DrB's 2025 Giants Top 50 Prospects: #50 Will Bednar

Will Bednar RHP.  DOB:  6/13/2000.  6' 2", 230 lbs.  Drafted 2021 Round 1, #14 overall.

2024(A):  1-0, 3.60, 10 IP, 11.70 K/9, 2.70 BB/9.

2024(A+):  0-2, 3.18, 11.1 IP, 15.88 K/9, 6.35 BB/9.

2024(AA):  1-2, 7.71, 32.2 IP, 11.85 K/9, 9.92 BB/9.  

Bednar has been plagued by a long series of injuries reportedly mostly involving his back.  He at least seemed to stay healthy after starting the season late on May 7.  His velocity was reportedly up to the mid 90's and he showed strikeout stuff but results suffered from way too many walks.  You don't want to give up easily on a former first round draft pick but 2025 is probably his last chance to show he can reach his ceiling.  Obvious need to stay healthy and command his pitches.  He could move fast if that happens.

Scouting the 2025 Draft: Xavier Neyens

Xavier Neyens 3B, HS.  DOB:  10/29/2006.  B-L, T-R.  6' 4", 200 lbs.  

Neyens is a big kid with plus power potential and a strong approach at the plate.  Per MLB Pipeline he's reached 95 MPH off a mound so has the arm strength to go with athleticism to be a good defensive 3B.  Committed to Oregon State.  I'm not crazy about the profile for a HS prospect.  Ceiling is very bat dependent.

Hot Stove League Update: Charlie Morton Signs with Orioles; Dodgers Sign Hyeseong Kim Because They Can

The Orioles signed 41 years old Charlie Morton RHP for 1 yr/$15 M and the way things are going, Morton just might still command $15 M/yr on one year contracts when he's 51 yo!  

2024(Braves):  8-10, 4.19, 165.1 IP, 9.1 K/9, 3.5 BB/9.

Again, Morton was never linked to the Giants and he seems like a guy who is more comfortable playing on the east coast but the list of veteran pitchers who can eat innings continues to dwindle.  Perhaps Buster Posey means what he says that he is ready to roll with the Giants stable of young pitchers?

The Dodgers made a somewhat surprising move by signing Hyeseong Kim to a 3 year contracts for $12.5 M with a club option for 2 additional seasons for $9.5 M.  Note this is not Jung Hoo Lee's good friend Ha Seong Kim.  This is another player with a similar name who was posted by his KBO team.  This is a curious signing in that the Dodgers were never mentioned as being interested in Kim and they don't appear to really have a need for him.  The Dodgers are set at all positions and have Miguel Rojas, Chris Taylor and Tommy Edman as excellent utility players.  I mean, if you've got it, flaunt it!  

Kim is reportedly an excellent defender at multiple positions but has mostly played 2B recently.  He's a contact hitter but with much less power than Ha Seong Kim which makes you wonder how he will fare against MLB pitching.  At one point I thought about putting his name out there as a fit for the Giants to play 2B since he bats left, but every time I looked at those power numbers I just said "nah", so we'll wish him luck with the Dodgers..... or not.

Addendum:  To make room on the 40-man roster for Hyeseong Kim, the Dodgers DFA'd Diego Cartaya C.  This is interesting and kind of sad because just 2 years ago, Cartaya was widely considered the Dodgers top prospect and possibly the top prospect in all of baseball.  His numbers cratered in the upper minors and now he's DFA'd.  Another example of how prospect evaluation is an inexact science at best.

DrB's 2025 Giants Top 50 Prospects: Dominican Dandies

We'll start off our prospect countdown with a focus on the "Dominican Dandies."  These are players from the DSL teams who for one reason or another appear to be prospects of note but we just don't have enough information to justify putting them in the top 50.  Since I don't have much in the way of scouting reports we'll mostly look at their age, handedness and size as well as stat lines.  I hope we see all or most of them in the ACL this season.  

Angel Guzman 1B/OF.  DOB:  11/15/2005.  B-L, T-L.  5' 11", 170 lbs.  Signed Jan 2023.

