Minor League roundup, April 16: Big, big, big home runs

As long as we’re talking about injuries, AA Richmond second baseman Dayson Croes was placed on the Injured List. Roger Munter had reported that Croes left Wednesday’s game after a collision on the basepaths, while playing defense, and was holding his ankle). He’s replaced on Richmond’s roster by RHP Brad Deppermann, who was activated off the Development List. Deppermann, who is about to turn 30, signed with the Giants as a Minor League free agent this winter.

In happier news, Cano reports that third baseman Parks Harber (No. 17 CPL) is rehabbing in extended, and hit a home run. That means Harber should be back to affiliated ball shortly, and he’ll be ticketed for AA, though the Giants may have him rehab at a few lower levels first.

AAA Sacramento (10-6)

Sacramento River Cats lost a 7-inning doubleheader to the Tacoma Rainiers (Mariners) 3-1 and 8-1
Game 1 box score
Game 2 box score

A very offensively-challenged pair of games for the River Cats, especially in the opener when they were held to just 1 hit. That came on a double by second baseman Nate Furman (No. 39 CPL), who hit 3-7 with 2 doubles and 1 strikeout over the pair of games, which accounted for 100% of Sacramento’s extra-base hits. Given that Furman is a fairly light-hitting lefty, and that the Pacific Coast League is where offense normally goes to blossom, I’d say this is probably the only time this year that Furman will have all of the team’s extra-base knocks over a 2-game stretch. But Furman has been awesome this year, posting a 1.012 OPS and a 182 wRC+ in his debut pass through AAA. The Giants are clearly high on Furman — they gave him a camp invite and a AAA assignment despite just 22 games in AA — and he’s certainly rewarding that faith.

No one had a horrible weekend offensively but, other than Furman there weren’t any standouts, either. So let’s just look at the players on the 40-man roster: first baseman Bryce Eldridge (No. 1 CPL) hit 2-7 with a strikeout, and has a 1.006 OPS and a 176 wRC+; catcher/designated hitter Jesús Rodríguez (No. 16 CPL) went 2-5 with a walk, a sac fly, a strikeout, and 2 errors, moving his OPS to .926 and his wRC+ to 146; and center fielder Grant McCray hit 1-5 with a walk and 3 strikeouts, as he now has a .588 OPS and an 81 wRC+.

The starting pitching was a tale of 2 pitchers in similar situations who had very dissimilar outings. RHP Carson Seymour kicked off the doubleheader and had a so-so game. Seymour pitched 5 innings, which is the longest start that a Sacramento pitcher has had this year and, impressively, didn’t allow a single walk. But he did get hit fairly hard, with 7 hits (which included a home run and 2 doubles), as well as 3 runs, 2 of which were earned. Seymour also hit a batter and, despite the absence of walks, didn’t have a stellar strike-throwing game, with 47 of 73 pitches for strikes, though he did strike out 5 hitters.

While Seymour hasn’t shown off the strikeout stuff we’ve sometimes seen from him in the past, he has done a good job holding batters in check … this was his 4th game of the year, and those were the 1st runs he’s allowed, while his WHIP sits at just 0.83, to go with a 1.15 ERA and a 3.66 FIP. It’s been assumed that LHP Carson Whisenhunt (No. 8 CPL) would be next in line if the Giants need help in the rotation, but I kind of wonder if Seymour might actually be ahead of Whisenhunt due to the vastly better walk numbers. Seymour has just 3 walks in 15.2 innings, while Whisenhunt (who has a 4.11 ERA and a 3.14 FIP) has given up 11 in 15.1 innings (and his WHIP of 1.76 is nearly double Seymour’s).

The Game 2 starter was RHP Trevor McDonald (No. 12 CPL) and he had, yet again, a brutal outing. McDonald only gave up 3 hits in 3 innings, but absolutely could not find the strike zone. He managed to throw just 28 strikes out of his 62 pitches, which led to a whopping 7 walks and 4 runs, against just 2 strikeouts. It’s been an absolutely brutal start to the year for McDonald, who has struggled in all 4 of his starts, and has gotten progressively worse in each one. He now has 13 walks — plus 2 hit batters — in just 10 innings this year, and is rocking an 8.10 ERA and a 6.30 FIP. Add in his awful final few spring outings, and he’s quickly gone from looking like he might make the Opening Day roster to being at the very back of the depth chart.

There were a trio of encouraging relief appearances, including from the pair of relievers on the 40-man roster who pitched: RHP Spencer Bivens, who hit a batter but didn’t allow any hits or walks, while striking out 1 in an inning of work, while RHP Dylan Smith issued a walk in a no-hit inning, with a strikeout. LHP Juan Sánchez (No. 41 CPL) entered at the end of Game 2 to an ugly situation, with runners at the corners and just 1 out, and struck out both batters he faced, stranding the runners. Sánchez now has 7 strikeouts in 3.2 innings and a 0.00 ERA, though he’s walked 4 batters.

