As part of the new rules for the 2020 Major League season, each of the 30 organizations will maintain a 60-man player pool for the duration of the campaign. Some members of the player pool will feature on the active Major League roster while others will work out at an
As part of the new rules for the 2020 Major League season, each of the 30 organizations will maintain a 60-man player pool for the duration of the campaign. Some members of the player pool will feature on the active Major League roster while others will work out at an alternate training site in the hopes of staying fresh for a potential call up or getting in much-needed development time.
The MiLB.com staff is rounding up the notable prospects in each organization’s 60-man player pool and analyzing what the new system will mean for their 2020 seasons.
The Giants have done a commendable job rebooting their farm system. In the not-so-distant past, San Francisco was on the lower end of the organizational scale, but San Francisco jumped 16 spots to No. 11 in MiLB.com's farm system rankings this year. The Giants have seen stark improvement across the board by virtue of strong Draft picks and trades, and their Triple-A team, the Sacramento River Cats, took home the national championship to close out the 2019 season.
Eager to keep improving, San Francisco's pool has its fair share of young talent -- headlined by top prospect Joey Bart and young phenom Marco Luciano. Most of the top inclusions are for developmental purposes, although the Giants still have a few key youngsters who could make a push for the Opening Day roster. Overall, though, a healthy crop of up-and-coming, international talent represents the next wave for San Francisco.
Joey Bart, C -- MLB.com's No. 14 overall prospect pretty much has been regarded as the Giants' backstop of the future since he was selected with the No. 2 overall pick in 2018. Bart played the majority of his rookie campaign with Class A Short Season Salem-Keizer, posting a .298 average and a .983 OPS over 45 games. Despite missing six weeks early in the 2019 season after being hit by a pitch on his left hand, baseball's second-ranked catching prospect returned to the game and lit up the California League with Class A Advanced San Jose. The power-heavy right-hander barreled 12 homers in 57 games and earned a promotion to Double-A Richmond, where he put up a .316/.368/.544 line in his final 22 contests. Unfortunately, Bart's year ended nearly the same way it began -- his right thumb was fractured when he was hit by a pitch in an Arizona Fall League contest. Injuries aside, San Francisco was pleased with his progression through the season. Still, his inclusion in the pool is purely for development factors. Even after prized catcher Buster Posey announced he would be opting out of the season, the Giants will likely keep Bart off the big league roster. The 23-year-old might not see Major League playing time this year, but his experience facing and working with big league pitchers will pay dividends in experience and likely will speed up the process of his eventual debut.
Marco Luciano, SS -- Luciano may be just 18, but he already packs some of the most promise in the Minor Leagues. The second-ranked Giants prospect made his professional debut at 17 and quickly became widely considered one of the best overall hitters in the 2018 international signees class. Luciano ripped through the Rookie-level Arizona League with a .322 average and a 1.055 OPS. He legged out nine doubles and two triples while squaring up 10 homers in 38 games. The No. 35 overall prospect was promoted to Salem-Keizer for his final nine contests of the year. His performance through just 47 games ended up being enough to get the nod as one of MiLB.com's organization all stars. Although still a long way from his Major League debut, Luciano's breakout debut combined with big league exposure and experience could boost him quite a bit closer.
Heliot Ramos, OF -- Much like Bart, San Francisco's No. 3 prospect enjoyed a fair share of success in the California and Eastern leagues. Ramos bashed his way to a promotion to Richmond after ripping a .306/.385/.500 line in 77 games for San Jose. At just 20 years old, the No. 65 overall prospect possesses a quick and strong right-handed swing, but is still relatively unpolished. He's played just 25 games above the Class A level -- and his addition to the roster is for developmental sake -- but the Giants are high on his ceiling. In a lost Minor League year, exposure and experience will be crucial to Ramos' continued improvement.
Alexander Canario, OF -- Canario is another of the club's high-profile outfield prospects. Of his 59 games in the Minors last year, 49 came with Salem-Keizer, where the team's No. 6 prospect slugged his way to a .301 average and a .904 OPS. The 20-year-old is known for his abundance of raw power, which is often compared to Luciano's. He made a few appearances for the Giants in the Cactus League earlier in the spring, but is still considered a few years from being Major League-ready. In a normal Minor League season, Canario likely would have opened the year in San Jose with Luciano and Luis Toribio. Instead, he'll gain valuable experience training at San Francisco's alternate site.
