
A round up of the San Francisco Giants Minor League affiliates.
Just three games for the San Francisco Giants affiliates on Wednesday, with off days in AAA, the Arizona Complex League, and the Dominican Summer League
Let’s get into the action.
Link to the 2021 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)
All listed positions are the positions played in that game.
AA Richmond (56-53)
Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 5-3
Box score
A rough offensive game for Richmond, as the Flying Squirrels registered just 6 hits, all of which were singles, and 2 walks, while striking out 13 times. Only two batters reached base twice: right fielder Diego Rincones (No. 37 CPL), who hit 2-4, and catcher Bryan Torres, who hit 1-3 and drew a walk while also stealing a base.
Diego Rincones brings in two runs and this game is all tied up, 2-2, in the 5th pic.twitter.com/7FXo8FeN05
— Richmond Flying Squirrels (@GoSquirrels) September 15, 2021
The multi-hit day moved Rincones’ OPS .908 as he looks to finish his outstanding season on a high note.
Despite the loss, it was a quality start for RHP Matt Frisbee (No. 39 CPL). Frisbee pitched 5.2 innings and allowed 5 hits, 2 walks, 4 runs, and 2 earned runs, while striking out 7. He was fairly awful during his brief promotion to AAA, but his AA line is pretty nice: 3.77 ERA, with 65 strikeouts to 10 walks in 59.2 innings.
Will Wilson (No. 10 CPL) strikeout watch: the shortstop hit 1-4 with 2 strikeouts, bringing his tally to 76 in 210 plate appearances.
High-A Eugene (66-49)
Eugene Emeralds beat the Tri-City Dust Devils (Angels) 6-0
Box score
Due to a rare case of multiple off days, combined with a game cancelled for COVID-19, the Emeralds played for the first time since Friday, and they looked rested rather than rusty. And with the shutout win, they earned a postseason spot.
It was a fairly dominant game on both sides of the diamond for the Emeralds, but let’s start with the pitching, as six arms combined for a whopping 18 strikeouts.
Two exciting prospects who have battled through injuries and struggles this season took the mound for Eugene, and both did well. LHP Seth Corry (No. 6 CPL) got the start and pitched 2.1 innings, giving up 2 hits, 2 walks, and striking out 5. The walks remain a massive issue — he’s given up 63 of them in 67.2 innings — but Corry is improving on that front (and all other fronts). In four appearances since returning from the Injured List, he’s pitched 8.1 innings and allowed 3 hits, 4 walks, and 0 runs, with 11 strikeouts.
RHP Blake Rivera (No. 22 CPL) also made an appearance, giving up 1 hit and 1 walk in 2 innings, with 3 strikeouts. He’d been awful in his last few appearances, so good to see that performance.
And Eugene capped it off with two dominant performances from two relievers who have been dominant all year: RHP Austin Reich, who struck out 2 in a perfect inning, and LHP Chris Wright, who struck out the side in a perfect inning.
Reich now has a 1.60 ERA with 49 strikeouts to 5 walks in 33.2 innings, while Wright has a 1.00 ERA with 59 strikeouts to 18 walks in 36 innings.
Offensively the Emeralds may have “only” put up 6 runs, but they had 13 hits and plenty of performances to admire. The top of the order was sensational, with center fielder Ismael Munguia hitting 3-5 with 2 doubles, and second baseman Brett Auerbach hitting 2-5 with a big fly. The strong days moved both of their OPS’ to .874.
Munguia might be having the strongest second half of any hitter in the organization. After posting a 1.341 OPS in August, he’s currently sitting on a 1.232 OPS in September. The only stain on that is that he hasn’t drawn a single walk during those months, though he’s only struck out 8 times.
Also reaching base 3 times was third baseman Tyler Fitzgerald (No. 40 CPL), who had 2 singles and a walk. Fitzgerald has been icy cold all September after a blistering hot streak, so it’s nice to see him try and end the season on a high note. His OPS is .848.
Finally, left fielder Jairo Pomares (No. 14 CPL) continues to excel in High-A, as he hit another home run that moved his OPS to .854. Pomares has been sensational in Eugene but only just turned 21, so it’ll be interesting to see what the organization does with him next season.
Low-A San Jose (74-42)
San Jose Giants beat the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 12-8
Box score
To say the Baby Giants offense is hot would be a severe understatement. San Jose is riding a 7-game winning streak, and during that time they’ve scored 72 runs. That’s a lot of runs! What fun.
Their latest offensive outbreak came courtesy of 12 hits, including at least 1 for every starter in the lineup. It also included 9 walks, which has Farhan Zaidi, Scott Harris, and myself smiling. The big hit — and I mean BIG hit — came courtesy of left fielder Harrison Freed, who came up to bat in the top of the 9th inning of a tied game, with the bases loaded, and made it a 4-run lead with one swing of the bat.
Also homering was right fielder Luis Matos (No. 5 CPL), who added a single and a walk to bump his OPS to .852. A very successful season for him. I could watch that swing every day, and I’m sure I’ll get to in a few years.
Also having 2 hits and a walk was third baseman Yorlis Rodriguez, who raised his OPS to .785. Catcher Patrick Bailey (No. 8 CPL) kept his powerful bat going, with a double and a walk to move his OPS to .977, while third baseman Jimmy Glowenke (No. 34 CPL) drew 3 walks and singled, moving his OPS to .784.
An uncharacteristically rough start for RHP Prelander Berroa, who allowed 10 baserunners and 4 earned runs in 2.2 innings. But RHP Cole Waites, who pitched the 9th inning, was once again exceptional, allowing 1 hit and striking out the side. In 9.1 Low-A innings this year, Waites has allowed 1 hit, 4 walks, and 1 earned run, with 22 strikeouts.
Home runs
High-A Brett Auerbach (15)
High-A Jairo Pomares (6)
Low-A Luis Matos (15)
Low-A Harrison Freed (8)
Thursday schedule
Sacramento: vs. Las Vegas Aviators, 7:05 p.m. PT
Richmond: @ Erie SeaWolves, 3:05 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. Brewers Gold
ACL Black: vs. Brewers Blue
DSL Orange: vs. Colorado
DSL Black: vs. Cubs Red