SF Giants prospects rundown 5/15: Tyler Beede’s rehab continues

SF Giants Prospects Rundown 5/15: Double-A

Richmond Flying Squirrels 3 at Harrisburg Senators 6
Performance of the Game: David Villar (3-5, R, 2 K)

The Flying Squirrels have had a bit of a letdown since their no-hitter, losing their second consecutive game in an unexceptional performance. Richmond scored first in the top of the second inning on a Kyle Mottice double that scored Frankie Tostado. However, within the next half inning, they would fall behind for good.

Tristan Beck (16th-ranked prospect) struck out five in 4.1 innings of work while allowing just one walk but was far from his best self on the mound. The Senators had Beck’s pitches well-timed and tagged him for six hits (including a homer) and four runs. Matt Seelinger did allow one of Beck’s runs to score on a wild pitch, but otherwise was the Flying Squirrels’ most effective reliever, striking out four of the five batters he faced in 1.2 innings.

At the plate, Richmond consistently put runners on base, recording twelve hits, but went just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position. David Villar continued his hot start to the season, raising his average on the season to .300 with a 3-for-5 performance. Mottice and Shane Matheny were the only other hitters to have multi-hit games. Vince Fernandez added a pinch-hit solo home run in the ninth inning.

Villar has far from eliminated the swing-and-miss that has plagued him throughout his career but given the circumstances of his first appearance at Double-A and lost 2020 season, he’s quietly making progress. Villar is hitting .300/.391/.575 with a career-best 22.0% strikeout and 14.6% walk rate. He’s starting to play his way beyond the peripheries of prospect depth charts and in conversations for the back of prospect lists.