Tag Archives: San Francisco Giants

2015 MLB Prospect Rankings

San Francisco Giants 2015 Top 20 Prospect Rankings

Leave a comment

By: JP Schwartz
Twitter: @Jaypers413

Every year around this time I like to rank each team’s top overall prospects. My criteria are based on A: Past Performance and B: Future Potential (50% of each per prospect)

Disclaimer: I am not a professional scout, nor did I attend any minor league games this year. These lists are the product of my own research of online scouting reports and scouting videos, as well as statistics, and are compiled purely for entertainment purposes.

Send your questions or feedback to me on twitter @Jaypers413

To qualify for these lists, a prospect must have no more than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

1: Kyle Crick RHP
2: Tyler Beede RHP
3: Andrew Susac C
4: Adalberto Mejia RHP
5: Dan Carbonell OF
6: Ty Blach LHP
7: Luis Ysla LHP
8: Keury Mella RHP
9: Aramis Garcia C
10: Mac Williamson OF
11: Chris Stratton RHP
12: Clayton Blackburn RHP
13: Michael Santos RHP
14: Kendry Flores RHP
15: Christian Arroyo SS/2B
16: Joan Gregorio RHP
17: Ryder Jones 3B/SS
18: Matt Duffy SS
19: Austin Slater OF
20: Gary Brown OF

Prospect Rankings

San Francisco Giants 2014 Top 20 Prospect Rankings

Leave a comment

By: J.P. Schwartz
Twitter: @Jaypers413

Every year around this time I like to rank each team’s top overall prospects. My criteria are based on A: Past Performance and B: Future Potential (50% of each per prospect)

Disclaimer: I am not a professional scout, nor did I attend any minor league games this year. These lists are the product of my own research of online scouting reports and statistics, and are compiled purely for entertainment purposes.

Send your questions or feedback to me on twitter @Jaypers413

To qualify for these lists, a prospect must have no more than 130 at-bats or 50 innings pitched in the Major Leagues.

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS

1. Kyle Crick RHP


2. Edwin Escobar LHP


3. Kendry Flores RHP


4. Martin Agosta RHP


5. Chris Stratton RHP


6. Clayton Blackburn RHP


7. Mac Williamson OF


8. Ty Blach LHP


9. Adalberto Mejia RHP


10. Joan Gregorio RHP


11. Christian Arroyo SS


12. Gary Brown OF


13. Joe Panik 2B


14. Johneshwy Fargas OF


15. Heath Hembree RHP


16. Mike Kickham LHP


17. Ryder Jones 3B


18. Chase Johnson RHP


19. Derek Law RHP


20. Keury Mella RHP

Minor League Baseball News

Interview With San Francisco Giants Prospect Chris Heston

Leave a comment

By Andrew Martin
Twitter: @HistorianAndrew
BaseballHistorian.Blogspot.com

The San Francisco Giants advanced into this year’s NLCS in large part because of their strong starting rotation. The staff’s longterm outlook is good, as another young gun in the form of right-handed Chris Heston is poised to make his presence felt at AT&T Park in the near future.

Heston attended Bayside High School in Palm Bay, Florida before enrolling at Seminole Community College. He eventually transferred to Eastern Carolina University, where he finished his college career. He pitched consistently for both schools and was drafted by the Twins in 2007 (47th round) and Nationals in 2008 (29th round), but declined to sign. His patience was rewarded when the Giants made him their 12th round pick in 2009.

Heston spent the entire 2012 season in Double-A, and lived up to his reputation as a polished pitcher with three solid pitches. He has improved each year in the Giants system, highlighted by a 12-4 record and 3.16 ERA in 2011 and a 9-8 mark and 2.24 ERA in 2012.

Having shown consistent growth and ability, Heston is poised to pitch in San Francisco at some point next season. I recently had the opportunity to catch up with and find out a little more about the talented pitching prospect.

Who was your favorite player when you were growing up, and why?
Growing up I was always a big Chipper Jones fan, and still am. He was just the man at the time when I was growing up playing ball, and he was always a lot of fun to watch play. I wanted to do everything like him.

Before being selecting by the Giants you had previously been drafted by the Nationals and Twins; what made you decide to not sign with them?
At the time I was drafted by the other teams I just didn’t feel like I was ready to take the next step to pro ball. I thought there was still some things I needed to learn and it ended up being a good decision because I got to go to ECU and that was a great learning experience.

Can you describe what your 2009 draft day experience with the Giants was like?
It was exciting and a little nerve racking waiting around for your name to get called, but I had done it a couple other times and kind of knew what to expect. I just tried to enjoy it and I couldn’t have ended up in a better place.