Luis Toribio, 3B -- Yet another sweet-swinging addition, 19-year-old Toribio is one of the youngest prospects in camp, but also possesses some of the highest intrigue. Although he's only participated in three games above Rookie ball, the seventh-ranked Giants prospect has put up some early encouraging numbers. He spent 2018 in the Dominican Summer League, where he posted a .270 average and a .902 OPS while connecting for 10 homers. In his first season stateside last year, the lefty amassed a .297/.436/.459 line while legging out 15 doubles and plating 33 runs. He's played in just 118 total Minor League games, but his allure helps round out San Francisco's crop of young, high-upside talent developing in the system.
Will Wilson, SS/2B -- The Giants have been big on Wilson for quite a while. They highly considered taking him with the 10th overall pick in the 2019 Draft before electing for outfielder Hunter Bishop -- but still managed to find a way to get their man by acquiring him and Zack Cozart from the Angels at last year's Winter Meetings. In his first professional season, the club's No. 10 prospect debuted in the Rookie Advanced Pioneer League and put up a .275/.328/.439 line with five homers in 46 games for Orem. The 21-year-old possesses an aggressive approach that he can easily channel into raw power. The Giants hope he'll be a sturdy middle-infield candidate within the next two years.
Mauricio Dubón, SS/2B -- Originally, Dubon was expected to slot into San Francisco's second-base role to start the 2020 season. That was on the heels of a whirlwind 2019 for the Sacramento native -- he spent the first half of the year as one of the top prospects in the Brewers organization before being traded to the Giants at the deadline for Drew Pomeranz and Ray Black. The 25-year-old put up a .328/.391/.485 line in 25 games with his hometown River Cats before being promoted to The Show for the final 28 games of the season. The 25-year-old quickly became a mainstay on the everyday roster, posting a .279 average and four homers along with a .754 OPS. Dubon can hit for average and wields plenty of versatility defensively, but second base is his best position. He'll likely open 2020 as one of San Francisco's top second-base options, and he has plenty of promise in taking the position over permanently.
Logan Webb, RHP -- Another homegrown prized prospect who made his Major League debut last season, Webb successfully has endured both injury and controversy. The right-hander missed the majory of the 2016 and 2017 seasons due to Tommy John surgery, and he was suspended for 80 games for performance-enhancing drugs last May. Nevertheless, the 23-year-old built his way back up through the Minors, notching a 1.85 ERA through 12 games before being called up to the Giants in mid-August. Through eight starts, the 2014 fourth-rounder went 2-3 with a 5.22 ERA, but he didn't allow more than two runs in half of those appearances. Webb, who grew up approximately two hours from San Francisco in Rocklin, was expected to be on an innings limit in 2020, but in a 60-game season, he's a clear front runner for the fifth spot in the rotation.
Jaylin Davis, OF -- An acquisition last year's deadline deal that sent reliever Sam Dyson to Minnesota, Davis joined a clogged outfield system, but he should stand out for a variety of reasons. The 26-year-old can play all three outfield positions -- although he's best in right -- and flashed tremendous power at the plate last year. Davis started the season with Double-A Pensacola before moving up to Triple-A in June. After coming to San Francisco, Davis slugged a .331 average and a 1.105 OPS while clubbing 10 homers and driving in 27 runs in 27 games. The Appalachian State product should contend for at least a bench role in the outfield.
Camilo Doval, RHP -- Even though the 23-year-old has yet to pitch above Class A ball, Doval carries a triple-digit fastball in his arsenal. His delivery is unique in that he throws from a three-quarter arm slot, allowing for late life and a nasty spin rate. The team's No. 22 prospect posted a 12.8 K/9 rate through 45 games with San Jose in 2019. The full-time reliever sported a 3-5 record with a 3.83 ERA while holding opposing batters to a .200 average. Doval likely won't see any Major League action, but the Giants are impressed by his stuff and might look to him in a more distressing scenario.
Other notables
2019 first-rounder Hunter Bishop is expected to be included on the pool roster once he is cleared to resume baseball activities. The Giants' fourth-ranked prospect -- No. 71 overall -- tested positive for COVID-19 and has been self-isolating, per the Major League Baseball health protocol. ... San Francisco's No. 29 prospect Dany Jimenez was claimed off waivers in December from the Blue Jays. So far, he's topped out at the Double-A level, where he limited opposing hitters to a .183 average. The right-handed reliever posted a 2-2 record with a 1.87 ERA in 25 relief appearances for New Hampshire. ... Catcher Chadwick Tromp has spent seven years in the Minors. The Giants signed him as a free agent in January and listed him as a non-roster invitee this spring. He could be a feasible backup option behind the plate. ... Southpaw Caleb Baragar provides another relief option. The 26-year-old has amassed a career 3.82 ERA through four Minor League seasons. 2020 first-rounder Patrick Bailey also was included in the pool. The Giants have 59 of their 60 roster spots filled, but are expected to reach capacity when Bishop is cleared to join the team.
