SF Giants bolster Double-A roster by signing a pair of veteran minor leaguers

The SF Giants signed infielder Devin Mann and outfielder Cal Mitchell to minor league deals on Tuesday, per the team's transaction log. Both players were assigned to the Richmond Flying Squirrels, giving the struggling lineup a new look.

SF Giants bolster Double-A roster by signing a pair of veteran minor leaguers

The Eastern League can be a tough environment for hitters, and that is especially true for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. They began Tuesday with a .629 team OPS, which was tied for the second-worst mark in that league.

The pitching side has been equally as rough. Not surprisingly, Richmond is last in the Southwest Division with a 5-16 record. That roster tends to get left out to dry at times due to being on the East Coast. The good news is they received a jolt when they activated Bryce Eldridge off the injured list.

They will get some more proven reinforcements in Mann and Mitchell. Mann gives the Flying Squirrels coverage all around the infield, but he has experience in the outfield as well. He is coming off a season with the Kansas City Royals' Triple-A club, where he tallied a .777 OPS with 13 home runs and 52 RBI in 403 plate appearances. Mann elected free agency last offseason, but did not sign until now.

Overall, he has slashed .263/.367/.453 with a 12.6 percent walk rate, 22.4 percent strikeout rate, and .190 ISO across six minor league seasons. He will work a walk and hits for above-average power.

On the other hand, Mitchell was a second-round pick by the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2017 out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, California. He was generally considered one of Pittsburgh's better prospects when he was coming up through their system.

The left-handed bat even received a bit of time with the Pirates in recent seasons, struggling to a .626 OPS in 237 plate appearances across parts of two seasons. In eight minor league seasons, he has registered a .273/.338/.438 line with an 8.4 percent walk rate, 22.3 percent strikeout rate, and .165 ISO.

Mitchell has a pull-heavy swing, which has led to more power, as he has tallied double-digit home runs in four out of eight seasons. The pull-heavy approach does open him up to some swing-and-miss tendencies.

The 26-year-old saw more time in center field earlier in his pro career, but has been limited to the corners in recent seasons. He did begin this season with the Chicago White Sox Triple-A affiliate, but was released earlier this week.

In corresponding roster moves, the Giants released a pair of outfielders in Matt Higgins and Rodolfo Nolasco. Nolasco was acquired last season in a trade that sent Daulton Jefferies to the Pirates.