SF Giants: Top prospects invited to Arizona Fall League

The SF Giants finalized the list of prospects they are sending to the Arizona Fall League and it is arguably the most talented group they have ever sent. The list is headlined by start shortstop Marco Luciano and talented outfielder Hunter Bishop.

SF Giants: Top prospects invited to Arizona Fall League

Patrick Bailey, Seth Corry, R.J. Dabovich, Gregory Santos, Cole Waites, and Will Wilson rounded out the list of Giants prospects invited. It is not surprising to see Bailey, Corry, Dabovich, Bishop, and Waites on the list as each prospect missed time in 2021 due to injuries. In addition to this, Santos missed the second half of the season due to a PED-related suspension.

The hard-throwing righty will be one of the few prospects in the AFL with major league experience. Oftentimes, teams send prospects who missed time in the regular season to get extra game repetitions. On the other hand, some prospects are sent as a way to reward them for a strong regular season. That seems to be the case with Luciano considering that he registered a .258/.344/471 line with 19 home runs, 71 RBI, and 68 runs scored in 453 plate appearances across two minor league affiliates.

This will be an especially important set of games for Bishop. The left-handed bat was drafted with the 10th overall pick in the 2019 draft out of Arizona State University but he has accumulated a total of 202 plate appearances as a pro due in part to a canceled 2020 season and a variety of injuries that held him out in 2021.

The outfield prospect still possesses some of the best raw power and athleticism in the organization but he has been limited to just 48 games as a pro.

The inclusion of Will Wilson is an interesting move by the Giants. Wilson did not miss substantial time in 2021 and, in fact, he had a strong start to the season as he posted an .837 OPS with 10 home runs in High-A before being promoted to Double-A. However, he struggled to the tune of a .581 OPS with 81 strikeouts in 221 plate appearances.

R.J. Dabovich and Cole Waites are a couple of interesting bullpen arms to follow as well. Dabovich was one of the fastest risers in the Giants farm system after being selected in the fourth round of the 2020 draft. He began the season in High-A but he was promoted to Double-A after a strong showing with the Eugene Emeralds. In total, he produced a 2.78 ERA with 62 strikeouts in 32.1 innings across two minor league affiliates.

Waites missed most of the 2021 season but opened a lot of eyes with how he performed down the stretch in Low-A. With the San Jose Giants, the relief prospect allowed just one run on one hit with 24 strikeouts against four walks in 10.1 frames. Bullpen prospects can generally move quickly up the organizational ladder, so Waites is a name who could move fast when next season begins.

The Giants’ prospects will play for the Scottsdale Scorpions and that will be one team to watch once the AFL gets underway.