Minor League roundup, 6/5: Bryce Eldridge is having a grand time

Yesterday on the farm.

All seven of the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates were in action on Thursday, which means we’ve got a whole lot of baseball to talk about! Let’s dive straight into the action.

Link to the 2025 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions in the roundup are the positions played in that particular game.

---

News

Robbie Ray isn’t the only pitcher of the month! Down on the farm, ACL RHP Argenis Cayama (No. 28 CPL) was named Pitcher of the Month in the Arizona Complex League. Cayama, an 18-year old from Venezuela, was nothing short of dominant in his 1st ever stateside month, making 5 starts, pitching 20.1 innings, and allowing just 13 hits, 6 walks, 3 runs, and 2 earned runs, with 26 strikeouts. He sure feels like the real deal!

In worse news, AAA Sacramento catcher Max Stassi was placed on the 7-Day IL.

---

AAA Sacramento (29-31)

Sacramento River Cats beat the Sugar Land Space Cowboys (Astros) 8-3
Box score

First baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) is the story for Sacramento these days, and he’ll likely be the story every day until he’s in the Majors. And my goodness was he a worthy story on Thursday.

Eldridge, playing in his 2nd game since getting promoted, only hit 1-4 with a strikeout … but the hit? Oh, just a grand slam that left the bat at 109.8 mph.

The tall lefty also had a sacrifice fly on the day and, honestly, that might get the attention of his bosses as much as the grand salami! We’re only 2 games in, and the Giants will surely exercise a little patience with Eldridge, but … if he keeps hitting like this, he’ll be in the show sooner rather than later. Center fielder Grant McCray continued his recent surge, hitting 3-5 with both a triple and a double, with 2 runs batted in (though he was also picked off). After a brutal start to the year, McCray has been hitting brilliantly over the last month, and is surely working his way back into the MLB depth chart.

And speaking of that depth chart, right fielder Luis Matos made his AAA season debut after being optioned on Monday. It will be good to see Matos get a chance to play every day for a while, and he got off to a good start on Thursday, hitting 2-4 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. Hopefully he gets in a rhythm and is back in San Francisco soon.

Another tough game for left fielder Marco Luciano, who went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and a sac fly. He’s in quite a rut following his little hot streak. Since a 4-hit, 2-homer day, he’s gone just 2-30 with no extra-base hits and 13 strikeouts. He is, unfortunately, running out of time.

Not the best start for LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 2 CPL). The southpaw’s ERA didn’t get rocked, as he gave up 3 runs in 5.2 innings, but he spent the bulk of the day in damage limitation mode. The 2022 2nd-round pick gave up 8 hits, 3 of which went for extra bases, though he only walked 1 batter. Most confusing, however, was that Whisenhunt only had 1 strikeout on the day, despite facing 24 batters.

Whisenhunt has come back to earth following a brilliant stretch to open May, in which he pitched 7 innings in 4 straight starts. He’s failed to make it through 6 innings in each of his 3 starts since, giving up 18 hits, 7 walks, and 10 runs in 16.1 innings, with just 7 strikeouts. Whisenhunt’s profile this year is kind of funny. Among the 53 Pacific Coast League pitchers with at least 30 innings this year, he’s 12th in ERA (3.61), 14th in FIP (4.45), and 3rd in walks per 9 innings (1.87) …. but just 31st in strikeouts per 9 (7.89).

RHPs Kai-Wei Teng and Ryan Watson were excellent in relief. Teng retired all 4 batters he faced, with 3 strikeouts, while Watson gave up just a hit in 2 shutout innings, with 3 strikeouts. Watson has quietly been having a strong season, with a 3.45 ERA, a 3.03 FIP, and 20 strikeouts against just 5 walks in 15.2 innings.

AA Richmond (15-39)

Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 12-4
Box score

A 5th consecutive loss for the Squirrels. That just seems to be the season they’re having.