What are the main challenges faced by minor league baseball players?
It’s a grind; it really is. The travel is tough, and eating right is tough, so you just have to try and enjoy it with your teammates

Which pitches do you throw, and which is your best and which do you believe needs the most work?
I throw a sinker, curveball, slider and changeup. I think everyone kind of says it, but the fastball/sinker would have to be the go-to pitch. I think everything can use work; there is always room to get better, so that’s what you have to work at.

Have you had any opportunity to get any advice from Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, or Madison Bumgarner?
In the past some of those guys have came in and talked to us as a group, and I think it’s great. All those guys know what they’re doing, and do it at a high level. Hopefully I will have more opportunities to get more advice from them in the future.

Your production has gotten better every time you have been promoted; what do you attribute this to?
I think it’s just learning as much as possible and trying to apply it to your game. I have had the opportunity to work with some great pitching coaches, so I just try to take as much from them as possible and keep working to get better.

Be sure to Check Out These Chris Heston Baseball Cards

2012 Baseball Prospect Rankings

San Francisco Giants 2012 Mid-Season Top 5 Prospect Rankings

Leave a comment

By: J.P. Schwartz
@Jaypers413

As we are now halfway into the season and the signing deadline for 2012 draft picks has passed, here is my revised list of top 5 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization.

Remember, a prospect must have fewer than 130 ABs or 50 IP in the Major Leagues to qualify.
(Stats through 7/31/2012)

1) Kyle Crick – P
Highest Level: Low-A Augusta GreenJackets
2012 Stats:
MILB: 5-6, 2.69ERA, 80.1IP, 56BB, 90K, .190BAA

2) Gary Brown – OF
Highest Level: AA Richmond Flying Squirrels
2012 Stats:
MILB: .285, 27(2B), 2(3B), 7HR, 37RBI, 29SB

3) Chris Stratton – P
Highest Level: Short-A Salem Keizer Volcanoes
2012 Stats:
MILB: 0-1, 6.14ERA, 7.1IP, 5BB, 7K, .250BAA

4) Clayton Blackburn – P
Highest Level: Low-A Augusta GreenJackets
2012 Stats:
MILB: 6-3, 2.64ERA, 102.1IP, 15BB, 111K, .230BAA

5) Joe Panik – SS
Highest Level: High-A San Jose Giants
2012 Stats:
MILB: .277, 22(2B), 3(3B), 5HR, 59RBI, 8SB

Send your questions or feedback to J.P. on twitter @Jaypers413

2012 Baseball Prospect Rankings

2012 San Francisco Giants Top 15 Prospect Rankings

Leave a comment

By: J.P. Schwartz
@Jaypers413 on Twitter
JP’s FreedomCardboard Blog

2012 San Francisco Giants Top 15 Prospect Rankings

Every year at this time I like to rank each team’s top prospects. My criteria is based upon both past performance and future potential to his parent team. This is my ranking of the 2012 San Francisco Giants Top Prospects. If you have any questions about my rankings, feel free to shoot me a message on twitter @Jaypers413

To qualify, a prospect must have fewer than 130 at-bats or 50 innings in MLB

#1 Gary Brown OF
Born: 9/28/1988
Highest Level Reached: High-A San Jose Giants
2011 Combined Stats: .336, 34(2B), 13(3B), 14HR, 80RBI, 53SB

#2 Eric Surkamp LHP
Born: 7/16/1987
Highest Level Reached: MLB San Francisco Giants
2011 Combined Stats: MINORS: 11-4, 1.94ERA, 148.1IP, 45BB, 170K, .212BAA
MAJORS: 2-2, 5.74ERA, 26.2IP, 17BB, 13K, .311BAA

#3 Joe Panik SS
Born: 10/30/1990
Highest Level Reached: Short-A Salem Keizer Volcanoes
2011 Combined Stats: .341, 10(2B), 3(3B), 6HR, 54RBI, 13SB (1st Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

#4 Andrew Susac C
Born: 3/22/1990
Highest Level Reached: 2nd Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#5 Ricky Oropesa 1B
Born: 12/15/1989
Highest Level Reached: 3rd Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#6 Clayton Blackburn RHP
Born: 1/6/1993
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League AZL Giants
2011 Combined Stats: 3-1, 1.08ERA, 33.1IP, 3BB, 30K, .140BAA (16th Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

#7 Tommy Joseph C
Born: 7/16/1991
Highest Level Reached: High-A San Jose Giants
2011 Combined Stats: .270, 33(2B), 2(3B), 22HR, 95RBI

#8 Kendry Flores RHP
Born: 11/24/1991
Highest Level Reached: Short-A Salem Keizer Volcanoes
2011 Combined Stats: 4-3, 5.06ERA, 48IP, 14BB, 47K, .304BAA

#9 Jesus Galindo OF
Born: 8/23/1990
Highest Level Reached: Short-A Salem Keizer Volcanoes
2011 Combined Stats: .276, 9(2B), 3(3B), 2HR, 20RBI, 47SB

