SF Giants prospects rundown 5/21: Heliot Ramos busts out of slump

SF Giants prospect Heliot Ramos broke out of a recent slump at Double-A with a big day while things went south quickly at San Jose.

Make sure to revisit our daily SF Giants prospect rundowns to keep up with each of their minor-league affiliates. If you do not feel well acclimated to the prospects throughout the farm system, you might want to revisit our prospect week articles that detailed the system from the top prospects to lower-level fringes. If you’re just interested in the biggest names, then the preseason SF Giants top 31 prospects list is the one-stop shop for you.

SF Giants Prospects Rundown 5/21: Triple-A

Reno Aces 9 at Sacramento River Cats 6
Performance of the Game: Thairo Estrada (3-5, 2B, 2 RBI, SB) and LaMonte Wade, Jr. (2-4, HR, 4 RBI) 

It was the Thairo Estrada and LaMonte Wade show in Sacramento as the River Cats managed to get within one run in the seventh inning, but the squad ran out of gas and lost. I could not pick between Estrada and Wade for my POG vote so I decided to give both the nod.

The first two innings were largely uneventful, as reliever Dominic Leone had to start in place of Scott Kazmir and struck out 5 in two innings of work. Leone’s start was noteworthy because he was the starting pitcher for the first time in his 10-year professional career. After his outing, the Aces put up a four-spot against southpaw Phil Pfeifer in the third inning.

The River Cats scored their first run in the bottom half of the third, as Wade drove in Estrada with a base knock. After the Aces scored three more runs before the seventh-inning stretch, the duo pulled Sacramento within one run. Estrada singled home two runs and Wade capped it off with a line-drive, three-run jack to right field.

After the Aces scored two more runs off Silvino Bracho in the eighth inning, the comeback opportunity arises once again in the bottom of the 9th with Estrada and Wade as the first two hitters to get a crack at Aces closer Ryan Buchter. However, neither were able to reach base.

Estrada and Wade showed off their offensive talent, as both are a couple of injuries away from playing at Oracle Park. Estrada particularly stood out to me, as he is now batting .364 with strong peripherals across the board with good defense in the infield.

To cap it off, short outings can really inflate the stat line and that is what’s happening with Kervin Castro (26th-ranked prospect) at the moment. After last night’s game, Castro lowered his ERA to 10.13. The most concerning thing about Castro is his 28% walk rate entering last night’s game. With two more bases on balls, he’s now allowed 9 walks in 5 1/3 innings of work this year. It is a stark indication that he is probably not yet ready for the Triple-A level.

SF Giants Prospects Rundown 5/21: Double-A

Bowie Baysox 4 at Richmond Flying Squirrels 9
Performance of the Game: Heliot Ramos (3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBI)

Heading into last night’s game, Heliot Ramos (fourth-ranked prospect) was in a bit of a slump. In his previous 7 games, Ramos racked up only 4 hits in 27 at-bats with no home runs and 11 strikeouts. The young Puerto Rican finally busted out of his slump in a big way, where he finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. He hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the bottom of the fifth. In the bottom of the seventh, Ramos padded the lead with his third hit of the night, a two-out double that scored Bryan Torres. After the game, Ramos’ batting average is now back above .300.

Speaking of the seventh inning, third baseman David Villar put the game effectively out of reach with his team-leading fourth home run of the season. Even though Villar has big flaws in his strikeout rates (3 more strikeouts today) and contact issues, but his defense at third base is Major League-quality and he can put balls into the bleachers when he makes good contact.

On the other side, it was an adventurous outing once again for Tristan Beck (16th-ranked prospect), as he pitched five innings of four-run ball, allowing three of those via the long ball, with three walks and a season-high seven strikeouts. Beck has been very hittable this year, where opposing teams hit .274 against him in his four starts.

After Ramos put the team ahead, it was a lights out for the Baysox hitters, as the duo of Joey Marciano and Norwith Gudino only allowed one baserunner in the final four innings (a harmless ninth-inning walk) with Gudino racking up four strikeouts to earn his third save of the season. Gudino has impressed me greatly so far this season, with a near 40% strikeout rate and a FIP of just 2.09. The secondaries looked really good when I watched him and if he keeps this up, there’s a big chance for a AAA promotion in the coming month.

Andy Sugilio is a pretty fun player to watch, as he punched in the first two runs for the Flying Squirrels today. The 2020 minor league free agent signee has the look of a fourth outfielder with a good knack for putting the ball in play.

One final note in today’s game, I absolutely love the lime and blue uniforms.

SF Giants Prospects Rundown 5/21: High-A

Eugene Emeralds 3 at Tri-City Dust Devils 2
Performance of the Game: Brandon Martorano (2-4, 3B, 2 R including go-ahead run)

It was a real nail-biter in Tri-City on Friday, as the Emeralds just eked out a win. The ninth inning was a real thriller. POG Brandon Martorano tripled to lead off the inning and the Ems loaded up the bases. But after a pair of strikeouts, the ballgame seemed to be over. However, from the jaws of defeat, a wild pitch for the second strikeout and Martorano rushed to home plate to score the go-ahead run.

In the bottom half, the Ems handed the ball to their closer, Jose Marte. The Dust Devils seemed to be in shape to at least tie the game after a HBP to Spencer Griffin followed by a single by Julio de la Cruz. Marte then proceeded to strike out the final two batters looking, both in full counts, to seal the thrilling win.

It was a pitching battle all throughout, as starter Connor Nurse pitched his finest outing of the season, a five-inning effort with 3 walks, 5 strikeouts, and 2 earned runs. The bullpen was stellar as well, with the aforementioned Marte closing it out and righty John Russell earning the W.

Aside from Martorano, most of the bats went relatively quiet but managed to get runs whenever they had the opportunity. Jacob Gonzalez punched in the first run of the game n a line-drive single to right in the second, and Simon Whiteman tied the game up in a 1-4-3 groundout that scored the Emetttrald’s catcher.