Top SF Giants prospects headline spring training non-roster invitees
Every year before pitchers and catchers report, MLB teams release a list of players who are not already on the organization's 40-man roster that are invited to participate in big-league spring training. The invitees usually vary from top prospects to seasoned minor leaguers. On Thursday, the SF Giants issued their complete list of 25 non-roster invitees for the 2024 season.
The Giants invited 10 position players to MLB camp. It features a wide range of players, including former big leaguers Yoshi Tsutugo, Jackson Reetz, Yusniel Díaz, Donovan Walton, and Chase Pinder. The Giants have also reached out an invite to long-time minor leaguer Trenton Brooks, who they acquired in a trade last season.
Tsutsugo re-signed with the Giants in December. Had he stayed healthy, Tsutugo's .296/.451/.537 triple-slash line in the upper minors could have been enough to earn a late-season call-up with the Giants. Tsutugo previously played for the Yokohama BayStars in the NPB before he was signed by the Rays to a big-league deal and has played in the Dodgers, Pirates, Blue Jays, and Rangers organizations since. A left-handed hitting slugger, Tsutsugo is defensively limited to first base and left field.
Reetz, a catcher/first baseman, was signed by the Giants last June where he spent time with the Sacramento River Cats with a .227/.338/.486 triple-slash line. Drafted by the Nationals in 2014 as a prep prospect, Reetz spent much of his minor league career with the Nationals where he also made his big-league debut last July 2021. He elected to become a free agent after the 2021 season and spent time in the Brewers and Royals affiliates before landing with the Giants.
Díaz was signed by the Giants last November to a minor league deal. The Dodgers signed the Cuban native for a whopping $15.5 million signing bonus in 2016 where he blossomed into a top-100 prospect. With his stock near an all-time high, he was packaged in a trade to the Orioles for Manny Machado in 2018. However, injuries and poor play greatly reduced Díaz's luster though he made his big-league debut in 2022. A right-handed hitting outfielder, Díaz can play all three outfield positions, but is best suited for a corner.
Walton re-signed with the Giants a month ago. Acquired by the Giants in 2022 for Prelander Berroa, the Giants have received plenty of criticism for that deal. In fact, one AL scout thought it was the worst trade of that year. As Berroa was traded once more to the White Sox for former Giant Gregory Santos while his stock was at his peak, Walton did not fare any better last year as it broke his four-year streak of making the big leagues. Walton only played 71 games across four Giants affiliates as he rehabbed a shoulder injury. A few months away from his 30th birthday, Walton will look to reestablish himself as a productive minor leaguer with a chance to end up a left-handed hitting utility infielder.
Chase Pinder signed a minor league contract with the Giants with a non-roster invite last November. Giants fans should be familiar with his older brother Chad Pinder as he played across the bay from 2016 to 2022 under current Giants manager Bob Melvin. Chase was drafted by the Cardinals in 2017 where he's spent most of his pro career. He hit .264/.401/.417 with 16 doubles, six home runs, 48 walks, and 66 strikeouts in 279 plate appearances for the Memphis Redbirds, the Cardinals' Triple-A affiliate. Defensively, he has played all over the field and has a ton of versatility.
Brooks was acquired by the Giants last August via a trade to the Athletics for lefty Sean Newcomb. It should be noted that teams can still do trades with players who have not been on a 40-man roster after the MLB trade deadline. Brooks has always had a standout approach, never striking out more than 85 times in a season alongside above-average walk rates. However, Brooks showed more power in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League last year, hitting .299/.405/.529 with 29 doubles and 16 home runs in 94 games for the Athletics before being traded to the Giants.
The position player group also featured several note-worthy prospects. They are Grant McCray, Adrian Sugastey, Andy Thomas, and Ismael Munguia.
McCray is generally considered a top-20 prospect in the organization that features big tools that also come with plenty of risk. McCray showcased his tools last season leading all Giants minor leaguers in runs scored and stolen bases while being second in walks while also hitting 14 home runs. However, it came with a more inconsistent performance leading the organization in strikeouts while also only hitting .255 for the season.
Sugastey is also considered by some to be a top-30 prospect but was generally ranked in the back-half of the rankings. Sugastey was voted as the best defensive catcher by High-A managers last season having only committed two errors and five passed balls while also having thrown out 27% of would-be base stealers. He made plenty of contact last season with a .299 average but has struggled to tap to his power consistently with only four home runs and below-average exit-velocity data.
Thomas is not generally considered as a top prospect but he's certainly going to help the big league camp in terms of having enough catchers. Thomas has spent his entire 2023 season with the Flying Squirrels as he provided a left-handed bat that can also play behind the plate. While his contact skills are below-average with a .226 average, he's displayed a good approach throughout his pro career while also tapping more to his power with a career-high 11 home runs.
Munguia is also not considered a top prospect but he has plenty of fans in the organization and in the prospects writing space as a ball of pure energy and hustle. He's been banged up for a couple of stretches last season but he was still a valuable player for the Flying Squirrels with a .282/.356/.391 line and 16 stolen bases.
On the pitching side, the Giants non-roster invite list is even more impressive. Unlike with the hitters, the group is primarily prospects. Top pitching prospects in the organization Reggie Crawford, Carson Whisenhunt, Mason Black, Hayden Birdsong, Landen Roupp, and Carson Seymour highlight the risk. Other solid relief-pitching prospects Nick Avila, Jose Cruz, Thomas Szapucki, and Juan Sanchez are there as well. They also have veterans Blayne Enlow, Spencer Howard, Daulton Jeffries, Tommy Romero, and Cody Stashak.
