SF Giants prospects: Get to know their Arizona Complex League rosters
The final SF Giants affiliates at their stateside complex down in Scottsdale, Arizona will open their doors today for the start of the 2023 Arizona Complex League (ACL) season. The Giants will once again field two teams, a tradition that started back in 2018. It will be the ACL Giants Orange, and ACL Giants Black, last year's champion. It is important to note that the roster that both teams will field on Opening Day will be drastically different from what it will look like in the middle of the season due to the influx of talent because of rehab assignments and the upcoming 2023 draft class.
The big question now is, will the Giants Black team defend their ACL championship, or the Giants Orange will be the one to raise the coveted trophy?
Before reading, be sure to check out our top 42 prospects ranking and the prospects who just missed the list to get acclimated to players throughout the system.
ACL Giants Black
Pitchers
Luis Bermudez
Jason Bonilla
Wilkelma Castillo
Cameron Cotter
Jorge Garcia
Tanner Kiest
Mauricio Llovera
Mikell Manzano
Uber Mejias
Cesar Pedromo
The are some interesting names such as Mikell Manzano (Just missed the list) who led the ACL in strikeouts last year and was presumably a part of the Opening Day roster for San Jose. However, it is not the case, most likely due to injury. He might not be the most overpowering pitcher but he can really pitch. He has some similarities with former Giants prospect Clayton Blackburn. Wilkelma Castillo was sent down to Papago after giving up eight earned runs over his past two outings in Eugene. It might be injury related. Uber Mejias was signed by the Giants last October and will make his pro debut. His fastball topped out at 95 mph in showcases but was down a tick or two in clips that I have seen in Extended Spring Training.
Cameron Cotter was signed by the Giants on May 23rd and the 24-year-old from NC State will look to get his pro career going with a fastball-curveball-split combo. His best pitch seems to be his low-80s curveball with good bite and velocity. Tanner Kiest was a 28th-round selection by the Phillies in 2014 who reached as High as A-ball back in 2018 but was recently signed out of an independent league. He has a two-pitch mix where his fastball can touch in the high-90s.
Position Players
Nomar Diaz
Cesar Gonzalez
Brandon Martorano
Gustavo Cardozo
Lazaro Morales
Irvin Murr III
Elian Rayo
Ryan Reckley
Donovan Walton
Guillermo Williamson
Jediael Maduro
Cesar Quintas
Eliam Sandoval
The most notable position player in the Giants Black roster is Ryan Reckley (Just missed the list). The top IFA signing in the 2022 IFA period, Reckley only played just 11 games last year in the DSL with an injury. This year, he's looked fully healthy, added plenty of muscle to his frame, and is ready to show what he can really do in the ACL. Lazaro Morales had a great Spring Training where he displayed an all-around skillet in the outfield and is looking like one of the deep sleepers in the organization. Jediael Maduro has plenty of believers in the organization with plenty of raw power and has a good work ethic though he might be limited to first base. Guillermo Williamson has some intrigue after hitting seven home runs and having a 13.4% walk rate in the DSL last year.
Returnees Irvin Murr and Elian Rayo have another chance to show their talents in Papago. Murr had a season to forget last year as he hit below the Mendoza line for a second straight year and had a strikeout rate above 40%. Rayo, on the other hand, played much better with 15 extra-base hits and a 13.5% walk rate but questions about his physique will continue to follow him in the future. There are also a couple of rehabbing upper-minor leaguers on the staff that includes Brandon Martorano and Donovan Walton.
ACL Giants Orange
Pitchers
Will Bednar
Seth Corry
Samir Chires
Lisander de la Cruz
Mauricio Estrella
Junior Flores
Alix Hernandez
Rolfi Jimenez
Chen-Hsun Lee
Roberto Monegro
Brayan Palencia
Melvin Pineda
The biggest names in the Giants Orange pitching staff are rehabbing former top prospects, Will Bednar (Just missed the list) and Seth Corry. It is a nightmare beginning for Bednar, the Giants 2021 first-round pick, as he struggled with his control when he was pitching for San Jose last year and with his health as he has not pitched since June last year. On the other hand, Corry also has not pitched since April last year. Both will continue their rehab stints in the Complex League until they are deemed ready to return to their original full-season designations entering the 2023 season.
2023 IFA signee Chen-Hsun Lee will make his pro debut in Papago as well. The Taiwanese right-hander has a low-90s sinker that can touch 96 mph, a slider, and a splitter. Roberto Monegro was one of the best strikeout artists in the Complex League last year with a 31.8% strikeout rate and has a good feel for spinning a slider. Melvin Pineda generates good ride on his fastball that can touch 95 mph. Mauricio Estrella is one of the better pitchers in the DSL Giants team last year with a 3.29 ERA and 64 strikeouts to just 15 walks in 63 innings pitched.
Position Players
Javier Castillo
Juan Perez
Armando Alvarez
Justin Bench
Garrett Frechette
Javier Francisco
Derwin Laya
Ramon Peralta
Jean Sio
Estanlin Cassiani
Donovan McIntyre
Jairo Pomares
Samuel Reyes
The Giants Black hitting squad does not have top-flight talent on their roster but there are plenty of interesting names. Rehabbing prospects Jairo Pomares and Armando Alvarez will lead the way in the early going but expect the two to be designated to their eventual playing level once they are fully healthy. Garrett Frechette was assigned back to the Complex after struggling to perform in his third taste of the California League with a .540 OPS.
Estanlin Cassiani led the DSL in batting average last season with a .375 mark while having also stolen 15 bases. The outfielder looks to make the San Jose roster towards the end of the season with a strong ACL stint. Donovan McIntyre had a slow start to his pro career with a .538 OPS with last year's Giants Orange roster as the outfielder clearly needs to add strength to his frame. It will be interesting to see if he does so. Juan Perez is one of the top signees by the Giants in the 2022 IFA cycle but struggled with a .606 OPS in the DSL last season.
A couple of infielders make this team worth watching. Ramon Peralta had a solid 2022 season in the DSL with eight extra-base hits, an 18.4% walk rate, and eight stolen bases. He has gained a significant amount of muscle to think that corner infield is his likely home defensively but there is potential. Last, but not least, Javier Francisco struggled to adjust to breaking balls last year when he got promoted to the ACL from the DSL but he's been one of the better defenders in the Complex League last year and has the level of effort and work ethic to think a Low-A appearance is in the cards at the end of this year.
