Shortstop is one of the most interesting positions in the Giants organization with one of the better MLB shortstops topping the depth chart and several top prospects working their way up the ladder in the minors. As always, these lists reflect my opinion.
MLB
Brandon Crawford
Ehire Adrianza
Kelby Tomlinson
Matt Duffy
When healthy, Brandon Crawford is one of the better shortstops in MLB, having just completed a breakout season. He is 2 seasons away from free agency. Whether to try to sign him to a long term extension figures to be one of the bigger and more controversial decisions Bobby Evans is going to have to make in the near future. Adrianza is a superior defensive SS, but has not showed much at the plate in limited action. Tomlinson played a lot of SS in the minors and will likely be a super-utility guy in 2016. Duffy is entrenched at 3B making in unlikely he would move to SS even with a prolonged Crawford injury.
AAA
Carlos Triunfel
The onetime uber prospect with the Mariners is disaster option stashed in AAA.
AA
Rando Moreno
I'm intrigued by Moreno who hit surprisingly well in Richmond. He's going to have to get out of the way of the Arroyo train, so he'll presumably move up to Sacramento.
High A
Christian Arroyo
Ydwin Villegas
Arroyo was the best and most consistent hitter for San Jose in 2015, and he's destroying AFL pitching. The big question remains whether he can field the position at higher levels, but the bat is good enough that he has a case for being the Giants top overall prospect. Villegas is a terrific defender, but the bat has never come around.
Low A
Travious Relaford
Kelvin Beltre
Evan Potter
Relaford had an uninspiring season in Augusta. Beltre is listed on the roster, but can't seem to stay healthy. Potter was a late round 2015 draftee.
Short Season.
CJ Hinojosa
Touted HS prospect who had a mediocre college career at Texas. Looked great in his pro debut in Salem-Keizer. BA named him the best late round draftee taken at #11 by the Giants. Had a late injury which put him on the 60 day DL. Not sure what that was about, but I think he has a chance to jump to San Jose in 2016.
Rooke AZL
Jalen Miller
Hector Santiago
Miller was the Giants 4'th round draft pick out of HS. Started off hot at the plate but faded as the AZL season progressed. Santiago is a later round HS draftee out of PR. He's more of a project.
DSL
Manuel Geraldo
Jose Rivero
Geraldo is the guy I am watching. Love his size, switch-hitting and stat lines. Rivero will probably repeat the DSL in 2016, but seems to have some potential.
SIGNEE
Lucious Fox
Fox was signed to the largest bonus the Giants have ever given an undrafted international prospect . He may have the highest ceiling of any current Giants prospect and should be in the discussion for top Giants prospect. Some analysts think he will end up in CF.
The Giants have 2 huge decision looming in the next 2 seasons: 1. What to do about Brandon Crawford's impending free agency after the 2017 season? 2. What position is Arroyo going to play in the major leagues? Those two questions are going to be forced at about the same time. That is why GM's get paid the big bucks.
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Hey Doc did you get to see Keith Law's chat from last week where he answered a few questions about Giants prospects? I've been able to get in a question now and then to him. Was surprised how many Giants-related questions he fielded this time- http://meadowparty.com/blog/2015/10/29/klawchat-102915/
ReplyDeleteAny thoughts? From his previous chats, he's been pretty high on Williamson and Arroyo, but interesting and disappointing assessment of Beede. JA
Thanks for the tip. I did not know Keith Law had a blog outside of ESPN. I've linked it over on the left. Lots of non-baseball stuff, but the chats are worth linking to. I can't really argue with is comments on Arroyo, Williamson or Beede, although the Beede comment is a gross oversimplification of the situation. I think Beede is still developing and will ultimately be OK, but you can't help but have some anxiety over the low K rates and the struggles at AA.
DeleteBTW, Law is interested in a lot of the same non-baseball stuff I am. If I ever start blogging about the other stuff, though, I will start separate blogs for each topic. Someone who is just interested in baseball is going to lose interest having to wade through all the other stuff to get to the baseball chats.
DeleteOh, he's a Science Fiction fan, too. Great link!
DeleteHinojosa played through a broken hamate at UT. I think he finally had surgery on it? I think I saw that somewhere.
ReplyDeleteWill Arroyo be the next guy shunned on top 100 lists that just shows up playing? Its becoming quite the Giants thing to do. Sleeper system!
All these guys get knocked for not being able to stick, but the Giants get shortstops, the premium position on the field, by looking at what they can do, not what they can't do. Really excited about Miller and Fox, Arroyo tearing it up. And I agree about Rando M, he is just sneaking along, quite quickly.