Giants Getting This Part of Organization Right Amid Awful Campaign

The San Francisco Giants don’t have a lot to be excited about this season. Down the road? That could be another story.

San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The San Francisco Giants are just trying to navigate through a season that looks destined to be a loss by August.

Most outsiders believe the Giants will trade key players at the deadline. The idea is to start building for next year. Keep what is needed, trade the rest. As for the massive contracts, well San Francisco president of baseball operations Buster Posey is probably stuck with most of them for at least another year.

Earlier this season, Bryce Eldridge graduated from prospect status. He had been San Francisco's top prospect for two years after being selected in the first round out of high school in 2023. That would leave the impression that the prospect cupboard is bare. Guess what? It's not.

In fact, it appears to be the one thing that Posey and his staff are getting right during this lost season.

San Francisco Giants’ Prospect Capital

UC Santa Barbara Gauchos right-handed pitcher Jackson Flora. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Since the Giants are unlikely to buy at the trade deadline, it’s likely they’ll keep all five — yes five — of their Top 100 prospects, as ranked in Baseball America’s (subscription required) July update.

The list includes shortstop Josuar Gonzalez at No. 17, shortstop Luis Hernandez at No. 46, shortstop Jhonny Level at No. 60, pitcher Jackson Flora at No. 62 and outfielder Bo Davidson at No. 83.

Now, all but Davidson are a ways away from helping the Giants. Davidson was just promoted to Triple-A Sacramento this week. But there is a depth of quality at the top of the organization that reveals a commitment to developing talent through every avenue.

Gonzalez, Hernandez and Level are international signings. Level was procured during the final months of the reign of former president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi. Posey’s group is responsible for getting Hernandez and Gonzalez and spent at the top of the market. San Francisco spent a combined $8 million for the consensus top position players on the market the past two years.

Flora was the Giants’ No. 4 overall pick in the MLB draft and is expected to land a slot bonus worth $8.99 million. The former UC Santa Barbara pitcher and California native could develop quickly. He was considered the top pitcher in the draft.

Davidson wasn’t even drafted but was signed as a free agent by Zaidi’s staff in 2023 out of Caldwell Tech CC in North Carolina and has turned into one of the organization’s great development success stories. He could be ready to help San Francisco next season.

Even as the Giants struggle this year, there is hope in years to come. It appears Posey’s emphasis on the farm system — and protecting the right players from Zaidi’s tenure — has the potential to pay off.