Minor League round up, June 26

The San Francisco Giants only had three Minor League Baseball games on Monday, with all of the A-ball affiliates getting the day off (they get another day off today). Let’s jump into the action that did happen.

Link to the 2023 McCovey Chronicles Community Prospect List (CPL)

All listed positions are the positions played in that game.

ACL

ACL Giants Orange (5-12) beat the ACL Giants Black (10-7) 11-5 (7 innings)
Box score

Per the usual, I’m just going to talk about all the players in this game at once, rather than go team-by-team for an intra-squad game.

It was a standout performance from third baseman Elian Rayo (20 years, 2019 IFA), who had a strong debut season in the ACL last year (.778 OPS, 116 wRC+), but is repeating the level, probably due in part to his sky-high strikeout rate (34.9%).

Rayo is still striking out a ton, but Monday was a spectacular day, as he hit 2-3 with a home run, a double, a walk, and, yes, a strikeout. He has an .825 OPS and a 109 wRC+ on the season.

A pair of 3-4 days, one for left fielder Justin Bench (23 years, 2022 17th-round), who also drew a walk, and one for designated hitter Javier Castillo (19 years, 2021 IFA), who added a double. Really great starts to the year for both players, who are still getting their feet set. Bench, who only played in 1 game last year after getting drafted, is 8-24 with 1 home run, 2 doubles, and 5 walks to just 2 strikeouts, while Castillo, playing in his 1st season at the level, is 8-26 with 3 doubles, 4 walks, and just 5 strikeouts. Keep it up, dudes!

Speaking of players having hot starts, right fielder Cesar Quintas (20 years, 2019 IFA), has been utterly dynamic in his 2nd season at the level. He did everything in this one, as his 4 plate appearances yielded a double, a hit by pitch, and 2 walks. He’s 16-37 on the year and has already drawn a whopping 11 walks, giving him an 1.145 OPS and a 209 wRC+. Hell yeah.

A tough day for shortstop Ryan Reckley (No. 31 CPL, 18 years, 2022 IFA), who hit 0-3 with a walk, 2 strikeouts, and 2 errors. Reckley is still adjusting after injuries limited him to just 11 games in his debut season in the DSL last year, and has a .592 OPS, a 66 wRC+, and 9 errors in 16 games. All in good time!

A very funny performance from RHP Lisander De La Cruz (21 years, 2019 IFA). On the downside, he gave up a hit, a hit batter, and 2 walks in just 1.2 innings. On the bright side, he kept runs off the board and registered all 5 of his outs by strikes. De La Cruz is walking way more batters than in his previous 2 stints in the ACL, but he’s also allowing far fewer hits.

My favorite confusing prospect, RHP Christian Avendano (19 years, 2022 IFA, I guess) the previously-signed-by-the-Cardinals-as-a-center-fielder-who-knows-what-happened guy, pitched 2 scoreless innings, albeit without a strikeout.

DSL Orange (9-7)

DSL Giants Orange beat the DSL Mariners 7-3
Box score

The story in the DSL this year has been that 3 of the Giants recently-signed international free agents have been utterly torching the league. 2 of those 3 play for the Giants Orange team, and it was yet another dynamic day for both of them.

Second baseman Dario Reynoso (18 years, 2023 IFA) did absolutely everything, hitting 2-3 with a home run, 2 walks, and 2 stolen bases. Just look at these numbers in his 1st pro season: 16-45, 2 home runs, 1 triple, 3 doubles, 18 walks, and 13 strikeouts, with 7 stolen bases in as many attempts. I mean ... come on, Dario! That’s just not fair!

Left fielder Angel Guzman (17 years, 2023 IFA) has been just as good as Reynoso this season, and also stood out on Monday, hitting 2-5 with a home run. Here are his numbers: 24-66, 3 home runs, 2 triples, 6 doubles, 12 walks, and 15 strikeouts, with 2 stolen bases in as many attempts.

Among the 259 DSL hitters with at least 50 plate appearances this year, Reynoso (195) and Guzman (178), are 9th and 18th, respectively, in wRC+.

The hot start by those 2 (and someone who we’ll get to in the Giants Black segment) has overshadowed another great performer from the recent class: shortstop Anthony Tandron (17 years, 2023 IFA). His numbers aren’t as electric, but after going 2-4 with a walk and a stolen base, he’s up to an .806 OPS and a 120 wRC+. For a shortstop who won’t turn 18 until November, no less!

Right fielder Miguel Blanco (17 years, 2023 IFA) has been off to a slow start in his debut season, but hit 2-4 with a triple and a stolen base in this game, so that’s great to see.

RHP Frainer Mejias (17 years, 2023 IFA), showed off his strikeout stuff, K’ing 5 batters in just 2.2 innings, though he allowed 4 baserunners and a run. He’s one of the youngest players in the system (he won’t turn 18 until next year), and has flashed some quality strikeout stuff.

RHP Cristofer Valenzuela (21 years, 2019 IFA), pitched a perfect inning. Valenzuela, who debuted in 2021 but didn’t play last year, has just 3 strikeouts to 8 walks in 7 innings this year.

DSL Black (11-4)

DSL Giants Black lost to the DSL Angels 3-2
Box score

Remember how I said that Guzman and Reynoso are part of a trio of recently-signed prospects who are shining? The 3rd is center fielder Rayner Arias (No. 27 CPL, 17 years, 2023 IFA). Arias had a down game by his standards, hitting just 1-3 with a walk.

But remember how I mentioned that Guzman and Reynoso were high up on the list of the 259 DSL batters with at least 50 plate appearances? Arias and his 210 wRC+ rank 3rd on that list. If you prefer straightforward numbers, that’s 20-50 with 4 home runs, 1 triple, 5 doubles, 12 walks, and 10 strikeouts, with 3 stolen bases in 4 attempts. How do you like them apples??

And remember how I mentioned that Mejias is one of the youngest players in the system because he won’t turn 18 until January? Arias doesn’t turn 18 for another 10 months.

Just ... yeesh, all around. Sign me up.

This spiel is my way of letting you know that not much happened in this game. There were no standout performances. Enjoy your day.

Home runs

ACL Elian Rayo (3)
DSL Angel Guzman (3)
DSL Dario Reynoso (2)

Tuesday schedule

Sacramento: Off day
Richmond: Off day
Eugene: Off day
San Jose: Off day