and .329 BABIP, and think Wong fills the zone at the expense of sometimes allowing hard contact. The ground ball rate seems legitimate given the sink on his fastball so it seems more likely he former is true. Given his college background Wong could start in Augusta where he has a chance to greatly improve his stock.
17) Jose Marte, RHP
Age: 22.55 (6/14/1996)
118.2 IP, 4.70 ERA, 3.99 FIP, 21.5% K%, 9.6% BB%, .271 BAA
Highest Level: A
Marte is an an under the radar flame thrower. He started 25 games for Augusta last year. While he did not put up the best stat line, Marte has good stuff and the physique to match. He is listed at 6’3” 180 lbs, but 207 lbs looks more realistic. Marte is a good athlete with plus arm speed. His fastball sat mid 90s and reached as high as 97. There was good torque through hip to shoulder separation and above average extension in his delivery. His CB feel was nascent, but he flashed a couple 55s. This placement is a gamble on Marte’s athleticism and stuff. He probably ends up in the pen, but he is interesting nonetheless.
18) Juan De Paula, RHP
Age: 21.28 (9/21/1997)
52.1 IP, 1.72 ERA, 3.43 FIP, 25.8% K%, 12.7% BB%, .199 BAA
Highest Level: A
The Giants acquired Juan De Paula as the centerpiece in the Andrew McCutchen deal. He is a great athlete with plus arm speed. His mechanics look a bit raw, and he needs to work on maintaining body and arm speed for his off speed pitches. He could also better repeat his delivery. At times De Paula would over-rotate to the the glove side. He strides home with plus torque, and his use of lower half and athletic burst are excellent. It is fair to say he gets the most out of his frame 6’3” frame 165 lb frame, although that weight appears to be dated; he looks closer to 180. The cross-body arm action can get a bit long and there is effort in the delivery, complete with head whack. In spite of these mechanical blemishes De Paula put up excellent numbers in with Staten Island. Having turned 21 in September he is a young 21 and there may be some more weight coming, which inspires hope for more consistent mid 90s velocity. A lot needs to go right for him to become a starter. Body projection and athleticism still make him an interesting guy to keep tabs on.
19) Sam Coonrod, RHP
Age: 26.28 (9/22/1992)
103.2 IP, 4.69 ERA, 3.79 FIP, 21% K%, 9.4% BB%, .242 BAA (2017 #s, only 11 IP in 2018)
Highest Level: AA
After spending only 11 months on the shelf with TJ surgery, Coonrod returned to action in late July. Throwing only 11 innings over ten appearances was enough to convince the Giants he deserved a 40 man roster spot. He was added in November, protecting him from the Rule 5 draft. The frame is near-prototypical, listed at 6’2” 225. It looks capable of logging SP type innings, but poor command precipitated Coonrod to move to the pen in August of 2017. Moving to relief has added a few ticks to his velocity; he now tops out at 98. Two-seam variant has decent sink and arm side run. The slider and changeup should be solid major league offerings. With below average command and decent stuff, Coonrod looks like high-likelihood middle relief arm.
20) Sam Wolff, RHP
Age: 27.72 (4/14/1991)
31.1 IP, 6.03 ERA, 2.75 FIP, 29.9% K%, 11.6% BB%, .295 BAA
Highest Level: AA
Last fall the Giants sent Wolff to the AFL (presumably) to determine whether he would be worth a 40 man roster spot or whether he would be left exposed to the Rule 5. Wolff dominated for Scottsdale, finishing a ten inning sample with a 0.00 ERA, .4 WHIP, 2 BB, and 14Ks. The Giants opted to not protect him anyways, and he was not selected. In his AFL action Wolff sat mid 90s consistently and touched as high as 97. His fastball was mostly straight, but he used it up in the zone effectively. He works with good momentum home and uses his lower half well, but an upright finish cuts into his extension. A low 70s CB and mid 80s slider round out his 3-pitch mix. They played well off the fastball; Wolff sequenced his pitches well, changing eye levels. Overall, Wolff looked like a viable reliever who is close to major league ready. For that reason I was somewhat surprised teams passed on him in the a Rule 5 Draft.
21) Jacob Gonzalez, 3B
Age: 20.50 (6/26/1998)
.227/.296/.331, 8 HR, .105 ISO, 83 wRC+, 6.1% BB%, 21.1% K%, 7 SB
Highest Level: A
There are some interesting tools here but also a bunch of questions that need to be answered. Gonzalez has heavy feet at third with sub-optimal range. The industry consensus is he will not stick at the position. If that is case then he would need to move across the diamond because his speed would not play in the outfield. It would behoove the Giants to let him stick at third because 40-grade defense there is his path of least resistance to reach the bigs. It does not look likely the bat would play at first base. Offensively Gonzalez has plus bat speed, but a long, max-effort swing exposes him to swing and miss. In my looks pitchers worked him down early in counts and elevated with chase pitch FBs with two strikes. It was an apparent weak spot for Gonzalez as he looked hapless on several FBs up and out zone. His overall pitch recognition was not bad. Considering he was a 19 year-old in first year of full-season ball, he saw spin well and generally spit on it. Overall, he has a second-division ceiling with extreme risk. The realistic role is bench bat, he may is probably more likely to be a AAAA player than he is to reach his ceiling.
