While the Giants have made headlines with a series of international position player signings at the top of the market they quietly amassed a large cadre of young international pitchers rising rapidly through the prospect rankings and may start making a significant impact within the next 2-3 years. MLB Pipeline currently lists 7, yes that's 7, in their Giants Top 30. Let's break it down:
Argenis Cayama RHP. DOB: 9/15/2006. 6' 1", 180 lbs. Signed Jan 2024. Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2028.
Keyner Martinez RHP. DOB: 8/16/2004. 6' 1", 165 lbs. Signed July 2023. Rule 6 Eligible Dec. 2026.
Alberto Laroche RHP. DOB: 12/1/2005. 5' 11", 171 lbs. Signed April 2024. Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2028.
2025(DSL): 1-3, 2.11, 38.1 IP, 7.98 K/9, 1.41 BB/9, 2.32 GB/FB.
MLB Pipeline scouting report has him with some of the "most electric stuff" in the DSL. He gets elite groundball rates from an "explosive" sinker. He also throws a 4-seamer, slider and change up. He should graduate to Arizona to start 2026 and we will likely see him in A San Jose boxscores by the end of the season.
Luis De La Torre LHP. DOB: 9/6/2003. 6' 0", 188 lbs. Signed July 2023, Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.
Carlos De La Rosa LHP. DOB: 11/30/2007. 5' 11", 178 lbs. Signed Jan 2025(Yankees), Acquired by Trade(Camilo Doval RHP) July 2025. Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2029.
Yankees gave him a $400 K bonus. He had a strong DSL season at age 17. FB goes 92-94 up to 96 MPH. He is developing two sliders and a changeup. We should see him in Arizona as an 18 yo. It's turning out the Giants got quite a haul for Camilo Doval and De La Rosa may turn out to be the best of them.
2025(DSL): 0-1, 4.73, 32.1 IP, 14.20 K/9, 2.78 BB/9, 1.00 GB/FB.
Yunior Marte RHP. DOB: 8/9/2003. 6' 5", 210 lbs. Signed Jul 2021(Royals), Acquired by Trade Jul 2025(Mike Yastrzemski). Rule 5 Eligible Dec. 2026.
2025(A): 3-5, 2.91, 102 IP, 8.47 K/9, 2.56 BB/9, 1.08 GB/FB.
This is not the same Yunior Marte who pitched for the Giants a couple of years ago. That guy was kind of small. This dude is large. Acquired from the Royals for Mike Yastrzemski. His FB goes 92-95 MPH up to 97. He pairs that with a slider that MLB Pipeline calls a "deadly combo" against right handed batters. His secondary stuff is still developing.
Gerelmi Maldonado RHP. DOB: 12/21/2003. 6' 2", 170 lbs. Signed Jan 2021. Rule 5 Eligible.
2025(A): 0-4, 3.97, 59 IP, 10.53 K/9, 6.71 BB/9, 2.07 GB/FB.
Gerelmi came back from Tommy John surgery with a wild hair up his nose. His K rates suggests the stuff is still there but he needs to re-find his command. I am not sure he will make it onto MLB Pipeline's 2026 Giants Top 30 Prospects list. I know he will be lower on my list until he proves he can command his pitches again.
Smackdown: Keyner Martinez wins this smackdown on the strength of his results on the field and glowing scouting report. I mean, if you have two pitches that are best in organization, that's pretty tough to beat, right? I will probably rank him in my top 10 Giants prospects. I am excited about the whole group. It sure seems like the Giants should get at least one SP and a couple of relievers out of this group.
Waaay off topic, did you or your commenters mention Marco Luciano getting DFA’d by the Pirates last week?
ReplyDeleteHe's not coming back to the Giants so probably most readers and commenters on this blog are not focused on Luciano anymore. That's the part about the whole option/DFA process that I think is harmful to players. They get churned from team to team. A few get lucky and get hot at exactly the right time to gain a foothold but most of them gradually lose what skills they had due to lack of a stable environment to work on them.
DeleteSad. I hope he can get an opportunity to get his career back on track.
DeleteBaseball America has Keyner Martinez in its Top 10.
ReplyDeleteI heard the Red Sox asked about the availability of Kenyer Martinez in Devers trade talks. Good sign that Martinez is a.good prospect when other teams ask about the player.
ReplyDeleteJust adding the Red Sox asked about Cayama too in Devers trade talks. I know this was discussed earlier but I'm hoping the Giants don't trade Eldridge. Hes only 21 years old, hit 48 hrs the last 2 seasons spent mainly in AA-AAA level and has held his own. Maybe there's a chance that Eldridge increases his value even more if the Giants start him in AAA in 2026 and he continues to impress with the bat, then he might become untouchable .I've been waiting for the Giants to develop this kind of player..
DeleteI’m torn between wanting to keep every one of our prospects and trading away some or many of them for known talent that can help us win now. I could argue either side but seeing how close we are to having a really good chance with only a few additions I am more inclined to trade. The trades are out there and it is going to take a few of these guys to get Gore or Peralta or Bubic etc. I think most Giants fans would be ok with that knowing it gives us a better immediate chance to compete. It’s a lot to ask Giants fans to be patient for 2-3 more years in the hope that half these guys make it. I would trade half of them and more for Gore and Abrams if it was on the table…
ReplyDeleteThe Giants seem to have established a steady pipeline of international talent so trading 2 or 3 would likely be replaceable fairly quickly.
DeleteI agree Gore is an intriguing target with 2 years of contract control and all.
DeleteTrading for 2 years of a player is a bit dicey given the iffy nature of the 2027 season.
ReplyDeleteIf the Dodgers 3-peat, won't there be a banding of brothers (aka owners) to stop this half-a-billion-dollar payroll (before the luxury tax penalty)? This certainly will be countered by a sure-strike by the players. Poof goes 2027.
LA hasn't been quite as aggressive this off-season as the BJ's and perhaps Baltimore and Atlanta (the last 2 aren't starting with a World Series team), but the Dodgers have picked their spots to enhance and bolster their already formidable team – AND they might not be done yet with a couple of OFers: Kyle Tucker and Cody Bellinger still available, and the conglomerate ownership worth hundreds of billions of dollars (dwarfing Johnson and company) and willing to spend to feed the money making machine (also dwarfing SF's funds).
Somethings got to give in Lalaland.
BTW, with so much of the Giants future in the lower minors, in the event of a strike, they will still play.
I guess it depends on what they have to give up to get Gore. My point was if it's 2-3 of these international prospects in the lower minors, the Giants seem to have a strong international pipeline to replenish that pool fairly quickly. Re. minor leagues and a work stoppage. It's my understanding minor leaguers are now members of the MLBPA and would participate in any work stoppage as well as have a seat at the negotiating table.
DeleteYou're right about MiLB. They most likely would strike also.
DeleteWow, what an awful summer.
Personally, while presently in reasonable health, approaching 86 yo, near co-incident with the start of the the regular season, it's quite saddening to completely lose a season, not having a lot of seasons left.
But something has to give, doesn't it?
I completely understand. Since I retired, I am fortunate to find several ways to continue growing my life, but watching Giants baseball and writing about it is still a pillar of my existence.
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