Just a bad game all around. RHP Manuel Mercedes could not control the ball, allowing 5 hits and 6 walks in just 2.2 innings, with no strikeouts. There’s no way to sugarcoat it: it’s been an awful season for Mercedes who has the ignominious distinction of having the lowest strikeout rate and the 2nd-highest walk rate in the Eastern League (minimum: 30 innings).

RHP Ian Villers made his AA debut after a recent promotion and also got rocked, allowing 5 baserunners and 3 runs while recording just 1 out.

Right fielder Cal Mitchell had a decent game, hitting 1-3 with a double and a walk, but the offense was mostly nonexistent, with just 4 hits and 2 walks on the day. Mitchell is still trying to get off the interstate after being signed during the season by the Giants.

High-A Eugene (27-27)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 15-3
Box score

An awesome day of offense for the Emeralds, with hits all over the place. The biggest one came from right fielder James Tibbs III (No. 3 CPL), who smacked a 2-run bomb in the 1st inning as part of a 1-4 day that also featured 2 sacrifice flies.

Tibbs was drafted in the 1st round last year, and was seen more as a contact hitter than a power bat. The first part of that profile has been only a half-truth: he’s done a brilliant job suppressing strikeouts, with just 17.2% rate, but he has only a .233 batting average. But the last part of the profile hasn’t been a truth either, as Tibbs now leads the farm with 11 home runs, while sporting a .244 isolated slugging percentage that is 2nd among the 61 Northwest League hitters with at least 100 plate appearances this year.

I’d assume the Giants will want to see an uptick in that batting average before Tibbs heads to the east coast, but after what happened last year, an .849 OPS and a 131 wRC+ surely have everyone thrilled.

Catcher Onil Perez (No. 37 CPL) had a fantastic day, hitting 4-5 with a triple, a stolen base, and 3 RBI. After a 1-year hiatus, Perez’s excellent contact skills are back on display, as he’s bumped his batting average from .236 to .298 in his repeat of the level, which has helped see his OPS rise from .637 to .818, and his wRC+ from 88 to 139. For a 22-year old catcher with strong defensive chops and some base-stealing ability (he has 5 on the year, after 20 a season ago), that’s mighty impressive!

Another excellent day for designated hitter Bo Davidson (No. 11 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a walk, a hit by pitch, a stolen base, and a strikeout. All he does is get on base! Gotta think he’s in line for a midseason promotion to AA. He might be joined by left fielder Scott Bandura, who hit 2-6 with a double and a stolen base, his 18th of the season. Davidson now has a .922 OPS and a 152 wRC+, while Bandura has an .849 OPS and a 137 wRC+.

Shortstop Zane Zielinski has been having a tough season, but he was awesome on Thursday, hitting 1-2 with 2 walks, a hit by pitch, and 2 stolen bases. Last year’s 9th-round pick jumped straight into the deep end of the pool with an opening assignment in High-A, which make his modest numbers (.639 OPS, 84 wRC+) look much better. Plus, he has 14 stolen bases!

RHP Shane Rademacher went 6 innings and generally lived in the strike zone, but he also gave up 3 runs on 6 hits (including 3 extra-base hits) and 1 walk, with 5 strikeouts. The 24-year old undrafted pitcher has slowed down after his outrageous start to the year, but still has just a 3.14 ERA and a 3.83 FIP on the season, and has only walked 8 batters in 57.1 innings.

RHPs Austin Strickland, Dylan Hecht, and Tyler Vogel all pitched scoreless innings. That trio has been very strong lately.

Low-A San Jose (33-21)

San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers) 6-4 (10 innings)
Box score

Some more fun performances in this one, primarily on offense. Just as Eldridge and Tibbs did at higher levels, center fielder Dakota Jordan (No. 8 CPL) was yet another top-10 prospect to have just a 1-hit day, but with the hit clearing the fence. Jordan had a day befitting his pre-draft scouting report, though not befitting his current season, as he went just 1-5 with 2 strikeouts, but smashed a 2-run homer.

