SF Giants prospects: Get to know the Eugene Emeralds roster
The SF Giants season is underway, and their last full-season minor league affiliate will start its regular season on Friday night. The Eugene Emeralds, the Giants High-A affiliate will begin their season in Everett, Washington facing off against the AquaSox.The Giants released the full roster, giving fans a chance to get to know the players they can see at the organization's High-A affiliate.
Triple-A roster breakdown
Double-A roster breakdown
Single-A roster breakdown
Eugene Emeralds catchers: Robert Emery, Adrian Sugastey, Max Wright
The Emeralds will carry three catchers to start the 2023 season. Adrian Sugastey shall be the starting catcher for the squad even though he posted a .662 OPS at San Jose a year ago. Sugastey still has a solid feel for barrelling the ball, and has the potential to grow into more power as he matures (he turned 20 last October). It will be interesting to see how he fares against better competition and cold weather in the early parts of the season. Joining Sugastey are older catchers Robert Emery and Max Wright. Both catchers were nondrafted free agents and spent time in Eugene at some point last season.
Eugene Emeralds infield: Aeverson Arteaga, Damon Dues, Jimmy Glowenke, Ghordy Santos, Luis Toribio, Logan Wyatt
This year's infield might not be as star-studded as last year's, but this is still a solid group. Aeverson Arteaga (Giants #7 prospect) leads the charge as the team's starting shortstop, replacing Marco Luciano. Jimmy Glowenke will still be the man at second base, but he now has Damon Dues accompanying him as a platoon option. It will be interesting how it plays out as Dues is a patient hitter who has crushed the lower minors, but lacks Glowenke's draft pedigree.
Ghordy Santos, Luis Toribio, and Logan Wyatt will man the corner infield. The defensive versatility of Santos allows for both Toribio and Wyatt to play in the corner infield. Toribio primarily played in first base last season, but he began his career as third baseman and could return to the hot corner with Casey Schmitt out of his way.
SF Giants prospect Wade Meckler celebrates after sliding into second base with Oregon State. (2022)
BRIAN HAYES / STATESMAN JOURNAL via Imagn Content Services, LLC
Eugene Emeralds outfield: Victor Bericoto, Jared Dupere, Grant McCray, Wade Meckler, Carter Williams
It starts up the middle with Grant McCray (Giants #5 prospect) who should be the team's starting center fielder. Up next are the corner outfielders Victor Bericoto (Giants #32 prospect) and Wade Meckler (Giants #39 prospect) with Bericoto likely playing in right field and Meckler playing in left. If the Emeralds deploy platoon, Bericoto could see some time at first base in place of the left-handed hitting Wyatt and Toribio. 2020 nondrafted free agent Carter Williams exploded last season in San Jose and hopes to carry that back to Eugene. Jared Dupere is another power-first fringe prospect that is hoping to hit his way to the big leagues.
There is a serious chance that the Emeralds could play an all-lefty lineup at some point early this year with Wright catching, Toribio and Wyatt manning the corner infield, Dues and Santos up the middle with McCray, Williams, and Meckler playing in the outfield while Dupere is the DH. Lefty pitchers will have their way on the Emeralds' lineup but platoon splits shouldn't be the concern at this point in the minors, where players are hoping to develop the ability to play everyday.
Eugene Emeralds pitchers: Spencer Bivens, Wilkelma Castillo, Jose Cruz, Hunter Dula, Joe Kemlage, Seth Lonsway, Ben Madison, Matt Mikulski, Nick Morreale, Tyler Myrick, Mat Olsen, Carson Ragsdale, Eric Silva, Nick Sinacola, Brett Standlee, Ty Weber
Even though this pitching staff does not have the star power that it had at the beginning of the season with Kyle Harrison, this year's pitching staff for the Emeralds looks deeper than last years as members of the 2022 San Jose Giants staff meet some of the holdovers from last year's Emeralds staff and also sprinkling some members of the 2022 draft class.
The pitchers from the 2022 San Jose Giants squad that headline this year's Emeralds pitching staff include Eric Silva (Giants #11 prospect), Seth Lonsway, and Nick Sinacola. Silva was not spectacular last year in San Jose with a 5.88 ERA, but it was hirst first full-season experience after he was drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 draft out of high school. He still flashed his potential and could break out this year. Sinacola has already proven that he was a reliable piece of a minor-league rotation with a 3.86 ERA and 116 strikeouts in 102.2 innings with San Jose last year. Lonsway was a pleasant surprise out of the San Jose piggyback rotation last season with a 4.06 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 95.1 innings.
Aside from the relatively known names, the pitching staff shall also include a couple of lesser-known but enjoyable relievers in Ben Madison, Spencer Bivens, Joe Kemlage, and Wilkelma Castillo. Madison had not pitched for two seasons before flashing great velocity out of the San Jose pen last year with 47 strikeouts in just 27 innings. Bivens is a true barn find last season, signed out of an Independent League, as he appeared with both San Jose and Sacramento and posted a 3.95 ERA. Kemlage had a so-so stint in San Jose last year but still punched out more than a batter per inning.
Speaking of the holdovers from the last year's Emeralds staff, they shall include Mat Olsen, Hunter Dula, and Tyler Myrick. Olsen was one of the first 2021 draft picks to be promoted to Eugene but struggled with his control once he got to High-A. He should have a role in the bullpen once again. Dula was promoted to the team late last season and flashed 96 mph along with a good-looking curveball. Myrick was a 2021 day-three selection that had a relatively strong season last year with a 2.85 ERA with as many strikeouts as innings pitched out of the bullpen. Nick Morreale and Ty Weber also made the team with the hopes of providing relief out of the pen.
Carson Ragsdale's return from thoracic outlet surgery could not be any better, and his strong spring was rewarded with a spot in Eugene where he should play a big role in the rotation. Expect a big bounceback from Ragsdale this year. If he is at his best, he could quickly move to Double-A.
The Giants have been notoriously conservative with the placements of their prospects, specifically their top prospects. Last year, only 17th-rounder Brett Standlee started their first full pro season in High-A. This year is no different as there is no pitcher from the 2022 draft class with the team. Even though he posted a subpar season in 2022, 2021 second-round pick Matt Mikulski made the Eugene pitching staff. Mikulski was healthy last year and struck out 96 batters in 79 innings but was one of the worst pitchers in the California League with a 6.95 ERA. His prospect stock is at an all-time low, and he badly needs a bounce-back season.
Eugene Emeralds injured list: Will Bednar, Trevor McDonald
Both Bednar (Just missed the list) and McDonald (Giants #15 prospect) are currently rehabbing injuries they sustained over the winter but they should be wearing an Emeralds uniform once they are ready to go. McDonald's injury is relatively minor as he is already rehabbing and could be ready to join the team at the end of the month. On the other hand, Bednar's injury sounded like it would cost him the spring, which could delay his to the summer.
