Here is a PRELIMINARY list of my 2023 Giants Top 50 Prospects. As always, please don't get too hung up on exact ranking. The may purpose of the exercise is to get to know the prospects in the Giants minor league system a little better. I do want feedback if I missed any obvious high rankers. It is more challenging to rank FZ's farm system than Sabes/Evans due to The Churn and relatively high turnover in the upper levels of the system. As far as I know, everyone on this list is still in the Giants organization. The struggles of several highly drafted prospects along with unexpected early success of lower draftees and undrafted free agents adds to the ranking challenge.
1. Kyle Harrison LHP
2. Marco Luciano SS
3. Casey Schmitt 3B
4. Carson Whisenhunt LHP
5. Luis Matos OF
6. Reggie Crawford LHP/1B/DH
7. Aeverson Arteaga SS
8. Grant McCray OF
9. Vaun Brown OF
10. Patrick Bailey C
11. Jairo Pomares LF
12. Mason Black RHP
13. Landon Roupp RHP
14. Carson Seymour RHP
15. Heliot Ramos OF
16. Cole Waites RHP
17. R. J. Dabovich RHP
18. Trevor McDonald RHP
19. Jose Cruz RHP
20. Eric Silva RHP
21. Adrian Sugastey C
22. Blake Sabol OF/C
23. Randy Rodriguez RHP
24. Keaton Winn RHP
25. Brett Wisely IF
26. Tristan Beck RHP
27. Matt Mikulski LHP
28. Chris Wright LHP
29. Brett Auerbach C/UT
30. Tyler Fitzgerald SS
31. Nick Swiney LHP
32. Nick Zwack LHP
33. Juan Sanchez LHP
34. Andy Thomas C
35. Mikell Manzano RHP
36. Zack Morgan C
37. Victor Bericoto OF/1B
38. Diego Velasquez SS
39. Wade Meckler OF
40. Alexander Suarez OF
41. P. J. Hilson OF
42. Anthony Rodriguez SS
43. Mauricio Pierre OF
44. Nomar Medina LHP
45. Miguel Mora RHP
46. Gerelmi Maldonado RHP
47. Nick Sinacola RHP
48. Bryce Johnson OF
49. Jared Dupree OF
50. Hunter Bishop OF
Love this every year and the debate/experience you bring with it. Will Bednar’s fall from grace is staggering. Quite the $4m well spent
ReplyDeleteI guess I originally had Bednar ranked somewhere ahead of Hunter Bishop then he mysteriously disappeared so I should find a place for him. It's definitely too early to give up on him. Probably a better prospect than Bryce Johnson and of course Bishop, just to name two.
DeletePretty accurate list. Only change I would make is moving Meckler up on list to top 25. I think by end of next year he will be a top 10-15 prospect
ReplyDeleteWill definitely consider it. Thanks for the feedback.
Delete...and I hope you are right.
DeleteAlthough you said, "I don't want feedback if I missed any obvious high rankers," but, what about Ryan Murphy? Not ranked at all? Yes, severe control problem @ Richmond in fairly SSS, still a whiff-meister. Is he "gone" from SF?
ReplyDeleteI do want feedback. That must be a typo. Will edit. I considered Ryan Murphy and felt like I had 50 prospects who I would rank higher than him. Hope I'm wrong. I think he was always probably a low-level pitchability mirage who got exposed in the middle levels.
DeleteYou dropped Gregory Santos just as he was DFA'd. He was once a pretty good prospect, still has rookie status.
DeleteYou did say in February he was ranked too high @ 25. Still reportedly has his 100 mph FB. MLB Pipeline had him @ 24 this year.
I think lack of command and lack of viable third pitch are holding Santos back. Object lesson on what happens if you move up too fast in the reliever track. Right now what he needs is regular innings at some minor league level. Not sure he's going to get that with the Giants.
DeleteHey DrB happy holidays - long time no comment - hope you're well!
ReplyDeleteLuis Toribio drop off with his low slash in A+?
We lost Ronaldo Flores to Rule 5 - he looked like he could hit some.
Limited PAs but Anyesber Sivira hit in SJ
Assuming Will Wilson is deliberately left off!
Carter Aldrete? Ryan Reckley?
Welcome back, Shankbone. Will Wilson is another one who magically disappeared from my second list. I need to find a way to get him back in. Somewhere in the 20-30 range. Some of the others I'm just going to have to say I can't get every prospect that has some small chance of making it into the list.
DeleteHe was very young, even for the DSL but Reckley really underwhelmed in his DSL debut.
DeleteHe got hurt - I completely understand being skeptical but he was MLB's #9 IFA and Los Gigantes spent over 2MM on him. Switch hitting and fast - who knows. Lucious Fox just got sent somewhere else - MLB is hard as hell.
DeleteYes it is!
DeleteSeth Corry was so high...it's a pity
ReplyDeleteDone in by persistent wildness and then elbow surgery. At this point, Corry needs a dramatic turnaround to be considered a prospect.
DeleteCan anyone tell me which of FZ's draft picks reached the majors yet?
ReplyDeleteI think Cole Waites RHP is the first and only one so far.
DeleteI am working on a 2019 draft review. Stay tuned.
DeleteCasey Schmitt 3B and Kyle Harrison LHP seem to be getting close.
DeleteI am starting to become very critical of him and would love for someone to put together an objective review of his work with the Giants.
DeleteRHP Caleb Killian 2019 8th round pick, traded to the Cubs as part of the Kris Bryant trade pitched in a handful of games for the Cubs and struggled, but Cubs are high on him
DeleteMojo, I am working a review of the 2019 draft which is only a small part of FZ's body of work for the Giants but an important one. Maybe after that I will work on a review of his record as "GM" so far. It's obviously a mixed record with impressive successes and important failures. IMO, the single most important factor in the long term success of any GM putting together a scouting team and making good choices in the draft. Again, FZ's record here is mixed but the struggles of 3 consecutive first round picks is a significant negative.
DeleteI'd like to see if their new GM Pete Putila, who has extensive back ground in player development with the Astros bring some of his ideas to help in the development of the Giants farm system. I've wondered if the Giants had a player development problem even before FZ took over.
DeleteOther than Whisenhunt & Crawford being in the top 6, is there just not enough information about the rest of the 2022 Draft to include them in the Top 50?
ReplyDeleteInterestingly, 2022 #17 draftee, Justin Bench, has a father named John Bench and HOF Johnny Bench has a son named Justin, but they are not related, at least not that closely.
There is Morgan and Meckler from the 2022 draft class. Honestly I am underwhelmed by the rest of the drafted pitchers but we will see if any break out in their first full pro season in 2023.
DeleteIf Meckler can play CF – he does hit triples and steal bases – welcome!
DeleteAnother guy who lost 2020, he's playing above age in A ball but will certainly be A+ in 2023 and will catch up if he continues hitting.
Slashing .439/.540/.683/1.223 gets attention even if it's only 50 PAs. You can't ask for more!
Oops, you can delete the Justin/Johnny Bench portion of the comment - you covered it at the time of the draft! Should have known better...
ReplyDeleteNo worries. It's a good reminder.
Delete