22) Tyler Beede, RHP
Age: 25.61 (5/23/1993)
80 IP, 6.64 ERA, 5.90 FIP, 21.4% K%, 15.6% BB%, .267 BAA (MiLB Only)
Highest Level: MLB
Once a highly-touted prospect, Beede took a big step back in 2018. He has a deep repertoire several variations on his fastball; there is mostly straight four-seamer around 92-94 (T95), a low 90s cutter and a low 90s sinker with decent drop and some armside fade. Beede also uses a curve in the high 70s and a change in the mid 80s. His offerings all have different velocity bands and moved in different directions. Beede worked tends lower third of the zone. After seeing him in 2017, he stuck me as a pitch to contact guy who would have a high ground ball rate, eat innings, and occupy the back end of a rotation. Strangely, he lost all feel for his control in 2018. With such poor performance in 2018, he now looks like a long shot to pitch in the rotation. Dropping him from a list like this might be the right move, but part of me finds this hard to do with a former top prospect. Maybe we only remember the success stories, but there seem to be so many post-hype guys who rise from the ashes and contribute value in some way. Could that be Beede?
23) Diego Rincones, OF
Age: 19.56 (6/14/1999)
.315/.357/.455, 7 HR, .140 ISO, 128 wRC+, 3.6% BB%, 11.6% K%, 0 SB
Highest Level: SS-A
Whether Rincones will sink or swim is largely tethered to his hit tool. Rincones moves well enough to stick in the outfield but is not special. Rincones is primarily on this list due to his excellent bat to ball skills. And while his 9.3% SwStr% was solid, that number is contextually even more impressive when you consider his ultra-aggressive approach. Rarely does Rincones see a pitch he does not like; he can scoop it low and touch balls out of the zone you would not have thought possible. Not only does he make contact, he also puts the ball in the air; last year he was fourth in the Northwest League with a 47.3%. Farhan Zaidi has a reputation for putting a high value on getting on base. Is it possible this philosophy will alter how the Giants treat his development? How much rope will they give him his ultra-aggressive approach? If Rincones goes to full season ball and performs, he will shoot up this list.
24) Seth Corry, LHP
Age: 20.17 (11/3/1998)
57.2 IP, 3.59 ERA, 4.12 FIP, 23.1% K%, 10.6% BB%, .235 BAA
Highest Level: SS-A
The Giants drafted Corry in the third round in 2017. His mechanics are better than his amateur days, but the delivery is still stiff/rigid. He is slow to home with poor momentum and a whippy arm action but plus arm speed and strong torque. The overall rigidity of his delivery and head whack at foot strike hinder his command. His mechanics are not great, but Corry has is a good athlete with a solid pitcher frame. The FB has shown flashes of more but often sits low 90s. His curve also improved over the course of the year. Giants fans may be disappointed with the short term results from this pick, but scouts still expect Corry to produce major league value.
25) Sandro Fabian, OF
Age: 20.83 (3/6/1998)
.200/.260/.325, 10 HR, .126 ISO, 56 wRC+, 5.8% BB%, 23.8% K%, 1 SB
Highest Level: Hi-A
Considering where Aramis Ademan was ranked on the Cubs list, this probably makes me look like a Heliot Ramos thigh-sized hypocrite. Much like Ademan, Fabian was challenged with an aggressive Hi-A assignment in 2018. Again like Ademan, he floundered offensively. Defensive value is the big separator here. Ademan profiles to be a plus defender at short. Fabian has a plus arm but is an otherwise average defender in RF. To play every day in right Fabian will need to make big improvements with his approach. He is a very aggressive hitter and his 5.8% BB% was actually almost triple his 2017 rate of 2.0%. Fabian has a strange stance. His center of mass always seems to be leaning slightly forward and he slots his hands high. He can get pull-happy and over-swing at times. The underlying skills are much better than the accounting numbers. Given his age it is too early to write off Fabian.
26) Ryan Howard, INF
Age: 24.44 (7/25/1994)
.273/.336/.396, 4 HR, .123 ISO, 104 wRC+, 8.2% BB%, 11.6% K%, 9 SB
Highest Level: AA
Howard is a polished, solid defensive shortstop with feel to hit. Last year his all-fields approach was uncanny; he finished the season with a pull percentage of 38.6% and an oppo percentage of 37.8%. Howard also made strides in his plate discipline. From 2017 to 2018, he doubled his walk rate while shaving his strikeout rate from 14.3% to 11.6%. Power is a big deficiency in his game. His career slugging percentage is .391. Howard’s frame looks mostly filled-out so it seems unlikely he would gain anything there. Body comp: Joe Panik. His offensive approach seems geared towards contact, and I am left wondering if he could be a possible swing change guy. The most likely outcome is a utility infielder.
