Top young SF Giants outfielder has explosive 2024 Triple-A debut

The SF Giants sent Luis Matos back to the Sacramento River Cats roster after Mike Yastrzemski came back to the big league squad due to him taking a paternity leave as the Yastrzemskis welcomed their third child. Matos had a strong spring but despite it, his days with the Giants were short-lived. If his performance in his first game back is an indication, it will only be a matter of time before he is back up with the Giants for good.

Top young SF Giants outfielder has explosive 2024 Triple-A debut

Matos recorded three hits in six at-bats in his first game back against Reno. He hit his first home run of his 2024 season off Slade Cecconi, the 16th-ranked prospect in the Arizona Diamondbacks farm system according to Baseball America. Matos crushed an 0-1 hanging slider to left field close to the foul pole for a three-run shot that gave the River Cats a 5-3 lead in the top of the second inning.

He also had a base hit where he fisted a 94.6 mph fastball from Cecconi to the Bermuda Triangle in between the first baseman, second baseman, and right fielder for a single that moved Ismael Munguia from first to third. Matos also stole second base a couple of pitches after.

In his fourth at-bat, Matos flexed his muscles once more as he crushed his second home run of the season over the billboards in left field. Diamondbacks prospect Konnor Pilkington looked to put Matos away with a two-strike breaking ball but caught too much of the plate and the Giants outfielder did not miss it. Matos, again, knew it was way gone and gave it a good pimp job. He gave the River Cats extra cushion with an 8-5 lead in the top of the sixth.

The Giants wanted Matos to add muscle in the offseason and he did that in spring training. The early returns were encouraging as he has recorded a .314/.375/.667 line with four home runs, 11 RBI, and 14 runs in 51 Cactus League at-bats. Matos collected 16 hits with 10 of them going for extra bases and he led the team in most key offensive categories.

While spring training stats were far from an indication of things to come, performance off of physical transformations should be given more recognition. If his improved power display continues to show up in Sacramento, it will not be long before the Giants are forced to play their hand and end up with no choice but to have Matos' offensive talents in Oracle Park.