SF Giants hitting prospects week in review (8/14-8/20)

SF Giants Prospects Weekly Rundown: Rookie

Notable Performers

Grant McCray: 4 G, 11 AB, .364 AVG, .897 OPS, 0 HR, 1 RBI, 4 BB, 4 K, 2 SB
Alexander Suarez: 5 G, 18 AB, .333 AVG, 1.151 OPS, 2 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 9 K
DIego Velasquez: 5 G, 19 AB, .316 AVG, .749 OPS, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K
Aeverson Arteaga: 5 G, 16 AB, .188 AVG, .693 OPS, 1 3B, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 7 K
Jose Ramos: 3 G, 10 AB, .400 AVG, 1.700 OPS, 1 3B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 2 BB, 2 K

I am rediscovering my love for Grant McCray. Before getting promoted to San Jose, the 2019 third-round draft choice batted .405 with a 1.085 OPS and has flashed his five-tool skillset with three doubles, a triple, a home run, and three stolen bases. It earned him a promotion to San Jose and absolutely demolished a fat pitch 455 feet away for a home run in his first at-bat. His advanced approach and contact ability really aside from his plus athleticism impressed me and he has shown better strength this season that resulted in a cleaner-looking bat path. He is definitely inside my top 30 list.

Even though he is striking out at a 33.1% clip, Alexander Suarez is flashing his impressive power-speed tools this season in Rookie ball with eight doubles, two triples, five home runs, and ten stolen bases in 36 games this season. Fellow Giants prospector Roger Munter told me that Suarez made good contact on a Manuel Mercedes‘ 99 MPH fastball and he’s reminded him of Alexander Canario. He’s cleaned up his swing over the past offseason and while the approach is still raw, the tools look to be undeniable.

While Suarez has been flashing his big tools in Rookie ball, Diego Velasquez is flashing his excellent contact skills with a strikeout rate under 12% in 101 plate appearances this season. The top IFA signee in the 2020 class does not have big tools across the board but he has shown impressive bat control for a 17-year old playing Stateside against high-velocity pitching. While he might never flash above-average tools as he matures especially his power potential, he has the look of a scrappy infielder.

After a stellar start to his first professional season, Aeverson Arteaga has cooled off considerably in his last 11 games, batting only .167 with zero home runs and a 30.23% strikeout rate. The infielder is now batting .305 with a .935 OPS but much of it is fueled by his hot start. After seeing him in the backfields, Munter is still more impressed with Arteaga’s glove over his bat with him having an advanced feel for corraling bad hops and still making plays while the bat is more line-drive. I still see him as a top 15 prospect but I am off the boat that was speculating his hot start.

With the Dominican Republic getting hit by a storm this week as well as a COVID outbreak, the Giants DSL players really got hit by the lack of competitive reps. However, one player stood out with the little time they played and that’s Jose Ramos with a two-homer game this week. The 18-year old shortstop is batting .353 in 11 games this season with a 1.230 OPS, two doubles, two triples, three home runs, and three steals with a respectable 15.4% strikeout rate. He could be a prospect to watch as one of the lesser-known 2019 IFA signees.

Stay tuned every week for a roundup of the SF Giants hitting and pitching prospects, and an incoming update to the organization’s prospect rankings.