SF Giants pitching prospects week in review (7/11-7/24)

SF Giants Prospects Weekly Rundown: Rookie

Notable Performers

Esmerlin Vinicio: 2 G, 2 GS, 9 IP, 6 H, 5 R (3 ER), 6 BB, 14 K, 3.00 ERA
Jesus Tona: 2 G, 1 W, 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K, 0.00 ERA
Jose Rojas: 2 G, 2 GS, 1 W, 10 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 10 K, 0.00 ERA
Mikell Manzano: 1 G, 1 GS, 5 IP, 3 H, 1 R (1 ER), 0 BB, 8 K, 1.80 ERA

Left-hander Esmerlin Vinicio twirled his best outing as a professional so far in his latest start, pitching five innings of two-run (both unearned) baseball with only one walk and a career-best nine strikeouts. Vinicio has the strikeout stuff with a high-80s fastball, rainbow curveball, and a solid changeup, but control has been the issue for him in the early part of complex ball with 15 walks in 17.1 innings pitch prior to his latest start.

Jesus Tona is in some sort of rehab stint in the Arizona backfields, likely due to an injury. Nevertheless, the deceptive right-hander is looking ready to handle once more the rigors of full-season ball. Where would he be assigned is the biggest question. He only touches low-90s with his fastball but he generates a good number of whiffs along with his tumbling changeup that he tunnels well with his heater.

Down in the Dominican, both Jose Rojas and Mikell Manzano are off to good starts in their professional career. While Manzano has not pitched since his professional debut, a source told me before the season started that Manzano is one of the best pitchers in the DSL Giants squad that was reinforced when international scouting director Joe Salermo mentioned Manzano as one of the prospects to watch in the Dominican backfields in his guest appearance on friend of the site Roger Munter’s podcast. While there is limited information on both Rojas and Manzano’s pitch arsenal and mechanics at the moment, the most important thing to watch is their peripherals and so far, both have been doing well.

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