Dog Day Power Rankings for San Francisco Giants Prospects

SF Giants prospect Joey Bart visits Oracle Park soon after being drafted with the second overall pick. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
SF Giants prospect Joey Bart visits Oracle Park soon after being drafted with the second overall pick. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
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As the minor league seasons come to a close the weather gets colder, the days start to get shorter, and we’ll see some of the young talent each MLB team has. Given that the San Francisco Giants are floating around .500, barring a major win streak, we’ll be seeing a lot of the “kids” up.

A lot of movement has been made over the last week with Andrew McCutchen being shipped off to the Yankees for a couple of their mid-level prospects. Chris Shaw and Aramis Garcia made their MLB debuts this past weekend, much to the excitement of many fans. The San Francisco Giants get a much-needed boost to their farm system with the speedy infielder Abiatal Avelino and starter Juan De Paula. These will be much welcome additions to some decent talent the Giants already have in their system.

However, September call-ups don’t mean that we we will see the best our minor league system has to offer. In my opinion, some of our greatest minor league talent isn’t even on the 40-man roster. These are my guys that should not be slept on, as their contributions have been noted in my Power Rankings for the second half of the season.

. Dillon McNamara. 5. 31. Relief Pitcher | Right Handed | 4-2 | 2.38 ERA | 1.00 WHIP | 7 SV | 63 K | 14 BB. Richmond Squirrels

Although it seemed like his season would be bleak and forgettable with the Sacramento River Cats, Dillon McNamara turned it around when he was sent down to AA. For those of you who are unfamiliar with him, he was dealt to the Giants from the Yankees last July. He features a four-seam fastball and a cutter, both with decent movement. Since coming to Richmond he is tasked with several different roles, from middle to late relief and closing jobs, and he has shined in his time with the Flying Squirrels. For a team that will be looking for help with relief pitching in the next few seasons, this is definitely a name to keep a look out for.

. Heath Quinn. 4. 31. Outfielder | Right Handed | .300 AVG | .376 OBP | .485 SLG | 14 HR | 51 RBI | 98 SO. San Jose Giants

With all this talk of the future in the outfield, a lot gets overlooked in terms of young guys in the lower divisions who could help out in the coming seasons. Enter Heath Quinn, who started out great in April and went on a tear in May and June. His July numbers weren’t the greatest, but he bounced back in the month of August. He gets the ball in the air more than on the ground (0.74 GO/AO), which is becoming a popular trend among players looking to revamp their plate approach. His clutch numbers are also there, with a nice line of .312/.429/.538 in 93 at-bats with runners in scoring position. Although the strikeout numbers are high, the bulk of them come with the bases empty, which is fairly promising for a team desperate for hitters to keep the line moving. He should be a name to consider in the next couple of seasons, provided his production stays up.

First Baseman | Right Handed | .275 AVG | .401 OBP | .399 SLG | 2 HR | 24 RBI | 42 SO. Sacramento River Cats. . Brock Stassi. 3. 31

I was almost hesitant to put him on this high on my list, but since coming to the River Cats, Brock Stassi has shined. Brother of Houston Astros catcher Max Stassi, Brock has shown plenty of plate discipline in just 64 at-bats for Sacramento. His .391 batting average with 10 doubles, 11 RBI and 19 walks in 21 games is nothing to sneeze at. Given the plethora of potential options the Giants have at first base, Stassi might not be in the running just yet. The River Cats also tried him out for an inning in a outfield, where he had some experience before. His value is going to come more for a team that needs a solid first baseman by next season, and quite frankly there’s more than a handful of them out there. If he isn’t dealt in the off-season, I fully expect the Giants to give him a Spring Training invite.

31. Relief Pitcher | Right Handed | 3-2 | 2.13 ERA | 1.08 WHIP | 3 SV | 60 K | 23 BB. Sacramento River Cats. . Tyler Rogers. 2

Coming in at number two is submariner reliever, Tyler Rogers. His first half was amazing, and although he petered out in the month of August, his numbers in relief are still pretty solid. What’s amazing to me is that while he’s virtually unstoppable against right handed hitters, his numbers against lefties are surely nothing to overlook. He definitely deserves a call-up at some point, although they will have to dump a reliever off the 40 man to make that happen. There are a few names in mind, but we’ll see what happens during the off-season.

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Catcher | Right Handed | .294 AVG | .364 OBP | .588 SLG | 13 HR | 40 RBI | 47 SO. Salem-Keizer Volcanoes. . Joey Bart. 1. 31

What can be said about this guy other than amazing? Joey Bart is the future catcher for your San Francisco Giants, and that’s really a no-brainer. What’s interesting is how well-rounded he is against left handed and right handed pitching. Against lefties he is a hitting machine, but against righties he is a power machine. What’s even more remarkable is his situational stats, and with the Giants struggling to hit with RISP, his bat will certainly be welcome in the next few years. We’ll be keeping a close eye on his production, but I’m sure none of us would be surprised if he gets a Spring Training invite for next season.

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