SF Giants prospects season in review: 2023 Minor-league All-Star team
Looking back on the 2023 SF Giants minor-league season, our prospect experts (Marc Delucchi and Wrenzie Regodon) decided to buid All-Star teams. Each team had one player at every position in the field, three starting pitchers, and three relievers.
If Marc and Wrenzie made a different selection, Wrenzie's pick is in italics and Marc's pick will be denoted with an asterisk.*
C: Onil Perez, Adrian Sugastey*
Wrenzie: It ultimately came down to just two prospects for me: it's either Onil Perez or Adrian Sugastey. Perez received my vote due to better peripherals and a slightly more promising power potential though it was still up for debate. Sugastey was clearly the better defender though Perez was not too far behind as he worked hard to corral plenty of San Jose pitchers with massive control issues. It was intriguing how much of Perez's base-stealing acumen will carry over to the next level but it should add another dimension to his well-rounded catcher profile.
Marc: Sugastey and Perez had very comparable statistical seasons, although Sugastey did it at a higher level. However, I went with Sugastey because he is a notably better blocker than Perez at this point in their careers.
1B: Armando Alvarez, Guillermo Williamson*
W: A rather obscure choice, Armando Alvarez took the edge over Logan Wyatt for me as he was one of the, if not the, most consistent hitters in the Sacramento lineup all season long. He's flashed a combination of hitting for average while showcasing a strong approach at the plate. He might not have the power typically seen from a first baseman but he is more athletic than most and he has potentially double-digit pop at the next level.
M: It's no secret that the Giants farm system corner infield depth has been thin in recent years. While there were some fine performances at first base throughout the system, Guillermo Williamson was easily one of the team's best hitters in the Arizona Complex League. Williamson hit .285/.415/.511 with 15 doubles and nine home runs in 229 plate appearances with the Giants Black affiliate. Williamson will be 20 next year, and has been a very productive hitter early in his pro career. He will need to hit a lot to reach the majors, already limited to left field and first base, but he's flashed solid pop alongside an advanced approach.
2B: Diego Velasquez
Diego Velasquez was the catalyst of the San Jose offense this season and has taken several steps forward in his development. He's added enough strength to the point that the bat now does not look heavy every time he swings. The physical improvement also helped him stick through the grind of a full season where he's played solid defense in the middle infield. His profile looks more of a utility player but he has consistently exceeded expectations since turning pro.
3B: Javier Francisco, Armando Alvarez*
W: Down in the Papago backfields, Francisco stood out the most among his peers because of his all-around ability to hit for contact, power, and plate discipline. He was inside the top five among several hitting categories for both ACL Giants squads before earning a promotion to San Jose to finish off his 2023 season. The Giants' depth chart at third base is certainly lacking with both Francisco and Alvarez spending more time at first base than third base. But I have placed Francisco in this spot as he was the most intriguing and the best-performing third-baseman prospect in the organization (outside of Casey Schmitt) this season.
M: While Wrenzie slotted Armando Alvarez into his lineup at first base, Alvarez spent plenty of time at the hot corner as well. Alvarez never received a big-league call up, but thrived in his first season with the Giants' organization. Alvarez hit .313/.383/.569 in 329 plate appearances this season, primarily at Triple-A, and will likely be one of the most hotly pursued minor league free agents this offseason.
SS: Tyler Fitzgerald
Marco Luciano may be the favorite to be the Giants shortstop next season, but Tyler Fitzgerald had a more productive overall minor league season this year. Fitzgerald had his second consecutive 20-20 season as he showcased his toolsy profile and has looked good at shortstop. Fitzgerald will likely be trotted out in other positions as Luciano has taken a foothold of the position but he will make an impact with his power-speed combination.
OF: Wade Meckler, Luis Matos, Victor Bericoto, Heliot Ramos*
W: What a year it was for Wade Meckler, Luis Matos, and Victor Bericoto (two of whom reached the major leagues). Meckler posted video-game numbers with the Eugene Emeralds to begin his campaign and had a strong stint at Richmond and Sacramento. He looked completely overmatched when he got to majors, but there's no denying his minor-league production. He might never be the kind of hitter that a team like San Francisco will build their team around but he clearly has the potential to become a contributor in 2024 with his speed, contact, and plate discipline.
