SF Giants recall recall outfield prospect and pitching prospect in series of moves

The SF Giants added some reinforcements on Saturday as both outfield prospect Heliot Ramos and pitching prospect Sean Hjelle were recalled. Pitcher Luis Ortiz and outfielder Willie Calhoun were optioned back to Sacramento to create roster space.

SF Giants recall recall outfield prospect and pitching prospect in series of moves

Calhoun appeared briefly with the Giants, recording one hit in eight at-bats since his contract was selected last week. On the other hand, Ortiz allowed just one earned run on three hits, two walks, and three strikeouts. The 26-year-old pitcher made a nice first impression as he filled up the strike zone with his four-pitch mix.

Ramos has struggled in his second turn through Triple-A. In 445 plate appearances, the outfield prospect has slashed .223/.303/.333 (61 wRC+) with nine home runs, 35 RBI, and 58 runs. He posted a .722 OPS in 229 plate appearances with the Sacramento River Cats last year, so his struggles now span multiple season against advanced pitched.

He was in the lineup on Saturday night and recorded four hitless at-bats. In 17 sporadic at-bats in 2022, Ramos has recorded just two hits. It has been a tough season for the former first-round pick as he has struggled to live up to the hype that comes with being a top prospect.

Similar to Ramos, Sean Hjelle appeared in Saturday night's game against the Dodgers but he had an abysmal appearance as he allowed six earned runs on eight hits in one inning. The similarities do not end there are Hjelle has also struggled in his second turn through Triple-A.

In 22 starts, the 6-foot-10 pitcher has tallied a 4.92 ERA, 5.22 FIP, 1.54 WHIP, 7.4 K/9, and a 2.11 SO/W ratio. This does include a 56.7 percent ground ball rate, so he is still getting some weak contact.

However, his struggles in Triple-A span multiple seasons as he recorded a 5.74 ERA in 10 starts with the River Cats. Prior to last night's appearance, Hjelle put together an encouraging appearance in a game against the Brewers earlier this month but he was unable to carry that momentum into Saturday's appearance.

With two weeks remaining, the Giants are auditioning a handful of players for a role on next year's roster. Ramos and Hjelle are both former top picks, so it would behoove the Giants to see what either player can potentially offer.