Top Prospect Watch

#1: Marco Luciano

This Week (Arizona): .375/.500/.500 – 3-8, 1 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 2 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .292/.368/.506 – 45-154, 9 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 16 BB, 40 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Marco Luciano is finally back!  He’s rehabbing in Arizona, and they’re taking it easy with him, so he’s only been into three games, and played in the field in just one.  He should be in Arizona for a while longer as they get him back up to playing everyday.

#3: Luis Matos 

This Week (High-A): .259/.310/.593 – 7-27, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 1 BB, 6 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .185/.263/.313 – 49-265, 10 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 23 BB, 48 SO, 5-6 SB-SBA

One of Matos’ better weeks of the season, as he began striking the ball with authority more consistently than he has all year long.  So many of Matos’ game skills have been down lately, it’s good to see any improvement, and this was a big one.

#4: Kyle Harrison

This Week (AA): 4.50 ERA, 1.75 WHIP – 4.0 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 HR, 2 BB, 4 SO

Season (High-A): 1.55 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, .179 Avg – 7 G, 7 GS, 29.0 IP, 19 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 59 SO

Season (AA): 2.92 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, .182 Avg – 11 G, 11 GS, 52.1 IP, 33 H, 18 R, 17 ER, 6 HR, 28 BB, 78 SO

After a few really strong starts, Harrison had more of an average one.  He’s still being held back in his pitch count since the All-Star Break, which is the most notable thing to come out of this week.

#5: Heliot Ramos 

This Week (AAA): .136/.174/.182 – 3-22, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (AAA): .221/.314/.330 – 67-303, 10 2B, 1 3B, 7 HR, 34 BB, 80 SO, 4-9 SB-SBA

Heliot Ramos came back from an injury that kept him out for a few games last week, but all-in-all, his struggles remain.

#6: Will Bednar

This Week (Low-A): Did Not Play

Season (Low-A): 4.19 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, .167 Avg – 12 G, 12 GS, 43.0 IP, 25 H, 22 R, 20 ER, 7 HR, 22 BB, 51 SO

Will Bednar’s absence continues, as he hasn’t appeared since June 12th.

#7: Jairo Pomares 

This Week (High-A): .480/.536/.840 – 12-25, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 3 BB, 7 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .262/.333/.480 – 78-298, 20 2B, 0 3B, 15 HR, 30 BB, 113 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Well, if we were giving out Prospect of the Week awards still, Pomares would clearly win it.  It was a huge week, his best in High-A by a long shot, as he has really begun turning his season around.  The strikeouts remain a huge issue, but if you’re hitting the ball like this, that can be overlooked.

#8: Aeverson Arteaga

This Week (Low-A): .222/.241/.407 – 6-27, 2 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 1 BB, 8 SO, 1-2 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .261/.333/.417 – 102-391, 27 2B, 2 3B, 10 HR, 35 BB, 117 SO, 8-11 SB-SBA

It was a down week for Arteaga, who did well in getting extra-base hits, but had problems getting the singles to prop up his batting line.  Arteaga has definitely established himself as a line drive hitter who should be able to get doubles consistently, this season, even if the home run hints from last season have not continued.

#9: Hunter Bishop

This Week (High-A): Did Not Play

Season (High-A): .229/.319/.423 – 64-279, 11 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 29 BB, 106 SO, 17-19 SB-SBA

In a recent interview, farm director Kyle Haines indicated that Bishop is dealing with a slight oblique issue, and “I think we’ll still see him by the end of the year”.  That “I think” feels very concerning, especially about a player who has been so awfully affected by injuries.

#10: Nick Swiney

This Week (AA): 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP – 3.0 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 HR, 1 BB, 2 SO

Season (AA): 3.65 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, .190 Avg – 16 G, 15 GS, 69.0 IP, 48 H, 37 R, 28 ER, 3 HR, 36 BB, 83 SO

A very rough week for Swiney, who was uncharacteristically hittable.  That’s not so unusual a thing for pitchers, though, so hopefully this was just a hiccup on what otherwise has been a good year.

System Risers

Vaun Brown

This Week (High-A): .400/.483/.760 – 10-25, 3 2B, 0 3B, 2 HR, 4 BB, 5 SO, 1-2 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .346/.427/.636 – 79-229, 14 2B, 5 3B, 14 HR, 25 BB, 67 SO, 23-26 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .345/.422/.611 – 39-113, 9 2B, 0 3B, 7 HR, 11 BB, 41 SO, 12-14 SB-SBA

Just look at how close those batting lines are for Brown between in Low-A (in 59 games), and in High-A (in 33 games).  That’s some excellent consistency as he goes up the ladder.  But especially, this week’s walks versus strikeout numbers are much appreciated as Brown had a tough time with strikeouts not long ago.

Grant McCray

This Week (Low-A): .261/.414/.478 – 6-23, 0 2B, 1 3B, 1 HR, 5 BB, 8 SO, 3-3 SB-SBA

Season (Low-A): .289/.375/.510 – 103-357, 18 2B, 8 3B, 15 HR, 46 BB, 124 SO, 29-37 SB-SBA

A bit of a mixed week for McCray, who wasn’t making a lot of contact, but he was getting walks and extra bases, whether by extra base hits or steals.  That 124 strikeouts on the season is one of the highest numbers in the Giants organization, though that’s partially a testament to how healthy McCray has been.

Casey Schmitt

This Week (High-A): .250/.348/.300 – 5-20, 1 2B, 0 3B, 0 HR, 3 BB, 2 SO, 0-0 SB-SBA

Season (High-A): .273/.363/.474 – 91-333, 14 2B, 1 3B, 17 HR, 42 BB, 86 SO, 1-3 SB-SBA

As Casey Schmitt has leveled off after a really hot start to the season, we’re seeing more of the kind of guy that Schmitt can be, as he’s gotten better with drawing walks and cutting down strikeouts, even as his batting average has slumped.

UPDATE: It’s been reported late on Tuesday 8/9 that Schmitt has been promoted to Double-A!

Sean Hjelle

This Week (AAA): 4.50 ERA, 1.17 WHIP – 6.0 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 HR, 0 BB, 3 SO

Season (AAA): 5.22 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, .297 Avg – 16 G, 16 GS, 70.2 IP, 86 H, 48 R, 41 ER, 9 HR, 28 BB, 57 SO

This week was a bit of an improvement, as Hjelle had really been in a slide after his most recent callup.  Although he’s still been far too hittable, he looked like he was tightening up his control and preventing those walks.

Ryan Murphy

This Week (AA): Did Not Play

Season (High-A): 2.90 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, .180 Avg – 7 G, 7 GS, 31.0 IP, 20 H, 11 R, 10 ER, 1 HR, 12 BB, 47 SO

Season (AA): 9.35 ERA, 2.19 WHIP, .265 Avg – 9 G, 9 GS, 8.2 IP, 9 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 2 HR, 10 BB, 7 SO

Ryan Murphy has not been seen since his July 6th start at Double-A.  There’s been no word as to when we’ll see Murphy return, who pitched for just under two months after missing the first six weeks of the season as well.