SF Giants hitting prospects week in review (8/21-8/27)

Make sure to revisit our weekly 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 Weekly Rundown: Triple-A

Notable Performers

Heliot Ramos: 4 G, 17 AB, .471 AVG, 1.206 OPS, 1 2B, 1 HR, 8 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K, 2 SB
Braden Bishop: 3 G, 6 AB, .333 AVG, 1.667 OPS, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 0 BB, 2 K
Jaylin Davis: 3 G, 9 AB, .111 AVG, .718 OPS, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 3 BB, 4 K
Joey Bart: 1 G, 4 AB, .500 AVG, 1.000 OPS, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 1 K

Powered with four consecutive two-hit games, Heliot Ramos has officially found his stride in Sacramento. Over the past two weeks, Ramos is flashing his diverse skillset with a .371 batting average, 1.017 OPS, a double, a triple, a couple of home runs, and three stolen bases. He has also only struck out just five times in 36 plate appearances and is seeing the ball very well. As a River Cat, he is batting .279 with a .786 OPS. Ramos is still a very good prospect and he is doing this while facing players who are at least five years older than him. Being in a hitter-friendly league helps, but it is tough to deny the fact that Ramos is doing this while being younger than 2021 second-round draft pick Matt Mikulski.

Braden Bishop has not seen much playing time recently and only had two hits this week but those two hits left the yard. Bishop might be having the best year of his professional career this season with a .313/.374/.519 triple-slash line across two organizations that is mostly fueled by his stellar performance in Sacramento. Bishop might not really see big league time this season but if he is on the 40-man roster next season, which is a big possibility, there’s a chance that he will be a fixture in the Giants lineup.

Just like Bishop, Jaylin Davis has seen limited playing time this week due to the River Cats giving Steven Duggar and Mike Tauchman crucial playing time. Unlike Bishop, however, Davis has not taken full advantage of the playing that he received, drawing walks as the only big positive. Even though he is seemingly taking ground balls in the dirt last week, it looks like there is no intent from the Giants coaches to put Davis at first base.

Giants fans can now finally breathe a sigh of relief as Joey Bart is now back in action after missing most of August with a quad strain. He looked like he did not miss a beat, however, with a 2-4 performance. The Giants’ problem at catcher moving after this season is such a great problem to have as Buster Posey enjoyed a career renaissance that has allowed the front office to ease the gas on Bart and have him play the majority of this season in Triple-A.

SF Giants Prospects Weekly Rundown: Double-A

Notable Performers

Diego Rincones: 6 G, 25 AB, .360 AVG, 1.189 OPS, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 2 BB, 4 K
Will Wilson: 6 G, 21 AB, .333 AVG, .964 OPS, 1 2B, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 4 BB, 5 K
David Villar: 5 G, 19 AB, .316 AVG, 1.223 OPS, 1 2B, 3 HR, 6 RBI, 1 BB, 3 K

A trio of Flying Squirrels hitters were officially on fire this week. First, outfielder Diego Rincones. Rincones had his seven-game hit streak snapped in last night’s game, but he is still often finding the barrel often with a .349 batting average, .984 OPS, six doubles, and five home runs. He is not walking to the tune of only a 3.3% walk rate but he is not also striking out a lot either with a 14.1% strikeout rate. Rincones knows where his bread is buttered as he terrorizes pitches on the lower half of the strike zone and the bat has MLB potential.

After hitting rock bottom since getting promoted to Richmond, Will Wilson has turned a leaf and has found his footing. You might ask what has changed? After missing a week of action, Wilson has looked like his old self over the past two weeks. In his first five weeks as a Flying Squirrel, Wilson has changed his approach towards pulling the ball more. It clearly has not worked to the tune of a .157 batting average and a 38% strikeout rate in 31 games. Over the past eight games, Wilson reverted to his more patented gap-to-gap approach that has worked as an Emerald and it has worked wonders with a .357 batting average and just an 18% strikeout rate. Looks like the old Will Wilson is back.

David Villar has taken his game to another level this month with his stellar offensive performance. The third baseman is batting .333 this month with 1.1118 OPS, eight doubles, and six home runs. He is now one home run away from setting the Flying Squirrels single-season record.

He is now inside the top 10 in both doubles and home runs in the Double-A Northeast with 23 doubles and 17 home runs, respectively. His strikeout rate which is a concern for him for much of this season has been kept in check this month with an 18% rate. His strong August and Major League-quality defense gives him a puncher’s chance of becoming a big leaguer.

