SF Giants midseason top 30 prospects: New No. 1, power hitter falls from top spot

SF Giants midseason top 30 prospects: New No. 1, power hitter falls from top spot

11. Walker Martin SS
Hit 20/40 | Raw Power 50/55 | Game Power 30/45 | Speed 55/50 | Arm 55/55 | Field 40/45
PV 20 | FV 40

Martin spent the entire Spring Training flirting with the possibility of joining Bryce Eldridge in San Jose. Unfortunately, he continued his progress in the backfields where he is currently playing in the ACL.

If there is one thing that is for certain, it is that the Giants made the right call in holding Martin back as he looked more raw than expected. Early on in his ACL, there are plenty of swings and misses as he is continuing to dial in with his approach. In his most recent games, he is showing signs of improvement with it, flashing a good feel for the size of his strike zone, along with his patience at the box but the swing-and-miss, particularly with breaking balls, is still there. It is easy to be worried about his long-term hit tool. The lefty stroke is short and is currently not geared for over-the-fence power, as he does not seem to rotate his hips in his swing fully. His defense at shortstop also needs plenty of polish with him taking an extra step or two before getting fully set just one of a few examples. There is still a long road ahead for Martin but is clear that he is a couple of steps back with his fellow prep top pick Eldridge right now.

12. Randy Rodriguez P
FB 70/70 | SL 70/70 | CMD 40/40
PV 40 | FV 40

Rodriguez is finally putting it all together. Entering 2024, he still has some of the best pure stuff in the organization. Interestingly, he entered Spring Training with a slight tweak to his release point, having his fingers on top of the ball more instead of along the line of his forearm. It was done with the hopes of getting him in the strike zone more often this year. And so far, it has worked nicely.

The fastball continues to hit the high 90s with him getting on top of the ball more resulting in an above-average ride. And alongside his low release point, it makes his fastball a killer pitch even in the middle of the strike zone as it drops even less than usual. Conversely, the slider continues to be a knockout pitch with above-average sweep and depth. Just a simple tweak can lead to major results and that's what happened to Rodriguez, who finally unlocked his true potential.

13. Spencer Miles P
FB 55/60 | CB 70/70 | SL 45/50 | CH 40/40 | CMD 30/40
PV 30 | FV 40

Miles' 2023 season has been washed away by undergoing Tommy John surgery. That did not stop him from developing throughout the offseason once he started rehab. What he's shown so far has been the fruit of his labor.

The Giants drafted Miles in 2022 not because of his gaudy college stats, far from it, but of his raw tools. He has a live arm with great athleticism and a big arsenal, making him an ideal ball of clay for pro-level coaching. So far, it worked. His fastball has been in the 94-98 mph range though it has vanilla traits which pulls its effectiveness back a bit. The curveball is the star of the show though, a high-70s to low-80s offering with spin rates hovering around 3,000 rpm that features both sharp depth and sweep. He also has a high-80s slider to keep hitters off balanced though most of the focus now resides on his fastball-curveball combination. The control still needs improvement but his athleticism gives him a higher chance of improving it than most.

14. Jonah Cox OF
Hit 30/45 | Raw Power 45/45 | Game Power 30/40 | Speed 70/70 | Arm 45/45 | Field 45/45
PV 30 | FV 40

Cox has been quite a return when the Giants traded Ross Stripling and cash to the Athletics for the speedy outfielder. He was off to a blistering start with San Jose as he torched the league in April and May but then cooled off a bit in June. It did not stop the Giants' brass from promoting him to Eugene, where he is off once again to a strong start.

Speed is the name of Cox's game as a lot of his value hinges on his legs. He has already amassed a high number of infield hits, he steals bases at a high volume but with a high success rate, and he covers a ton of ground in center field. The swing itself is not particularly special, as it is a line-drive swing. He does not have much raw juice but he can pile up extra-base hits due to his legs. He can struggle a bit with breaking balls but he has a relatively polished knowledge of the strike zone. One of the biggest concerns that needs to be coached up is the mental side of the game. He has an ok arm but his decision-making (where to throw the ball to) needs plenty of improvement. He also can improve his reads in the outfield and should also hone down a bit on his over-aggressive base-running tendencies. If he can correct that, he has a prototypical lead-off hitter profile.

15. Spencer Bivens P
FB 60/60 | SL 55/55 | CH 50/50 | CMD 50/50
PV 40 | FV 40

Bivens has come a long way. From pitching overseas, in the independent leagues, the Minor Leagues, and to the Majors. What a journey, what a pitcher. He was excellent out of the bullpen for the River Cats, winning PCL Pitcher of the Month in May, and has continued his success into June before being trusted in the big leagues to pitch in crucial games.

It just goes to show that age does not matter, especially for pitchers. For a guy like Bivens who already is in his 30s, he has some of the best stuff in the Giants farm system. His mid-90s sinker has a tremendous sink that is very tough to put in the air. He compliments it with a low-80s slider that does not have a big shape but breaks late and sharply inside lefties. He also has a high-80s changeup that has plenty of fade like his sinker that he uses more as a complimentary pitch but can get whiffs when needed. He has continued to refine his mechanics ever since being signed by the Giants to the point where he has solid control of the strike zone. He might not have a long big league career due to his age, but he should be proud to be in the big leagues longer than most of the more heralded, more hyped prospects that came and will come after him.