2023:  .257/.392/.450, 4 HR, 6 SB, 15.9 BB%, 18.7 K%, 171 PA.

2024:  .305/.475/.523, 7 HR, 15 SB, 22.4 BB%, 19.4 K%, 201 PA.

Named by Baseball America among 10 prospects with "promising combination of plate skills as well as impact metrics".  

Oliver Tejada CF.  DOB:  12/9/2006.  B-R, T-R.  5' 11", 180 lbs.  Signed Jan 2024($147 K).

2024:  .300/.405/.488, 5 HR, 13 SB, 10.7 BB%, 18.5 K%, 205 PA.

Evan Estevez LF.  DOB:  8/14/2007.  B-R, T-R.  6'3", 165 lbs.  Signed Jan 2024($147.5 K).

2024:  .290/.369/.387, 2 HR, 6 SB, 10.6 BB%, 30.7 K%, 179 PA.

Two things stand out with Estevez: 1.  2024 was his age 16 season.  2.  6' 3".   Huge projectability here.

Juan Colorado SS. DOB:  9/18/2006.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 165 lbs.  Signed Jan 2024($272 K).

2024:  .248/.330/.309, HR, 5 SB, 9.7 BB%, 35.7 K%, 165 PA.

Yohendry Sanchez C.  DOB:  11/9/2006.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 207 lbs. Signed Jan 2024($1.4 M).

2024:  .241/.489/.448, HR, 22.2 BB%, 24.4 K%, 45 PA.

Physically mature for age.  Classic catchers body.

Jesus Alexander C/1B. DOB:  9/4/2005.  B-L, T-R.  6'2", 185 lbs.  Signed Jan 2023

2023:  .171/.259/.263, HR, 8.2 BB%, 21.2 K%, 85 PA.

2024:  .381/.437/.597, 5 HR, 9.6 BB%, 14.2 K%, 197 PA.

Nice combination of contact and power.  Broke out in his second DSL season.  Played mostly 1B.

Argenis Cayama RHP.  DOB:  9/15/2006.  6' 1", 180 lbs.  Signed Jan 2024($147.5 K).

2024:  0-1, 2.59, 24.1 IP, 10.73 K/9, 3.33 BB/9.

I found one report of a 97 MPH FB with a projectable frame.

Frainer Mejias RHP.  DOB:  1/10/2006.  6' 1", 170 lbs.  Signed Jan 2023.

2023:  2-1, 7.62, 13 IP, 12.46 K/9, 8.31 BB/9.

2024:  7-1, 2.72, 36.1 IP, 11.64 K/9, 2.72 BB/9.

No scouting report.  Dramatic improvement in stat line from 2023 to 2024.

Randry DeLeon RHP.  DOB:  7/21/2005.  6' 4", 201 lbs.  Signed Jan 2023.

2023:  0-4, 8.51, 30.2 IP, 10.86 K/9, 6.75 BB/9.

2024:  0-2, 3.19, 42.1 IP, 9.78 K/9, 3.40 BB/9.

Dramatic improvement from 2023 to 2024.  Love the size.

Albert Jimenez 3B.  DOB:  10/28/2006.  B-R, T-R.  6' 1", 174 lbs. Signed Jan 2024($197.5 K).

2024:  .264/.339/.405, 3 HR, 9.7 BB%, 22.0 K%, 186 PA.

Santiago Camacho C.  DOB:  1/27/2007.  B-S, T-R.  5' 11", 176 lbs.  Signed Jan 2024($277.5 K).d

2024:  .363/.507/.549, 2 HR, 3 SB, 20.3 BB%, 15.2 K%, 138 PA.

Not a lot to not like in that stat line.  Performed much better than top bonus baby Yohendry Sanchez.  And switch-hitting catchers don't grow on trees.

Summary:

This is one of several reasons I believe the Giants farm system is underrated.  The Giants 2024 class of international prospects is looking exceptionally strong.  That backs up the 2023 class of Rayner Arias, Lisbel Diaz and several others.  If they don't mess up signing Josuar Gonzalez on January 15 that will make 3 banner years for international signings.  This run is going to start paying dividends in the upper minors and hopefully the MLB team in another year or two and you will see the Giants farm system rankings go way up.