SF Giants Prospects Weekly Rundown: High-A

Notable Performers

Marco Luciano: 7 G, 23 AB, .391 AVG, .831 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 7 K
Jairo Pomares: 7 G, 27 AB, .296 AVG, .704 OPS, 1 2B, 1 3B, 2 RBI, 0 BB, 7 K
Brett Auerbach: 6 G, 24 AB, .292 AVG, .778 OPS, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 8 K, 2 SB
Sean Roby: 6 G, 22 AB, .273 AVG, .788 OPS, 1 2B, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 9 K

For Marco Luciano, adjusting to High-A ball is more a matter of when and not if. If you guessed that it will only take him nine games and 38 at-bats, however, then take the cake because that’s what Luciano did. After batting .105 in his first nine games, Luciano is batting .366 in his last 12 games. He has not flashed the power in his hot streak with only one extra-base hit (a double), it might be for the better as he continues to improve his plate approach against better competition. The strikeouts are still high over the stretch with a 35.56% rate but we are seeing the maturity of Luciano as he continues to soak in the experience.

Speaking of soaking in the experience, another one who is handling the promotion well is Jairo Pomares. He’s had a base hit in 10 of 11 games for the Emeralds this season and he is batting .326 for the squad. The power surge that Pomares truly enjoyed in San Jose has not yet carried over to Eugene, however, with a .488 slugging percentage compared to his .693 slugging in Low-A ball.

Brett Auerbach has another strong all-around week. He has hit a home run in three straight games over the past two weeks, the third and the only home run was an inside the parker. Auerbach has now hit 12 home runs as an Emerald which is already good enough for third even though he has only played for the team for just over two months. A cumulative 20-20 season is a possibility if he can hit six more in September.

A slowdown for Sean Roby this week was to be expected after his bat caught on fire in the first two weeks of action. It was not as sharp of a decline that I expected, however, as he still hit a double and a home run in six games. His August is still awesome with a .337 batting average, eight doubles, a triple, and eight home runs. Strikeouts are the only thing that limits Roby’s ceiling with a 29.1% strikeout rate amidst the hot-hitting. A strong finish for Roby sets him up well for a Double-A stint next season.

SF Giants Prospects Weekly Rundown: Rookie

Notable Performers

Diego Velasquez: 5 G, 16 AB, .375 AVG, .911 OPS, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 1 K, 1 SB
Garrett Frechette: 5 G, 17 AB, .412 AVG, .885 OPS, 0 HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, 5 K
Donovan McIntyre: 5 G, 17 AB, .294 AVG, .812 OPS, 1 3B, 0 RBI, 3 BB, 7 K, 3 SB
Mauricio Pierre: 4 G, 13 AB, .308 AVG, .896 OPS, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 4 K

The more I see how Diego Velasquez is faring in Complex ball, the more I am getting more and more impressed. The 17-year old is flashing one of the most advanced bat control and strike zone awareness as evidenced by his under 9% walk rate and 11% strikeout rate. There is still little power to his swing with his .029 ISO but he projects as more of a contact-oriented hitter who has yet to physically mature and it is evident to his rather Japanese-style swing mechanics. I expect him to finish the season in Arizona.

After getting overwhelmed by an aggressive promotion to the full-season ball where he only managed to hit for a .219 batting average, the Giants sent down Garrett Frechette to Arizona to regain his form. After 36 games, it is safe to say that Frechette’s back on track. He is fifth in the Arizona League in batting average with .339 with a .863 OPS, 10 doubles, a triple, and a homer. The lack of home run power is slightly worrying and his greater than 25% strikeout rate across two levels is also concerning but the silver lining is that he is only 20 years old and is flashing strong bat-to-ball ability.

While the first five draft selections by the Giants this year have not yet started their professional career, several of their Days 2 and 3 selections have started playing in Arizona. After a week of action, Donovan McIntyre is off to a good start to his pro career with him flashing off his assets starting with his at least plus speed with his triple and three stolen bases. How refined his approach at the plate as he steps in pro ball is something to follow this season.

With the way things are going this early in their professional careers, it looks like the Giants have added a couple of very promising Panamanian prospects in Adrian Sugastey and Mauricio Pierre. While Sugastey has already established himself as a top 30 prospect as he is currently second in the Arizona League with a .350 batting average, Pierre is doing very well for himself especially with the way their rhythm has been hampered by a COVID outbreak and a storm. The Panamanian hit his third home run this season this week and is batting .308 and a .915 OPS in 16 games this season. The athletic outfielder has the tools to become a top 30 prospect.

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