Former SF Giants power-hitting prospect joins Frontier League club

Former SF Giants power-hitting prospect Sean Roby is on the move. The corner infielder has agreed to join the Sussex County Miners of the Frontier League, per a team announcement.

Former SF Giants power-hitting prospect joins Frontier League club

The Frontier League is one of the many independent ball leagues around the country along with the American Association and Atlantic League. In particular, the Atlantic League has a partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), and new rules are often experimented in that league first before being implemented elsewhere.

Pro players join independent ball clubs to extend their playing careers. Since MLB has reduced minor league headcount in recent seasons, that leaves fewer openings for minor leaguers once they reach free agency. It is also one of the main reasons teams have been less active in minor league free agency lately. There are just not many openings available. Much of the available headcount is held by recent draftees and prospects signed on the international market.

Sean Roby was a 12th-round pick by the Giants in the 2018 draft out of Arizona Western College. He quickly flashed quality power as he tallied five home runs in 186 plate appearances in the Arizona Rookie League.

Roby was rarely included among the team's top prospects, but more than once, there was an interesting tidbit about his game power. From a relative standpoint, he displayed about as much game power as any Giants prospect during his time with the club.

The season proved to be an impressive one for the corner infielder. He slashed .219/.286/.481 (104 wRC+) with 25 home runs and 55 RBI in 353 plate appearances with the Richmond Flying Squirrels of the Eastern League. The Eastern League is a tough hitter's environment for a few reasons including the advanced pitching, large ballpark dimensions, and wet climate.

There are not many players who have hit 20 home runs with the Flying Squirrels. Roby and Tyler Fitzgerald are the only players to reach that mark in recent seasons.

Roby missed some time during the 2023 season before being selected by the Miami Marlins in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft last year. He became a free agent at the end of the 2024 season. Roby joins a Sussex County Miners team that went 33-63 last year.