Minor League round up, Aug. 2

A round up of the San Francisco Giants Minor League affiliates.

It was a slow day on the farm for the San Francisco Giants, as AA, High-A, and Low-A were all off, with one of the Giants Dominican Summer League games getting canceled. So just half of the eight teams were in action.

Let’s dive in.

Link to the 2021 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

AAA Sacramento (32-45)

Sacramento River Cats beat Reno Aces (Diamondbacks) 6-5
Box score

The River Cats led 3-1 entering the eighth inning but gave up a 3-spot to Reno in the top half of the inning, only to answer with their own 3-spot in the bottom half. Quite a back and forth affair!

Sacramento’s biggest hits came in that inning, first in the form of a 2-run double by right fielder Heliot Ramos (No. 3 CPL), though he was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple.

The next batter, third baseman Jason Vosler, popped one over the fence.

Ramos was the offensive star, and had his best game since getting promoted, going a perfect 4-4 to raise his OPS to .795 … .039 points higher than his AA OPS was. He seems to be settling in just fine.

No one else had a multi-hit day, though both catcher Joey Bart (No. 2 CPL) and shortstop Mauricio Dubón had a single and 2 walks (on the whole Sacramento drew 7 walks against just 7 strikeouts). It was Bart’s first game with multiple walks since Aug. 24, 2019.

RHP Gerson Garabito had a solid start, allowing 7 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run in 6 innings, while striking out 6. He’ll need a few more games like that to get his stat line looking nice, as he still has a 4.73 ERA with just 36 strikeouts to 25 walks in 40 innings. LHP Conner Menez allowed 3 earned runs in 1.2 innings to raise his ERA to 6.95, as the trend continues of every pitcher the Giants option proceeding to get lit up in AAA.

First baseman Brandon Belt, second baseman Tommy La Stella, and center fielder Jaylin Davis all made rehab starts.

ACL Orange (12-13)

ACL Giants Orange beat the White Sox 5-0 (7 innings)
Box score

A strong game in the Arizona Complex League, anchored by a stellar performance from RHP Manuel Mercedes (18, 2019 J2), who allowed just 3 hits and 0 walks in 6 scoreless innings, while striking out 7. Mercedes has been up and down in his first pro season, with a 4.91 ERA and 31 strikeouts to 13 walks in 29.1 innings, but these types of performances are reminders as to why he’s a prospect worth being excited about.

On the batting front, the Giants Orange squad drew 10 walks to 11 strikeouts, and there were a few nice performances. Right fielder Edison Mora (20, 2017 J2) went 2-4 with a triple and a walk to raise his OPS to .813, center fielder Grant McCray (No. 26 CPL, 20, 2019 3rd round) went 1-2 with a double and a walk to raise his OPS to .841, and third baseman Anthony Rodriguez (18, 2019 J2) went 1-2 with 2 walks to raise his OPS to .725.

ACL Black (14-11)

ACL Giants Black lost to the Mariners 4-3 (7 innings)
Box score

The Giants Black team had 7 hits and 3 walks in 7 innings, but just 1 extra-base hit, and it wasn’t quite enough to get the win. Designated hitter Ghordy Santos (21, 2016 J2) went a perfect 2-2 with a walk to raise his OPS to .730, and first baseman Jacob Gonzalez (23, 2017 2nd round) went 2-3 with a walk, raising his OPS to .978. Gonzalez has done nicely since getting demoted from High-A.

Center fielder Alexander Suarez (19, 2018 J2) doubled for the 4th time this year.

LHP Nick Swiney (No. 17 CPL, 2020 2C round) continued his rehab assignment and gave up the first run of his professional career, allowing 4 hits, 1 walk, and 1 earned run in 1.2 innings, with 4 strikeouts. He’s now given up 6 hits and 3 walks in 3.2 ACL innings, but has also struck out 6.

DSL Orange (4-9)

DSL Giants Orange beat the D-Backs2 5-2 (7 innings)
Box score

The Giants Orange team didn’t have a super notable offensive day, with just 6 hits and 1 walk. But a 4-run fifth inning was enough to secure a win. Center fielder Saul Bautista (17, 2020 J2) had the big hit, with a 2-run double to raise his OPS to .681. Designated hitter Samuel Reyes (18, 2019 J2) went 2-3 with a double to raise his struggling OPS to .533.

RHP Mikell Manzano (18, 2019 J2) allowed 6 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs in just 4.1 innings, but struck out 6. That’s how Manzano’s season has gone: he has a 5.68 ERA, but 18 strikeouts to just 1 walk in 12.2 innings.

Home runs

AAA Jason Vosler (8)

Schedule

Sacramento: vs. Reno Aces, 7:05 p.m. PT
Richmond: vs. Reading Fightin Phils, 3:35 p.m. PT
Eugene: vs. Tri-City Dust Devils, 7:05 p.m. PT
San Jose: @ Fresno Grizzlies, 6:50 p.m. PT
ACL Orange: vs. Angels
ACL Black: vs. Royals Gold
DSL Orange: vs. D-backs2
DSL Black: Cancelled