Minor League round up, July 6

The ACL and DSL squads were off on Wednesday, but the San Francisco Giants A-ball affiliates were all in action, so let’s jump in.

Link to the 2022 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions are the positions played in that game.

AAA Sacramento (34-46)

Sacramento River Cats beat the Salt Lake Bees (Angels) 5-3
Box score

As is so often the case with the River Cats, the most important part of the game was the play of MLB players. In this case it was left fielder Luis González, who began his rehab assignment and led off the game with a home run.

Anyone who has watched the Giants offense the last week is very excited to see that swing back in the Bay Area.

Also a nice day for second baseman Isan Díaz, who hit 3-5, and for catcher Jhonny Pereda, who hit 2-3 with a walk. It’s hard to see Pereda getting playing time in the Majors this year given the logjam at catcher, but he’s sure having a nice season.

On the other side of things it was a nice performance from RHP Tristan Beck, who struck out 6 batters in 5 innings. He did give up 3 runs on 6 hits, but didn’t walk anyone. After a rough start to his AAA career, Beck has settled in and is starting to throw pretty nicely.

AA Richmond (43-34)

Richmond Flying Squirrels beat the Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies) 5-2
Box score

RHP Ryan Murphy (No. 13 CPL) made his second start in AA, and after getting colossally rocked in his first one, he looked much more like the very exciting pitching prospect that he is in Wednesday.

Murphy dealt 5 no-hit innings, which always means you’re doing something right. That said, it wasn’t all pretty, as he did issue 5 walks, while only striking out 3 batters. Still, a huge step in the right direction.

He wasn’t the only pitcher to deal with walk issues (Richmond allowed just 3 hits but gave up 11 walks), as RHP Gray Fenter was the biggest offender, walking 4 of the 6 batters he faced.

But RHP Cole Waites struck out the side (though he allowed a hit and a walk) in his inning of work, running his strikeout tally to 41 in 20.2 innings.

The Flying Squirrels didn’t do much on offense, but sometimes all you need is one swing, and that swing came courtesy of first baseman Frankie Tostado, who hit a 3rd-inning grand slam.

Also a nice day for left fielder Jacob Heyward, who is having a tough season but hit 2-3 with a double on Wednesday.

High-A Eugene (44-30)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks) 1-0
Box score

Twas a pitcher’s duel in the pacific northwest! The Emeralds kicked things off with RHP Keaton Winn, who was making his 2nd start since getting promoted. It was the most jaw-dropping way to throw scoreless innings, as he allowed 4 hits and 2 walks in 4.1 innings, with just 2 strikeouts, but scoreless innings are scoreless innings. That’s the name of the game.

The best performance came from RHP Nick Morreale though, as he allowed just 1 walk in 2.2 innings, while striking out 5 batters. He hasn’t been a huge strikeout artist this year, but he does have a 3.06 ERA and 3.57 FIP.

The offense didn’t do much, with just 5 hits (all singles) and 3 walks to 15 strikeouts. Catcher Patrick Bailey (No. 9 CPL) and first baseman Luis Toribio (No. 37 CPL) both reached base twice, hitting 1-3 with a walk. On the other end of things, DH Jairo Pomares (No. 7 CPL) and third baseman Carter Aldrete both hit 0-4 with the strikeout hat trick.

Low-A San Jose (46-31)

San Jose Giants lost to the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies) 13-2
Box score

Just a blah game all around for a Baby Giants team that had nearly as many errors (4) as hits (5), and pitched awfully. LHP Seth Lonsway, who has been having a quite nice season (he was 7-0 entering the game!) gave up 7 runs (albeit 3 unearned) in just 2.2 innings, and the pitchers who followed him didn’t do much better.

Well, most of them at least. RHP Ben Madison — a 2018 draft pick who didn’t pitch last year — struck out the side in a perfect inning. Since getting promoted to Low-A he’s allowed 1 hit and 1 walk in 5 innings, with 12 strikeouts. Wow.

The offense did nothing save for center fielder Grant McCray (No. 34 CPL), who hit a home run.

Home runs

AAA Luis González (5)
AA Frankie Tostado (11)
Low-A Grant McCray

Thursday schedule

Sacramento: @ Salt Lake Bees (Angels), 5:35 p.m. PT
Richmond: vs. Reading Fightin Phils (Phillies), 3:35 p.m. PT
Eugene: @ Hillsboro Hops (Diamondbacks), 7:05 p.m. PT
San Jose: @ Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies), 6:50 p.m. PT
ACL Orange: vs. ACL Rockies
ACL Black: vs. ACL D-backs Black
DSL Orange: Postponed
DSL Black: vs. DSL Cardinals