San Francisco Giants: Top prospect update for MiLB week 2

5 of 6

SCOTTSDALE, AZ – FEBRUARY 20: Chris Shaw #79 of the San Francisco Giants poses on photo day during MLB Spring Training at Scottsdale Stadium on February 20, 2018 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images) /

OF/1B Chris Shaw, Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels

Chris Shaw went into spring training with a shot to win the starting left field job with the big league club.

However, after failing to impress with a mediocre 5-for-23 showing, the front office decided he would benefit from some further development, and it caught more than few people by surprise when he was sent to Double-A rather than Triple-A.

Eight games into the season, Shaw is hitting .308/.419/.654 with two home runs and six RBI.

He’s tallied four walks and six strikeouts, which is a good ratio compared to the career-high 144 strikeouts he had in 101 games at Triple-A last year, compared to just 21 walks.

With considerable raw power, Shaw has the offensive potential to be an impact bat. He just needs to show that he can make consistent contact before he’s again trusted with an MLB job.

A busy offseason from Zaidi left the Giants with a surplus of outfielders, which certainly played a role in Shaw being shipped to Double-A rather than Triple-A.

In the long run, it could wind up benefiting his development.