27) Abiatal Avelino, INF
Age: 23.89 (2/14/1995)
.283/.329/.438, 15 HR, .155 ISO, 113 wRC+, 6.2% BB%, 19.6% K%, 27 SB
Highest Level: MLB
The Giants acquired Avelino as a part of the Andrew McCutchen trade. He is a swiss army knife defensively. In the DWL he has played SS, 3B, 2B, CF, LF, and RF. Short is his primary position. Offensively, his swing is very handsy with almost no lower body use. It is hard to believe he hit 14 homers last year. This total is a clear outlier, and his career slugging % of .374 is much more indicative of his game power. Avelino is an above average to plus runner, adding some value on the basepaths. Overall, he is a good back of the bench player who can fill in defensively anywhere.
28) Garrett Cave, RHP
Age: 22.46 (7/18/1996)
116 IP, 5.20 ERA, 4.74 FIP, 22.22% K%, 12.6% BB%, .248 BAA
Highest Level: A
The Giants took Cave in the 5th round out of University of Tampa in 2017. He split time between starting and relieving in college with 21 starts and 22 relief appearances. Command has been an issue for Cave going back to his amateur days, but he reportedly touched 98 out of the pen at UT, and that caught the attention of teams. His delivery has moderate effort and looks to utilize the lower half better than it did in college. He will sometimes over-rotate to his glove side, causing misses to that side. Feel for his offspeed stuff was poor and he was not able to consistently locate any of it in my viewings. The ball appeared to simply slip out of his hand at times with inconsistent shape and spin axis. The slider was the best of his secondaries, projecting to above average. As a SP last season Cave’s fastball sat around 90-93. The overall pitch mix is insufficient to remain a starter and poor control simplifies the decision. A move to the pen is coming (Ned Stark voice). This should allow Cave to air out his FB, and the control issues will less deleterious.
29) Drew Ferguson, OF
Age: 26.41 (8/3/1992)
.304/.432/.443, 5 HR, .138 ISO, 140 wRC+, 15.5% BB%, 21.5% K%, 6 SB
Highest Level: AAA
The Giants took Ferguson with their second Rule 5 pick. He is interesting in a fourth OF sort of way; Ferguson played 40 games in center, 17 in left and 12 in right over the course of 2018. An average runner, his speed is just enough to get by in CF. My watch had him 4.27-4.33 home to first in the AFL. Realistically, his defense is below average in center, but he could fill the spot in a pinch. The arm was fringe average. Offensively he sees spin well and has decent strike zone awareness. The swing is fairly short, and he has good timing; for lack of a better term, mechanical checkpoints are met on time making some bat wrap irrelevant. The timing is paramount for Ferguson because his bat speed is below average. His BP showed an understanding of how to create loft through swing plane, but his in-game approach was geared for contact over power. He might hit a few homers off mistake pitches when he has ample time to react, but power will probably not be a huge part of his game.
30) Dillon McNamara, RHP
Age: 27.20 (10/6/1991)
53 IP, 2.38 ERA, 2.11 FIP, 30.4% K%, 6.8% BB%, .203 BAA
Highest Level: AAA
There are prospect nuggets and there are partially-thawed, freezer-burnt Ore Ida prospect nuggets; they’re less appealing than freshly fried Mickey D’s, but you’re still gonna eat them. McNamara falls into the latter group. This is the circuitous way of saying McNamara is interesting but not the sexiest. He’s a fastball/cutter guy with a deceptive delivery, making good use of his 6’5” 230 lb frame. The arm angle looks tough on righties, which seemed to bear out in the numbers: McNamara had favorable platoon splits vs RHH last year. Interestingly, his career numbers were actually better vs lefties, with a .563 OPS vs LHH and .672 OPS vs RHH. The reason for this shift is unclear to me, but it is worth noting the Giants acquired McNamara from the Yankees for cash considerations in 2017. It is possible he has taken well to a new player dev group. A career-best 23.7% K-BB% in 2018 suggests as much. Although it is not consistent his fastball can reach mid 90s, and his cutter generates swing and miss vs both-sided hitters. Seeing as they did not protect him for the Rule 5, it seems the Giants want him prove his the steps forward in command are legitimate. If he does, he should settle into the middle of a major league pen.
Jason Pennini (@JasonPennini )
Big thanks to many people on this list including the unnamed scouts and those who cover the Giants. Thank you for allowing me to pepper you with questions. Give them a follow, they are a wealth of Giants knowledge and their feedback was invaluable in forming this list: @giantsprospects, Roger Munter (@rog61), Bridget Mulcahy (@bridgetmmulcahy), and @CoveChatter. Also big thanks to @BobbyDeMuro for the use of his video.