Both Crawford and Whisenhunt come with no introduction needed. The top two selections in the 2022 draft came out as advertised, if not better, in their first pro season. Crawford's velocity fully returned after undergoing Tommy John surgery, frequently hitting up to 99 mph with a nasty curveball and a developing changeup.
Whisenhunt's changeup is in full display last season, befuddling Minor Leaguers across three levels, while also experiencing an uptick in velocity, hitting up to 97 mph at times. Both should benefit as they move closer to the big leagues, and it might come at some point in the upcoming season for Whisenhunt.
Black is already in several discussions of potential prospects who might contribute for the Giants in the upcoming season. The big-league invite should only further help him get more experience with his potential teammates. Black struck out 155 batters in both Double-A and Triple-A alongside a very respectable 3.71 ERA thanks to his mid-90s fastball and nasty slider combination from a low release height.
Birdsong is one of the biggest breakout prospects for the Giants last season, moving up three levels thanks to his nasty arsenal. The 2022 sixth rounder struck out 149 batters in just 100.2 innings pitched with a 3.31 ERA across three levels, reaching up to Double-A, with his fastball that can get up to 97 mph, a couple of nasty breaking balls, and a developing changeup. His control needs work and a stint at the big-league camp should help him get more reps before the season starts.
Had he stayed fully healthy last season, Roupp could have joined the conversation of prospects who could help the Giants this season. Development is not linear though, and with a healthy 2024, Roupp could definitely make his case. Even though he only threw 31 innings for the Flying Squirrels last season, Roupp still managed to strike out 42 batters with a 1.74 ERA.
Seymour was one of the biggest innings eaters last season in the Giants farm system, having thrown 112.2 innings. That said, he features great stuff with a fastball that can touch up to 97 mph with plenty of sink and a power high-80s slider that can touch up to 91 mph. It helped him strike out 114 batters in Double-A alongside a 3.99 ERA though he fared much better in the summer months.
Nobody on the River Cats was as reliable as Avila last seaso. The righty appeared in a team-leading 56 games and had a 3.00 ERA in the Pacific Coast League. The Giants deployed Avila all over, appearing across all nine innings throughout the season, and posted a respectable 12% walk rate alongside a 21% strikeout rate. Whether he starts or enters the final inning with a small lead, Avila's been effective. He was also a perfect 3-3 in save opportunities.
Cruz showed the ability to strike batters out at a high rate with Cruz striking out 39 batters in 25.2 innings. However, harnessing their stuff against a higher level of hitting proved to be difficult as Cruz walked 31 batters in Richmond last season. He still has a dandy of a changeup with a mid-90s sinker and a developing slider.
Sanchez enjoyed a nice season with Richmond with a 2.38 ERA and 52 strikeouts in 49 innings of work. He struggled a bit when he got to a much tougher pitching environment with a 4.26 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 25.1 innings for Sacramento. The lefty is not entirely known for his stuff but the smooth-slinging reliever is known for having three solid pitches and solid control.
Enlow signed with the Giants last December to a minor league contract with a non-roster invite. Enlow has spent his entire professional career in the Minnesota Twins' organization, where he was ranked among the team's top-30 prospects by Baseball America every year of his career. In 26 appearances between Double-A and Triple-A in 2023, Enlow completed 99.1 innings with 109 strikeouts and 32 walks while pitching to a 5.35 earned run average. Slider is Enlow's best pitch.
Howard signed with the Giants last September to a minor league contract. Howard was recently released by the New York Yankees in August but has appeared in 38 career MLB games between stints with the Philadelphia Phillies and Texas Rangers from 2020-2023. At the peak of his stock, Howard had flashed a fastball that could sit in the mid-90s and reach 100 mph with above-average characteristics. He paired that with the changeup, slider, and curveball that all flashed the potential to be quality big-league pitches.
Jeffries signed with the Giants last December to a minor league deal. Jeffries is reunited with Melvin, having spent much of his pro career in Oakland. Jefferies underwent Tommy John surgery in September of 2022 and missed the entire 2023 campaign while recovering. In the big leagues, the right-hander has made 14 appearances including 10 starts with a 5.75 ERA. He's never known to be a high-strikeout guy but has shown good control throughout his career.
Romero signed with the Giants last month to a minor league contract. Romero had short big-league stints with the Tampa Bay Rays and Washington Nationals during the 2022 season but has otherwise been a career minor leaguer. Romero spent the entire 2023 season with the Nationals Triple-A affiliate but struggled mightily as a swingman. He appeared in 36 games (10 starts), recording a 5.44 ERA with 82 strikeouts and 61 walks in 87.2 innings pitched. He relies on a four-seam fastball, slider, split-finger changeup mix.
Stashak re-signed with the Giants last month to a minor league contract. Stashak appeared in the majors with the Twins in every season from 2019-2022 but underwent shoulder surgery in June of 2022 and was subsequently non-tendered. Unable to land a deal with an MLB organization, Stashak had a stint with the Lancaster Barnstormers of the Atlantic League before signing a minor-league deal with the Giants in August. When healthy, Stashak's arsenal has aligned with the Giants' breaking ball-heavy approach to middle relief under president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi.
Szapucki re-signed to the Giants in a minor league deal last December. Szapucki, who was ranked the 14th-best Giants prospect heading into 2023, was non-tendered off the 40-man roster by the team last month. He seemed to be a potential setup option heading into 2023 but was sidelined by left arm neuropathy in May and eventually underwent season-ending surgery to alleviate thoracic outlet syndrome. After being acquired by the Giants in the Darin Ruf trade, Szapucki became a two-pitch reliever, using a mid-90s fastball and low-80s curveball. He has also used a solid changeup in the past.