Scouting the 2025 Draft: Aiva Arquette

Aiva Arquette 2B, College.  DOB:  10/17/2023.  B-R, T-R.  6', 4", 220 lbs.  

2024(College):  .325/.384/.574, 12 HR, 6 SB, 7.4 BB%, 17.5 K%, 229 PA.

2024(CCL):  .291/.357/.437, 3 HR, 2 SB, 6.8 BB%, 23.9 K%, 117 PA.

Arquette has unusual size for a middle infielder.  He's listed as a 2B but his MLB Pipeline scouting report says he played SS in the Cape Cod League and showed he has the tools to play SS at higher levels.  5-tool player who can hit and hit for power and play a premium position.  Swing looks short for a tall hitter and he keeps his elbows in to get around on inside hard stuff.

DrB's 2025 Giants Top 50 Prospects

Happy New Year, everybody!  We'll celebrate by unveiling DrB's 2025 Giants Top 50 Prospects.  

I want to thank everybody for the discussion of the preliminary list.  I ended up adding 3 players I overlooked:  Walker Martin, Carson Ragsdale and Carson Seymour.  This year's list is particularly challenging as after a clear #1 there is a large second tier with prospects ranging from guys who have appeared in MLB games all the way down to "Dominican Dandies."  As always it is a challenge to give relative values to prospects who are close to "graduating" vs younger players who may or may not have higher ceilings, pitchers vs hitters, etc.  While rankings have some approximate meaning, I've learned to see them as only a rough ranking and to not worry to much about being too precise with it.  The main goal of the exercise is to develop a better understanding of the players who may be future Giants.  With that said, on with the list:

1.  Bryce Eldridge 1B

2.  Grant McCray OF

3.  Trevor McDonald RHP

4.  James Tibbs III OF

5.  Jhonny Level SS

6.  Rayner Arias OF

7.  Walker Martin SS

8.  Carson Whisenhunt LHP

9.  Carson Ragsdale RHP

10.  Carson Seymour RHP

11. Mason Black RHP

12.  Diego Velasquez SS/2B

13.  Lisbel Diaz OF

14.  Wade Meckler OF

15.  Joe Whitman LHP

16.  Charlie Szykowny IF

17.  Carter Howell OF

18.  Sabin Ceballos 3B

19.  Bo Davidson OF

20.  Dakota Jordan OF

21.  John Bertrand LHP

22.  Trent Harris RHP

23.  Tyler Myrick RHP

24.  Juan Sanchez LHP

25.  Jack Choate LHP

26.  Nick Sinacola RHP

27.  Justin Wishkoski 3B

28.  Victor Bericoto OF/1B

29.  Aeverson Arteaga SS

30.  Hayden Wynja LHP

31.  Manuel Mercedes RHP

32.  Onil Perez C

33.  Cesar Perdomo LHP

34.  Jonah Cox OF

35.  Quinn McDaniel 2B

36.  Josh Bostick RHP

37.  Scott Bandura OF

38.  Cale Lansville RHP

39.  Gerelmi Maldonado RHP

40.  Ryan Vanderhei RHP

41.  Elijah Pleasants RHP

42.  Shane Rademacher RHP

43.  Drew Cavanaugh C

44.  Jeremiah Jenkins 1B

45.  Zander Darby SS

46.  Robert Hipwell 3B

47.  Maui Ahuna SS

48.  Jakob Christian OF

49.  Hunter Bishop OF

50.  Will Bednar RHP

I decided to not do on Honorable Mention list this year.  We can add one or two if it turns out we forgot someone who should have made the Top 50.  

I will mention a few "Dominican Dandies" as this year's DSL squads looked exceptionally strong compared to previous seasons:

Angel Guzman 1B, Oliver Tejada CF, Evan Estevez LF, Juan Colorado SS, Yohendry Sanchez C, Jesus Alexander C, Argenis Cayama RHP, Frainer Mejia RHP, Randry DeLeon RHP, Albert Jimenez 3B, Santiago Camacho C.