Everything SF Giants fans need to know about the High-A Eugene Emeralds

We have been reviewing each of the SF Giants minor leagues affiliates just as the 2024 season is getting underway. We started with the Sacramento River Cats on Monday and moved to the Richmond Flying Squirrels on Tuesday. Next up: The Eugene Emeralds.

Everything SF Giants fans need to know about the High-A Eugene Emeralds

Players in the IL

Will Bednar
Brett Standlee
Aeverson Arteaga
Jared Dupere
Jairo Pomares

Pitchers

Daniel Blair

Blair was highly effective in San Jose last season as a piggyback reliever but his fringy strikeout tendencies got exposed when he was exposed in Eugene where he was mainly used as a starter. His fastball has a great life above the strike zone that tops out at 96 mph. He is a very good athlete who has a great tempo on the mound. His main secondary pitch is a low-80s slider with good sweeping movement at best and also has sparingly thrown a changeup.

Jack Choate (#35 prospect)

Choate should have plenty of intrigue as a deceptive lefty arm. His fastball only sits in the low-90s but generates plenty of deception with his crossfire, low 3/4 slinging delivery. Pair it with his very tall presence on the mound gives his heater a unique look to hitters. His changeup and slider both flash promise with the slider having plenty of sweep and his changeup flashing great fading action. His control looked solid for the most part as he's shown that he can control the tempo of his mechanics. An uptick in velocity might be unlikely, but he has the ingredients to become a big-league arm.

Seth Corry

Injuries and strike-throwing troubles continued to plague Corry in 2023. The stuff though still looks like the Corry of old, and that's something that keeps him as a prospect. His low-90s fastball has plenty of sink and his low-80s changeup and high-70s curveball are still above-average to plus pitches at their best.

Luckily, the Giants were able to bring back Corry after he reached free agency in the winter.

Cameron Cotter

Cotter was a reliable arm whenever he got the call for San Jose last season in relief. He has a complete arsenal of pitches with a fastball that can touch in the mid-90s with a slider, curveball, and changeup. He throws from a downhill plane with a slight tilt in his pitching motion. He throws plenty of strikes and knows how to make hitters chase with his breaking balls.

Dylan Cumming

Cumming pitched in a variety of roles for the Giants this season and was a reliable option whenever he got the call. The low-80s frisbee was Cumming's best pitch that he used to make a lot of Low-A hitters look silly while also having decent control of his low-90s sinker from a sidearm slot as well as a fringy changeup. The effectiveness of his slider from a lower-than-usual arm slot should help him develop into a reliable reliever and could potentially reach the big leagues in his late 20s.