Minor League round up, September 14

Just one game for the San Francisco Giants Minor League Baseball affiliates on Wednesday. AAA Sacramento was supposed to play a doubleheader to make up for Tuesday’s game, which was postponed due to poor air quality in Reno, Nevada. Instead, both games of the doubleheader were postponed. With the season nearing an end, it looks like those games will end up being cancelled rather than postponed, as tonight’s game — if it happens — is not scheduled to be a doubleheader.

Meanwhile, High-A Eugene and Low-A San Jose both had off days as they compete for a league championship. Which leaves us just one team, and one game to talk about. Let’s get into it.

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

All listed positions are the positions played in that game.

AA Richmond (63-70)

Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers) 5-3 (11 innings)
Box score

Designated hitter Diego Rincones (No. 15 CPL) is on a mission to end his season on a high note. The slugger homered for the 2nd straight game, and also added a single and a hit by pitch. The home run tied the game in the 8th inning.

He also struck out, which was just the 3rd time since August 5 that he’s done that ... and during that span he’s hit 17-50 with 3 home runs, 4 doubles, and 3 walks. Rincones was a breakout star in 2021, dominating High-A pitchers, earning a midseason promotion, and then dominating AA pitchers, all while being just a few months older than Heliot Ramos.

But 2022 has been a tough year for him as he tries to find that magic — he has just a .696 OPS and an 89 wRC+. Still, there are a lot of signs to be encouraged by.

Another excellent day for third baseman Casey Schmitt (No. 24 CPL), who hit 3-5 with a double and a stolen base. One of this season’s breakout players, Schmitt’s bat has only gotten better since a midseason promotion, albeit in a sample size of just 26 games. After sporting an .837 OPS and a 132 wRC+ in High-A, Schmitt now has a .955 OPS and a 160 wRC+ in AA. Add in arguably the top defensive tools in the system, and you have a player who will be very near the top of Giants prospect lists when they next come out.

Speaking of stars, LHP Kyle Harrison (No. 5 CPL), who is now a consensus top-2 prospect in the organization, made his final start of the year, and struck out 6 batters in 5 innings, allowing just 4 hits and 1 run.

Harrison finished the year with a 3.11 ERA and a 3.74 FIP in Richmond, and recorded 186 strikeouts to 49 walks in 113 innings across 2 levels. I would assume that Harrison — who only turned 21 last month — will start 2023 in AAA, and will only need a few good starts before the Giants decide to put him in the Major League rotation.

And if it seems like Harrison’s strikeout numbers are gaudy, well ... they are!

Yeesh.

Another strong relief outing from RHP Nick Avila, who pitched 2 scoreless innings, giving up a hit and a walk and striking out a batter. Despite being a 26th-round pick in 2019, Avila looks like he has a chance to make the Majors, perhaps next year if things go well for him. He started the year in High-A and dominated, earning a quick promotion. He has a 1.38 ERA and a 3.61 FIP in Richmond, with 26 strikeouts to 6 walks in 26 innings.

Finally, check out this awesome defensive highlight from second baseman Will Wilson (No. 18 CPL)

Home runs

AA Diego Rincones (10)

Thursday schedule

Sacramento: @ the Reno Aces (Diamondbacks), 6:35 p.m. PT
Richmond: vs. the Erie SeaWolves (Tigers), 3:35 p.m. PT
Eugene: Off
San Jose: @ the Fresno Grizzlies (Rockies), 6:50 p.m. PT — Championship Series Game 2 (Fresno leads best-of-3 series 1-0)
ACL Orange: Season over
ACL Black: Season over
DSL Orange: Season over
DSL Black: Season over