One of the most incredible prospect turnarounds this season came from Matos. Everyone knew what Matos had to improve upon: cutting down the aggression and expanding his strike zone. That's exactly what happened and the results then followed. He toyed with Double-A pitching and absolutely torched the PCL when he got promoted, prompting plenty to name him a top prospect once again. He should be a fixture in the Giants lineup in 2024, but the next phase in his development has to be improving his power.
Bericoto proved my suspicions right this year after I tabbed him to take the next step and break out because of his promising data throughout the 2022 season. He was one of the most productive hitters in the Giants farm system all season long as he also led the system in RBIs. He's likely always to be a bat-first prospect, but if the defensive chops do improve to tolerable levels, there's a Major Leaguer somewhere in him with his all-around offensive skillset.
M: Meckler, Matos, and Heliot Ramos all significantly improved their prospect stock in a trio of impressive minor league seasons. Meckler destroyed the minor leagues and would be one of the clear bright spots of the farm system if not for an overly aggressive call up. Matos revitalized his status as a top-100 prospect and had some consistent flashes in the majors as well, although he needs to solidify his defense. Ramos began elevating the ball a little more consistently, and had arguably the most productive minor league season of his career.
Starting pitchers: Hayden Birdsong, Carson Whisenhunt, Mason Black, Trevor McDonald*
W: In my opinion, Hayden Birdsong had the most impressive year out of all Giants pitching prospects this season. He climbed from Single-A to Double-A and showed the ability to get whiffs at a high rate at all three levels. He also held his velocity throughout the season. Birdsong's control can get spotty at times, but he has looked like a potential big-league starter with a power fastball and a complete repertoire of solid or better secondary pitches.
Had he not been injured earlier this season, there was a big chance that Carson Whisenhunt would be a runaway choice as the best pitcher in the entire Giants farm system. He's taken steps in his development, particularly improving his fastball velocity without sacrificing control or command. The changeup was an absolute weapon that he used as a "get out of jail free" card on all three levels. I would have loved to see him continue to develop confidence and feel for his curveball more, but that's a challenge for next year and beyond.
Mason Black was one of the most interesting pitching prospects in the Giants organization this season. He made tweaks to his game that he struggled to hone in the early parts of the season. But when he abandoned them, returning to what he knew best, he took off. His fastball-slider combination from a low slot proved to be a menace against both lefties and righties. Developing a third pitch will be the key for Black to be a full-time starter at the next level, and that opportunity can come as soon as next season.
M: Whisenhunt and Trevor McDonald both had shortened seasons because of injuries, but they were both too dominant when they were on the field to omit from this list. Landen Roupp was in a similar category, but did not get pushed as deep into his outings as the other two. Instead, Birdsong, who probably had the best all-around season in the organization from the 2022 MLB Draft class.
Relievers: Tyler Myrick, Ben Madison, Erik Miller, Juan Sanchez*, Nick Avila*
W: Acquired by the Giants last offseason for Yunior Marte, Erik Miller was one of the most overpowering arms in the Phillies system but was plagued with injuries. Miller showed why he was such a highly intriguing pitching prospect with the Giants as he stayed healthy throughout the year. There's a lot of heat that's coming out of his left arm and both his slider and changeup generated plenty of whiffs.
Ben Madison has one of the nastiest sliders in the organization, and used that to embarrass hitters throughout the minor leagues. Oh, he's also one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in the farm system. His control needs to take a step forward, but he's definitely put himself on the map with his stellar 2023 season.
Myrick does not have the most overpowering fastball nor the nastiest breaking pitch in the farm system. But, what he does have is ice in his veins as he was one of the best-performing pitchers in the organization this year with a perfect 15-15 in save opportunities and a stellar 1.24 ERA.
M: Myrick was undeniably the most statistically dominant reliever in the organization. Juan Sanchez and Nick Avila may not have been to that level, but they were two of the most consistent pitchers in the organization. Sanchez finished the season with a 3.03 ERA in 74.1 innings pitched with 80 strikeouts and 32 walks in 46 appearances across Double and Triple-A. Avila finished the season with a wild 14-0 win-loss record across 56 games with a 3.00 ERA in 72 innings pitched. Both of the, rely on command and deeper arsenals rather than any dominant pitches, but that shouldn't overshadow how effective they were.