Jordan was drafted in the 4th-round last year as someone with massive power but a questionable hit tool and a ton of strikeouts. He’s done a great job hitting for average (.296), and dropping his strikeout rate (23.1%), but this power hasn’t played much, yet. But he got back to that power on Thursday, with his 4th home run (and 14th extra-base hit) in 238 plate appearances. That power will come around, but for now the contact-driven approach has given him a .791 OPS and a 121 wRC+.

The expected power has arrived more frequently for first baseman Jakob Christian (No. 30 CPL), who hit 2-4 with a walk, 2 strikeouts, and his 8th home run of the season. He also had a go-ahead single in the 10th. Like Jordan, Christian — drafted 1 round later — has also hit for average (.289). But unlike Jordan, the power has come naturally, and it’s led to an .866 OPS and a 132 wRC+ in his 1st full season.

And because it was a day that ends in “Y,” right fielder Carlos Gutierrez did a little bit of everything, hitting 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base, which bumped his OPS to .904 and his wRC+ to 155, while giving him 22 swiped bags in 25 attempts. I’m running out of words to describe how awesome his season has been!

LHP Jacob Bresnahan (No. 31 CPL) got the start and was wild, both effectively and ineffectively. The 19-year old walked 4 batters in as many innings, but also struck out 6, gave up just 1 hit, and allowed only 1 run. Not a sustainable way to do it, but definitely a way to do it. Bresnahan has a 4.25 ERA and a 4.02 FIP on the year, as he’s tries to harness his electricity: he has 11.3 strikeouts per 9 innings, but also 5.3 walks.

It was a similar story for RHP Evan Gray, a 2024 15th-round pick who is in his debut season. Gray gave up 2 hits and 2 walks in just 2 innings, but kept runs off the board and struck out 5. Gray, who has a 1.80 ERA and a 3.24 FIP, has similarly extreme numbers to Bresnahan, with 12.2 strikeouts per 9, and 4.3 walks.

Arizona Complex League (18-7)

ACL Giants beat the ACL Cubs 17-4
Box score

There’s something about Giants teams using late innings to beat up on Cubs teams this year, as the ACL Giants took a close game into the 9th inning … and then scored 10 insurance runs. That works!

While many of the team’s highest-profile players (like Jhonny Level and Rayner Arias) got the day off, many less-heralded prospects shined. Shortstop Dario Reynoso (20 years, 2023 IFA) continued his excellent season, leading off and hitting 2-4 with a home run, 2 walks, a strikeout, and a stolen base. While the strikeout rate (28.0%) is still high, it’s much better than it was last year (37.1%), and Reynoso has seen his OPS climb from .704 to 1.097, and his wRC+ from 93 to 181. What a fantastic start to the year!

Also homering was first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins (22 years, 2024 14th-round), who went 3-6. Jenkins had been rehabbing in the ACL but, when he got healthy, was reassigned to stay in the ACL rather than return to Low-A San Jose. If he keeps hitting like this, he’ll be promoted at some point this year, you’d think. He has a 1.003 OPS and a 150 wRC+. That works!

Fun to see a good day from designated hitter Jesus Alexander (19 years, 2023 IFA), who hit 3-5 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base. Alexander had a breakout season in the DSL last year, but has been struggling to get going in his debut stateside season. Hopefully this is the start of him catching fire!

Also reaching base 4 times: second baseman Ramon Peralta (21 years, 2021 IFA) and catcher Nomar Diaz (21 years, 2022 14th-round), as the former hit 2-4 with a walk, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout, and the latter 3-5 with a walk and a strikeout.

LHP Jose Rengel (19 years, 2023 IFA) had a brilliant relief appearance, allowing just 1 hit in 3 shutout innings, and striking out 5. Rengel is repeating the ACL after a tough year there in 2024, and while he’s been getting rocked in the hit and run department, he has 11 strikeouts against just 1 walk in 11.1 innings.

RHP Jose Bello (No. 44 CPL, 20 years, 2023 IFA) gave up just a hit and a walk in 2 innings, but did allow 2 runs, his first earned runs of the year. He also struck out 3. Even though that ruined his perfect ERA, it’s still been an exceptional season for Bello, who has given up just 10 baserunners in 14 innings, and has a brilliant 24-to-3 strikeout-to-walk ratio.

