Since we have a major break in baseball action to report on with both the major leagues and the full season minor leagues shut down for the All-Star Break until Friday, we have some time to check in on how our Top 50 preseason prospects are faring. As in the past, we'll assign them a Stock Up, Stock Down or Stock Stable after reviewing their first half stat lines.
1. Bryce Eldridge 1B/DH:
AAA: .333/.445/.518, 5 HR, 14.6 BB%, 29.9 K%, 137 PA.
MLB: .271/.364/.468, 8 HR, 12.9 BB%, 24.4 K%, 217 PA.
Giants fans have become conditioned to expect the worst when a highly touted prospect is promoted to the MLB team. Eldridge's strikeout rate of 30% in AAA did not assuage many fears but the kid has done just fine, making adjustments each time it looks like the league figures out his weak spot. First it was a steady diet of breaking balls, then fastballs on the hands. He just pulled his arms in and launched that sucker into McCovey Cove. Officially graduated so won't be on next season's list. Stock Way Up!
2. Josuar Gonzalez SS:
ACL: .360/.479/.533, HR, 7 SB, 18.1 BB%, 22.3 K%, 94 PA.
Slowed by a nagging hamstring injury most of the season, Gonzalez has great numbers when he's played after a promotion to the ACL which is often a tough jump for Dominican Dandies. Stock Up.
3. Luis Hernandez SS:
ACL: .292/.370/.536, 6 HR, 5 SB, 9.9 BB%, 18.2 K%, 192 PA.
Assigned to the ACL as a 17 yo in his first pro season, Hernandez started out blazing hot but has cooled off considerably in the last month. Still very impressive numbers at a level above his age, especially the power. Stock Up.
4. Bo Davidson OF:
AA: .277/.340/.521, 19 HR, 14 SB, 8.9 BB%, 23.5 K%, 315 PA.
The AA Eastern League has been the place where Giants hitting prospects hit the wall. Davidson got off to a slow start but then caught fire in June and hit 13 HR's with a .300+ BA since. Giants announced he is getting a promotion to AAA after the All-Star Break. A bit of caution for a severe L-R split. Stock Up!
5. Jhonny Level SS:
A: .325/.392/.576, 14 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 11 SB, 7.8 BB%, 16.6 K%, 217 PA.
A+: .302/.342/.456, 17 2B, 2 HR, 6 SB, 3.8 BB%, 17.1 K%, 158 PA.
Level dominated the A Cal League and moved up to A+. It looks like he's had to speed up his bat at the higher level and some of the HR's turned into doubles. Still very impressive for a 19 yo. Based on my in-person scouting report, he looks more like a 2B than a SS. Stock Up.
6. Gavin Kilen SS/2B:
A+: .282/.350/.462, 27 2B, 3B, 9 HR, 9.2 BB%, 13.8 K%, 349 PA.
I have to say I was a bit surprised at how strong this line is. It's exactly what you would expect for his college profile and it's exactly what the Giants drafted him to do. He played both SS and 2B but mostly SS. I still think he projects more as a 2B. Stock Stable.
7. Keyner Martinez RHP:
A: 3-3, 4.50, 60 IP, 14.40 K/9, 5.40 BB/9.
Overall numbers a little disappointing but the K rate shows the potential. His pattern has been to come out blazing but runs into trouble the second time through the lineup and seems to struggle with pitching out of the stretch. In my looks the FB ran 95-98 MPH with a sharp slider he uses to get K's. I still believe in the ceiling but we may be looking at more of a reliever profile. Stock Down.
8. Jacob Bresnahan LHP:
A+: 2-2, 3.02, 59.2 IP, 10.41 K/9, 4.22 BB/9.
More steady than dominating but allowed just 1 run in 12.1 IP in two starts in July so far, so may be turning on the afterburners for the second half. Stock Stable.
9. Trevor McDonald RHP:
AAA: 1-1, 5.40, 15 IP, 7.20 K/9, 9.00 BB/9, 4.40 GB/FB.
MLB: 3-7, 5.02, 66.2 IP, 7.33 K/9, 2.85 BB/9, 2.33 GB/FB, 4.05 FIP, 3.89 xERA
Runs hot and cold but has been able to bounce back after a couple of disaster starts. As you can see from his advanced stats some of his struggles have been bad luck. Should be OK as long as he keeps the ball on the ground and his walk rate under 3/9. Stock Stable.
10. Carson Seymour RHP:
AAA: 5-2, 4.01, 67.1 IP, 8.02 K/9, 3.88 BB/9, 2.38 GB/FB, 13.3 HR/FB,
MLB: 0-0, 14.54, 4.1 IP, 4.15 K/9, 4.15 BB/9, 0.88 GB/FB, 12.5 HR/FB.
Extremely small sample at MLB level but continues to struggle with gofer balls at the higher level due almost entirely to not keeping the ball on the ground as he has in the minor leagues. Maybe running out of chances with the Giants. Stock Down.
I’ve been telling some of my other giants fans friends that the state of the Giants farm system is unlike anything I’ve ever seen from them in 20 years. We did have that good run once upon a time where we got Cain, Lincecum, Posey, Bumgarner, and the Brandon’s, but I’ve never ever seen the Giants have such a large amount of talent in their farm system before. Lincecum, Belt, and Posey shot through the Giants system lightning speed while Cain and Bumgarner took a little longer as they dominated their way up the system since they were out of high school while Crawford famously lit up A+ his first year before getting promoted to AA and stalling there for a bit. But it’s not just the amount of high end talent we have, it’s that we have so many players who look like they can legitimately compete for a roster spot one day.
ReplyDeleteTop 6 players have their stocks up, despite extreme high expectations. That is amazing.
ReplyDelete