Last night the scouting world gathered for the annual Fall Stars Game featuring baseball’s brightest future. Want to see a 104 mph fastball first, hurled, and then crushed into oblivion? We’ve got you covered!
Think Peter Alonso is intimidated by 103 & 104 MPH fastballs? The #Mets' No. 2 prospect just turned around this 103 MPH heater at 110 MPH to put his team up 1-0 in the 1st inning of the @MLBazFallLeague Fall Stars Game. Watch live: https://t.co/xkzxDrU8TM pic.twitter.com/d3RV9EPb4G
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 4, 2018
The Giants had just one representative at the event, the flame throwing Melvin Adon, who has had a sensational fall. So sensational, in fact, that heading into the game Jim Callis ID’d him as the pitcher with the best slider in the league coming into last night’s marquee event.
Melvin Adon is the lone #SFGiants prospect in tonight's Fall Stars Game. Here's what you need to know about the pitching prospect @MLBazFallLeague https://t.co/0fdExt23f9
— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) November 3, 2018
Adon entered with two outs and a man on and was a little shaky with the fastball command at first, surrendering hits to the first two batters he faced. The louder of those, a triple off the bat of Cleveland’s Yu Chang, was a triple digit fastball that Adon left up — but not up enough — and over the plate. Detroit’s Daz Cameron didn’t do Adon any favors, misplaying a potentially catchable ball into a triple (though, make no mistake: it was blistered).
Then Cleveland’s Yu Chang smokes a 100 mph Adon FB for a triple: pic.twitter.com/cuhFUtuQvf
— Jacob Zweiback (@TheReelJZ) November 4, 2018
Yu Chang takes up and away oppo triple pic.twitter.com/RTRlGrxRD5
— Jason Pennini (@JasonPennini) November 4, 2018
That set Adon up, however, for a matchup with the best hitting prospect Vladdy Guerrero, Jr. who was putting on his usual display during the game drawing a tough walk against Forest Whitley (perhaps the game’s best pitching prospect) and then roping a double off the wall. Guerrero has struck out just 3 times in about 70 plate appearances in an incredible AFL performance this fall, but Adon froze the prodigy with an 89 mph slider for a called third strike.
Adon FD SL K’s Vlad. Filth pic.twitter.com/yDwZmbjblN
— Jason Pennini (@JasonPennini) November 4, 2018
Finally, Adon came back to start the 7th and concluded his night by fielding his position with a little pizzazz.
Melvin Adon comes back in for the 7th and gets two outs, fielding his position here with swag after a 102 mph pitch pic.twitter.com/6UeH9dzsIH
— Jacob Zweiback (@TheReelJZ) November 4, 2018
All in all, good enough for to gain an inclusion on MLB Pipeline’s Jim Callis’ list of the 10 standout players from the night. Quite an eventful day for Melvin, who is inching ever so close to an addition to the 40 man, with all of the benefits that honor bestows on a prospect (and there are many!).
As for the game itself, the Padres’ Buddy Reed (who also had an excellent appearance at the Futures Game in July) earned himself MVP with his two-out, game-tying triple in the bottom of the 9th, before coming around to score the winning run.
Buddy Reed of the @Padres was named @MLBazFallLeague Fall Stars Game MVP after delivering this game-tying triple with his team down to its last strike and then scoring the winning run. More: https://t.co/dFcpB7cjha pic.twitter.com/msXIlnxexI
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) November 4, 2018
Because of the Fall Stars Game, it was a slightly shortened week in the AFL. To the lines.
The Hitters
C.J. Hinojosa: 2 G, 0 for 6, 0 BB, 3 K. Season totals: .156/.229/.188
Matt Winn: 3 G, 0 for 6, 2 walks, 3 K. Season totals: .065/.256/.065
Heath Quinn: 1 G, 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K. Season totals: .154/.214/.154
Oh come on! I mean...seriously, dudes! Mix in a hit once in awhile! 1 for 16? Yeesh. That’s a collective 11 for 89 for the trio with just 1 extra-base hit (Hinojosa’s pinch-hit double from last week) and 36 Ks to 12 walks (8 of which belong to Winn). Not good.
The Pitchers
Garrett Williams: 1 GS, 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 5 K. Season Totals: 0.60 ERA, 15 K/15 IP
Melvin Adon: 1 G, 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 4 K. Season Total: 0.93 ERA, 19 K/9.2 IP
Chase Johnson: 1 G, 1 IP, 1 H, 2 BB, 0 K. Season Totals: 4.76 ERA, 5 K/5.2 IP
Sam Wolff: 1 G, 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K. Season Totals: 0.00 ERA, 9 K/6.2 IP
The arms appear to be downshifting a bit as we move towards the final weeks of the season, as all four Giants’ Pitchers were used just once in the shortened week. They continued to shine however. Garrett Williams followed up his 4 inning, no-hit, 7 K outing last week with another fine outing, this time walking no one while striking out 5. Williams started the AFL a little shaky but he’s definitely looked more comfortable as he’s gone along.
The key to finding success for Giants pitching prospect Garrett Williams (via @DaltonJ_Johnson) https://t.co/XrsF4oo8sK pic.twitter.com/WuhNTtR82A
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) October 29, 2018
Sam Wolff has been nearly perfect in the AFL, allowing just two batters to reach safely in his 7 appearances. And Melvin Adon has been quite possibly the most dominant relief arm in the league. It’s been a good month’s work for that troika who should be feeling good about themselves when they report to camp in the spring.
In other winter league action, after a two-week absence from games, recent 40-man addition Abiatal Avelino popped back up in the lineup recently. The SS went 5 for 18 over this weekend, notching at least one hit in each of the four games he played. Avelino hasn’t produced an extra base hit yet in the Liga de Beisbol Dominicano but he’s gotten on base at an excellent clip, going 10 for 29 with 4 walks. Good for a .345/.424/.345 clip.
As always, you can keep track of all the off-season action involving Giants’ prospects on this handy webpage.