Dominican Summer League Black (2-1)

DSL Giants Black beat the DSL Tigers 1, 11-6 (7 innings)
Box score

Just as all eyes are on Bryce Eldridge in AAA, all eyes are on shortstop Josuar González (No. 5 CPL, 17 years, 2025 IFA) in the DSL. The youngster, arguably the highest-regarded international signing in franchise history, played his 3rd professional game, and was once again strong. He was held hitless, as he went 0-2 with a strikeout, but he drew 2 walks and stole 2 bases. He’s off to a delightful start to his career.

But the best day belonged to first baseman Albert Jimenez (18 years, 2024 IFA), who hit 2-3 with a home run and a walk. Jimenez is hoping to put a mediocre debut season behind him, and so far, so good.

Also a nice game for catcher Yohendry Sanchez (No. 40 CPL, 18 years, 2024 IFA), who hit 2-4 with a double. Sanchez, who got the top bonus in last year’s class, is surely disappointed to be back in the DSL instead of in the ACL, though that’s more due to the injury he sustained last year, which limited him to 12 games, than to his performance, which was strong.

And third baseman Keiberg Camacaro (18 years, 2023 IFA) hit just 0-1, but drew 3 walks and stole a base. It’s his 3rd pass through the DSL, so it’s go time for Camacaro.

RHP Alfonso Perez (19 years, 2022 IFA) was the star on the mound. He hit a batter, but otherwise didn’t allow any baserunners in 2 innings, with 2 strikeouts. It’s Perez’s 4th season in the DSL, and it’s very early, but so far he’s allowed just 1 hit and 0 walks in 4 innings, with 4 strikeouts.

Dominican Summer League Orange (3-0)

DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Cubs Red 12-4
Box score

A pretty funny game, and a very DSL one. The Giants Orange squad only had 8 hits on the day, and just 1 extra-base hit. But they still scored 12 runs, thanks to drawing 10 walks, getting hit by 6 pitches, stealing 8 bases, and benefitting from 5 opponent errors. Gotta love it!

The lone extra-base hit came from catcher Miguel Caraballo (16 years, 2025 CPL), as he hit 1-5 with a double, a walk, a stolen base, and a strikeout. He’s one of the youngest players in the organization.

A trio of players were hit by pitches and later left the game: right fielder Carlos Concepcion (19 years, 2023 IFA) who went 1-3 with a walk and a hit by pitch; shortstop Anthony Marquez (18 years, 2024 IFA) who finished 0-1 with a walk, a hit by pitch, and 2 stolen bases; and left fielder Rainer Espinoza (16 years, 2025 IFA) who hit 0-3 with a walk, a hit by pitch, and a strikeout. Let’s hope none of them got injured!

A trio of pitchers had nice games. RHP Iverson Paulino (18 years, 2024 IFA) started and pitched well in his career debut, pitching 2.2 shutout innings with 1 hit, 2 walks, a hit batter, and 4 strikeouts. RHP Abraham Utrera (20 years, 2025 IFA) also made his career debut, and walked 1 of the 5 batters he faced while striking out the other 4. And RHP Brayan Cabello (21 years, 2021 IFA), who is in his 4th DSL season, retired all 4 batters in his season debut, with 3 strikeouts.

---

Home run tracker

AAA Bryce Eldridge (8 total, 1 in AAA)
High-A James Tibbs III (11)
Low-A Jakob Christian (8)
Low-A Dakota Jordan (4)
ACL Jeremiah Jenkins (3)
ACL Dario Reynoso (2)
DSL Albert Jimenez (1)

---

Friday schedule

Sacramento: at Sugar Land, 5:05 p.m. PT (SP: Trevor McDonald)
Richmond: at Erie, 3:35 p.m. PT (SP: Jack Choate)
Eugene: vs. Everett, 6:35 p.m. PT (SP: Dylan Carmouche)
San Jose: at Rancho Cucamonga, 6:30 p.m. PT (SP: Greg Farone)