SF Giants power-hitting prospect earns Player of the Week honors in California League

SF Giants power-hitting prospect Lisbel Diaz has had one of the more impressive seasons in the organization in 2024. He added to that after earning Player of the Week honors in the California League.

SF Giants power-hitting prospect earns Player of the Week honors in California League

During the week in which Diaz was recognized, he recorded 12 hits, including three doubles and one triple, in 30 at-bats. He finished the week with three straight, multi-hit games. This included a five-hit performance in a 14-2 win over the Modesto Nuts on Saturday night.

This might come as a surprise to many people, but minor league teams often face the same team all week. In the case of San Jose, they faced off against the Nuts for six straight games. It is fair to say that Modesto's pitchers were probably tired of seeing Diaz by the end of the series.

Diaz signed with the Giants during the 2023 international signing class. He was not considered one of the top names from that class for San Francisco, but he has made a favorable impression during his brief career so far.

In his first season as a pro in 2023, the right-handed bat registered a .312/.386/.455 line with three home runs, 18 RBI, and 14 runs in 88 plate appearances in the Dominican Summer League (DSL). He recorded nearly as many walks (7) as strikeouts (10). On the surface, these are promising numbers in any league. That said, the competition jump between the DSL to full-season ball is pretty steep.

This did not deter the 19-year-old bat as he posted a .951 OPS with four home runs and 19 RBI in 90 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League (ACL). At the end of the ACL season, he was promoted to San Jose along with Walker Martin and Ryan Reckley.

This has turned out to be a positive season of development for Diaz as he continues to hit in Low-A while being one of the younger position players in the California League. So far, he has tallied a .754 OPS with six home runs and 29 RBI in 212 plate appearances with San Jose. He is only getting better as the season progresses.

In the batter's box, Diaz has relatively sound swing mechanics for someone his age. He has a traditional stance from the right side with a subtle leg rise to begin his motion. Diaz does not have much wasted movement and his hands take a direct path to the ball, leading to quality contact skills.

In the field, Diaz has stayed exclusively in the corner outfield spots while seeing more time in right field. There is not much information available about his defense, but seeing time in right field could be a sign that he has a strong arm. Diaz's pro career is just getting started, but he has made some noise in the early going.