SF Giants Top 31 Prospect Rankings: 2020 Midyear Update

SF Giants top prospects: No. 28 — RHP Camilo Doval

Age: 23
Highest Level: High-A (San Jose)
Acquired: IFA (2015)
Future-Value Grade: 35+

When the Giants chose Camilo Doval over Melvin Adon for the team’s 60-man summer camp, the organization confirmed that the young righty had become the best relief prospect in the organization.

Doval has legitimate closer upside. He works out of a clunky three-quarters delivery. The motion adds deception but makes it difficult to replicate. There might not be a pitcher in baseball with a wider range of performances.

At his best, Doval frisbees in a high 90s four-seamer that has registered 2700 RPM and a cutter with similar velocity and strong horizontal movement. In other outings, his fastball will barely get out of the low-90s. His slider flashes as an average pitch, but without control of any pitch, it’s hard to take advantage of.

His peculiar arm-angle should enable him to be tough on righthanded batters even if his velocity can never maintain premium velocity, but that’s obviously a far cry from what you’re hoping to get out of a legitimate closer prospect.

In back to back seasons, Doval got cuffed in his first couple outings and then locked into a period of dominance. Below are Doval’s numbers in 2018 (with Class-A Augusta) and 2019 (with High-A San Jose) over the course of the season and with his first three appearances removed.

season       G     IP      ERA    K/9     BB/9
Augusta    44   53     3.06   13.3     4.6
San Jose    45  56.1  3.83   12.8     5.4

                     G     IP      ERA    K/9     BB/9   
Augusta    41  51.2   1.74   13.1     3.3
San Jose    42   54     2.83    12.8       5

Clearly, the walks are still a concern, but a couple of early-season outings have cost Doval at least a run in earned run average for two seasons in a row. Don’t get it twisted, if Doval can find consistency in Giants camp at Sacramento, he could be the best Giants reliever in just a couple years.