SF Giants minor league notes: Maui Ahuna, Onil Perez, and Ryan Watson

The SF Giants' strongest affiliate, San Jose, continues to thrive in the California League with a 39-23 record. You can probably make the case that nearly half of that roster deserves a promotion, including outfield prospect Carlos Gutierrez.

SF Giants minor league notes: Maui Ahuna, Onil Perez, and Ryan Watson

Maui Ahuna's return from the injured list

Speaking of San Jose, shortstop prospect Maui Ahuna returned from the injured list recently. The 2023 fourth-round pick is returning from Tommy John surgery. Ahuna is a strong defender with good range and an above-average arm. The arm looks like it has recovered from major elbow surgery.

The offensive profile is more of a question mark, but he does have some raw tools that could develop. Ahuna is slashing .213/.339/.383 (106 wRC+) with two home runs, eight RBI, and 11 runs in 56 plate appearances with San Jose this season.

The left-handed bat generates decent bat speed and has an uppercut bat path that does lend itself to modest power and some swing-and-miss, too. Ahuna has a 32.1 percent strikeout rate and has struggled to get the ball off the ground. The offense is a work in progress, but the glove will likely be his carrying tool.

Onil Perez's promotion to Double-A

Catcher prospect Onil Perez was moved up to the Richmond Flying Squirrels earlier this week. Richmond is about the only Giants minor league affiliate that has enough depth behind the plate. Perez recorded a .314/.449/.412 line (146 wRC+) with two home runs, 16 RBI, and 18 runs in 127 plate appearances before the promotion. He had more walks (24) than strikeouts (20), and he has a hit-over-power offensive profile.

Behind the plate, Perez, is an adequate backstop. He has a quick pop time and a strong arm, but struggles with framing and blocking. In particular, the 22-year-old catcher had 13 passed balls with Eugene.

Ryan Watson's stead presence in Sacramento

Ryan Watson might be quietly making a case to be a candidate to join the Giants pitching staff down the road. Watson was originally acquired in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles last summer. He has tallied a 4.06 ERA in five minor league seasons, but has been better since becoming a full-time reliever. The right-handed pitcher has registered a 3.06 ERA, 3.14 FIP, 1.13 WHIP, 11.2 K/9, and a 3.67 SO/W rate across 17.2 innings with the Sacramento River Cats.

On the mound, Watson features a mid-90's four-seam fastball with a hard, gyro slider. The four-seamer has some riding action up in the zone and misses a healthy number of bats. The slider averages 84 MPH and has a 32.4 percent whiff rate this year. That pitch is an above-average offering, and one that Watson leans on to get strikeouts.