Baseball Prospectus identifies 5 SF Giants prospects on Top 101 list with minor surprise

Last week, Baseball America came out with its annual preseason top prospect rankings, which included five SF Giants prospects. Baseball Prospectus released its own top prospect list as well, which included five Giants prospects as well but with a mild twist.

Baseball Prospectus identifies 5 SF Giants prospects on Top 101 list with minor surprise

Marco Luciano, Joey Bart, Luis Matos, and Kyle Harrison are often regarded as four of the best prospects in the Giants system. Heliot Ramos is typically included in any top prospect list as well, but Baseball Prospectus, surprisingly, left him off of their list.

Outfield prospect Jairo Pomares took Ramos' place as the fifth Giants prospect to be included in the prospect rankings. The Giants rankings are as follows:

No. 9. Marco Luciano

No. 30. Luis Matos

No. 53 Joey Bart

No. 83 Jairo Pomares

No. 92 Kyle Harrison

Matos received an interestingly aggressive ranking, but that placement will likely not be too aggressive by the end of the 2022 season. Before diving into the inclusion of Pomares, I want to make one note about Ramos.

Given that the outfield prospect was selected in the first round of the 2017 draft out high school, he has been on many of these prospect lists for the last several years. Given this, there is possibly an element of prospect fatigue rather than an actual change in his projection. The Giants still see him as an everyday outfielder.

In regards to Pomares, this is his first time appearing on any top prospect rankings excluding organizational rankings. The left-handed bat signed as an international free agent along with Luciano and Matos during the 2018 - 2019 J2 signing cycle. He received a $975,000 signing bonus, so there were some inherently high expectations.

However, being in the same class as Luciano and Matos, it is fair to suggest that he does not receive nearly as much attention as he deserves. Despite a brief pro career so far, the 21-year-old outfield prospect has succeeded at every minor league stop.

The 2021 campaign was a major step forward in terms of his profile. Pomares began the season in Low-A, slashing .372/.429/.694 with 14 home runs, 44 RBI, and 45 runs scored in 224 plate appearances.

He earned a midseason promotion to High-A where he continued to drive the ball as he posted a .262/.269/.505 line with six home runs and 15 RBI in 104 plate appearances. In total, he blasted 20 home runs, but he was not the most patient hitter as he generated a 4.9 percent walk rate against a 26.5 percent strikeout rate.

The high strikeout rate is likely a product of facing advanced pitching, but it is a number to monitor next season. That said, he displayed surprising power across two minor league levels.

In the field, the outfield prospect has seen time at both corner outfield positions, but he has not worked out as a center fielder yet. That trend is likely to continue as Pomares does not have the speed or arm to stick in center field. Left field seems like a likely outcome.

Nevertheless, the Giants continue to boast one of the better farm systems in baseball. They generally have a handful of prospects who appear on any prospect rankings, but different publications will offer a different angle and that is the case with Baseball Prospectus and Pomares. This will not be the last time that Pomares appears on a top prospect list as his stock is likely to continue as he progresses through the minors.