#10 Heath Hembree RHP
Born: 1/13/1989
Highest Level Reached: Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels
2011 Combined Stats: 1-1, 1.86ERA, 38 Saves, 53.1IP, 25BB, 78K, .188BAA

#11 Kyle Crick RHP
Born: 10/30/1992
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League AZL Giants
2011 Combined Stats: 1-0, 6.43ERA, 7IP, 8BB, 8K, .321BAA (Supplemental 1st Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

#12 Chris Dominguez 3B
Born: 11/22/1986
Highest Level Reached: Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels
2011 Combined Stats: .266, 32(2B), 3(2B), 18HR, 85RBI, 9SB

#13 Josh Osich LHP
Born: 9/3/1988
Highest Level Reached: 6th Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#14 Bryce Bandilla LHP
Born: 1/17/1990
Highest Level Reached: 4th Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft
2011 Combined Stats: Did Not Play In 2011

#15 Chris Marlowe RHP
Born: 10/26/1989
Highest Level Reached: Rookie League AZL Giants
2011 Combined Stats: 1-0, 0.00ERA, 3IP, 1BB, 5K, .231BAA (5th Round Pick 2011 MLB Draft)

Disclaimer – I did not attend any minor league games this year, nor do I claim to have any scouting experience. These lists are the product of my own research of statistics and online scouting reports.

Prospect Rankings

2011 San Francisco Giants Top 15 Prospects Post Season Report Card

Leave a comment

With the 2011 minor league season complete we check in on the progress of each of the San Francisco Giants preseason Top 15 prospects as ranked by our prospect ranker J.P. Schwartz. The post season grading report was done by the publisher of Top Prospect Alert, not Mr. Schwartz, and reflects only the 2011 season and not future upside or downside of the individual prospect. Our 2012 preseason rankings will be published in the coming months.

#1 Brandon Belt GRADE: B
Belt batted .225 with 6 Doubles, 1 Triple, 9 Home Runs and 18 RBI’s with the Giants. He walked 20 times and struck out 57 times in 63 big league games. In the minors Belt batted a combined .320 with 13 Doubles, 8 Home Runs and 36 RBI’s in four games with the High-A San Jose Giants and 49 games with the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies.

#2 Zack Wheeler TRADED TO NEW YORK METS
Wheeler was traded to the New York Mets in the Carlos Beltran deal. Wheeler went a combined 9-7 with a 3.52ERA between High-A San Jose and the New York’s High-A St. Lucie Mets affiliate.

#3 Gary Brown GRADE: A+
Brown hit .336 with 34 Doubles, 13 Triples, 14 Home Runs and 80 RBI’s for High-A San Jose. He also added 53 stolen bases. Brown walked 46 times and struck out 77 times in 131 games.

#4 Thomas Neal TRADED TO CLEVELAND
Neal was traded to the Cleveland Indians in the Orlando Cabrera deal. He batted a combined .289 with 14 Doubles, 3 Triples, 2 Home Runs and 26 RBI’s between Triple-A Fresno and the Indians Triple-A Columbus Clippers affiliate.

#5 Francisco Peguero GRADE: B+
Peguero batted a combined .312 with 14 Doubles, 6 Triples, 7 Home Runs and 46 RBI’s between High-A San Jose and the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. He walked 12 times and struck out 53 times in 87 games.

#6 Eric Surkamp GRADE: A
Surkamp went a combined 11-4 with a 1.94ERA between one start at High-A San Jose and 22 at Double-A Richmond. He walked 45 batters and struck out 170 in 148.1 innings. Opposing batters hit .212 off of Surkamp. In six late season starts with San Francisco, Surkamp was 2-2 with a 5.74ERA.

#7 Jarrett Parker GRADE: B-
Parker batted .253 with 25 Doubles, 3 Triples, 13 Home Runs, 61 RBI’s for High-A San Jose. He walked 74 times and struck out 144 times in 127 games. Parker added 20 stolen bases.

#8 Chuckie Jones GRADE: C-
Jones batted .218 with 6 Doubles, 2 Home Runs and 9 RBI’s for the Short-A Salem Keizer Volcanoes. He walked 15 times and struck out 48 times in 41 games.

#9 Jorge Bucardo GRADE: DID NOT PLAY
Bucardo missed all of 2011 with an arm injury.

#10 Rafael Rodriguez GRADE: C
Rodriguez batted .236 with 15 Doubles, 2 Triples, 1 Home Run and 30 RBI’s for the Low-A Augusta GreenJackets. He walked 24 times and stuck out 69 times in 96 games.

#11 Michael Main GRADE: D
Main went 2-4 with a 6.84ERA for High-A San Jose. He walked 36 and struck out 46 in 52.2 innings. Opposing hitters batted .295 against Main on the season.

#12 Ehire Adrianza GRADE: B
Adrianza batted a combined .273 with 34 Doubles, 4 Triples, 6 Home Runs and 44 RBI’s between Low-A Augusta and High-A San Jose. He walked 41 times and struck out 78 times in 94 games.

#13 Chris Dominguez GRADE: B-
Dominguez batted a combined .266 with 32 Doubles, 3 Triples, 18 Home Runs and 85 RBI’s between High-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond. He walked 27 times and struck out 151 times in 141 games. Dominguez batted nearly 50 points less in Double-A than he did in Single-A.

#14 Heath Hembree GRADE: A+
Hembree went a combined 1-1 with a 1.86ERA and 38 saves between High-A San Jose and Double-A Richmond. He walked 25 and struck out 78 in 53.1 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .188 against Hembree on the season.

#15 Seth Rosin GRADE: B
Rosin went 2-3 with a 3.34ERA and 2 saves for Low-A Augusta. He walked 30 and struck out 93 in 89 innings. Opposing batters hit .247 against Rosin on the season.

Baseball Cards

Brett Pill Baseball Cards Go From Worth Next To Nothing To Triple Digits Overnight

Leave a comment

San Francisco Giants rookie Brett Pill blasted a Home Run in his first two major league games. As a result the baseball card market for the career minor leaguer who turns 27 on Friday all of a sudden his previously worth very little baseball cards were selling at levels that match the best in the game. Check out the insane prices people have paid for some of his rarest cards.

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Superfractor 1/1

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Press Plate 1/1

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Red Refractor /5

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Orange Refractor /25

Brett Pill 2010 Topps Pro Debut Rookie /50

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Gold Refractor /50

Brett Pill 2008 Bowman Chrome Blue Refractor /150

You can also check out the Brett Pill Cards currently running on Ebay.

Minor League Baseball News

Angel Villalona Once Accused Of Murder In Dominican Republic May Return To San Francisco Giants

Leave a comment

Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle is reporting one time San Francisco Giants prospect Angel Villalona who was charged with murder and served jail time in the Dominican Republic before reaching a settlement with the victim’s family, and then having the charges against him dropped, may soon be back in the organization. Villalona, who is still just 21 years old was a one time top 10 prospect in the organization before his legal trouble that began in 2009. He also sued the Giants for breach of contract while his murder charges played out. Villalona batted .267 with 11 Doubles, 9 Home Runs and 42 RBI’s for High-A San Jose as a 19 year old in 2009. One hurdle to clear before he returns is a $5 million lawsuit he filed against the Giants claiming they wrongfully kept him on the inactive list. Read more about Villalona’s legal troubles and his anticipated return to baseball in the story link below.

SF Giants expect Angel Villalona to return to organization

UPDATE: Villalona has dropped his $5 Million lawsuit against the Giants. You can read about that HERE

Minor League Baseball News

Eric Surkamp To Start For San Francisco Giants On Saturday

Leave a comment

Multiple sources are reporting that the San Francisco Giants top pitching prospect Eric Surkamp will make his major league debut on Saturday against the Houston Astros. The 24 year old lefty went 10-4 with a 2.02ERA in 142.1 innings for the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels. He waled 44 and struck out 165 batters and opposing hitters batted just .213 off him this season. Surkamp is a USA Baseball alum and was a 6th round pick of the Giants out of NC State in the 2008 draft. He owns a career 25-13 record in four minor league seasons.

Major League Baseball News

Los Angeles Angels Pitcher Jerome Williams Didn’t Answer The Call He’s Been Waiting For Since 2007

Leave a comment

The last time Jerome Williams pitched in the big leagues it was 2007 and he went 0-5 with a 7.20 ERA in six starts for the Washington Nationals. Since then the former 1st round pick of the San Francisco Giants back in 1999 has literally gone around the globe in an effort to return to the majors. Since his stint with the Nationals, Williams has been a member of the Las Vegas 51’s, Sacramento Rivercats, Salt Lake City Bees, Inland Empire 66ers, Long Beach Armada, Lancaster Barnstormers, and even the Uni-President Lions in Taiwan. When Williams phone rang Tuesday night, he didn’t answer it. A text message later, he found out he was headed back to the big leagues for the first time in over four years. He responded with 2/3 of an inning of scoreless ball closing out Anaheim’s 4-3 loss to the Rangers on Wednesday. Williams was promoted after going 7-2 with a 3.91ERA in 10 starts at Triple-A Salt Lake covering 73.2 innings in which he struck out 60 while walking just 15. In the story by Angels beat writer Bill Plunkett who is a must follow on twitter @billplunkettocr, Williams talks about his disbelief at being back in the big leagues, the long journey between now and 2007, and overcoming the label of being “lazy” during his first run in the majors with the Giants, Cubs, and Nationals.

Williams back in majors with Angels after long absence — OCRegister.com