AA Richmond (10-2)

Richmond Flying Squirrels lost to the Hartford Yard Goats (Rockies) 6-5
Box score

Richmond’s magical 10-game winning streak finally came to a close, though only barely. The Squirrels trailed 6-2 entering the 8th inning, and gave it a hell of a run as they tried to tie the game.

That rally included a pair of runs in the 8th inning, which came off of a truly majestic swing of the bat, as center fielder Bo Davidson (No. 4 CPL) launched one deep, deep, deep into the night sky.

Per the great Trey Wilson, who is Richmond’s broadcaster and head of communications, people in Hartford were saying that they’d never seen a ball hit to that part of the stadium before. Which points to just how special Davidson’s power is, and makes it all the more impressive that he displays it while also playing a strong center field (though he had his 1st error of the season in this game).

Davidson finished the day 2-5 and earned a share of the organization’s home run lead, and now has an .889 OPS and a 109 wRC+ (might be the first time I’ve ever seen an OPS that high and a wRC+ that low in the Eastern League, where the average OPS usually starts with a 6). There’s still a bit for Davidson to work on in AA — namely his 5.3% walk rate and 26.3% strikeout rate — but the Giants have to be thrilled with the way the 23-year old has started the season. It’s always exciting when someone looks to build on a breakout, rather than regress from it.

Catcher Adrián Sugastey also went deep, hitting 2-4 with a solo blast and a strikeout.

Sugastey is on the week end of a catcher platoon, after getting surpassed on the depth chart by Drew Cavanaugh (No. 19 CPL). He’s back in Richmond for a 3rd season, and while the offensive numbers aren’t very good — .701 OPS, 74 wRC+ — they certainly look better than they did before that game! He’s still just 23 years old with very, very strong defensive chops, so he’s a valuable part of the depth behind the dish.

Also a really nice game for shortstop Aeverson Arteaga, who continues to put his awful 2025 behind him. Arteaga hit 2-3 in this game, while also drawing a walk and hitting a sacrifice fly, and striking out once. Like Sugastey, Arteaga — also a 23-year old with strong defense — has seen his prospect shine decline as he’s been replaced on the depth chart by someone the Giants like more (in Arteaga’s case, Maui Ahuna [No. 33 CPL]).

Last year, in Arteaga’s return from injury, he hit a lowly .189, had just a .508 OPS and a 49 wRC+, and struck out 26.2% of the time. This year he’s nearly doubled his batting average to .353, has an .831 OPS and a 137 wRC+, and is only striking out 17.4% of the time. That said, it’s a sample size of just 23 plate appearances … but still. Arteaga didn’t have a single 23-PA sample last year that was good, so this is nice to see.

Speaking of offensive resurgences, right fielder Jonah Cox hit 1-2 and drew 3 walks. After posting a .731 OPS and a 103 wRC+ in High-A Eugene last year, Cox has a mesmerizing .921 OPS and 146 wRC+ in Richmond, with 7 stolen bases in as 8 attempts. He’s done a fantastic job cutting back on strikeouts since joining the organization in the Ross Stripling trade 2 years ago, and his outfield defense is still among the best in the organization, even if he rarely plays center these days due to prioritizing Davidson’s development.

LHP Joe Whitman (No. 26 CPL) got the start, and he had an extremely Joe Whitman start, which is to say it wasn’t good but there was also a lot to like. Most notably, Whitman struck out 7 batters in just 5 innings, while throwing 50 of 77 pitches for strikes. He challenged hitters all day long, giving up just 1 walk (though he also hit a batter).

On the less happy side, Whitman’s 4 hits allowed — which included a home run — tagged him for 4 earned runs, running his ERA up to 6.49 (though his FIP is once again lagging well behind, at a still-not-that-good 4.19).

There are some really encouraging signs for Whitman, who was a compensation round selection in 2023, and is repeating AA. Through a trio of starts this year, he’s really improved his strikeout-to-walk ratio … a year after having 9.5 strikeouts and 3.6 walks per 9 innings, Whitman has pushed those numbers in opposite directions, with 12.5 strikeouts and just 2.0 walks per 9. That’s great. Unfortunately, the issue that has plagued him — giving up hits, and load ones in particular — continues to do so. Through 13.2 innings he’s ceded 13 hits, 5 of which have gone for extra bases, including 2 that have cleared the fence. There’s work to do, but there’s also work being done, it seems!

High-A Eugene (10-2)

Eugene Emeralds beat the Everett AquaSox (Mariners) 3-0
Box score

Just like the Giants, the Emeralds won 3-0 on Thursday. Keep them coming, I say.

When you win a shutout, it’s a sign of a battery performing well. But that understates just how strong Eugene’s battery was. Because not only did catcher Onil Perez help direct a 2-hitter, but he also provided the only 2 hits of the game for the Emeralds, as well! Hard to carry a team much more than catching a shutout on one end and having 100% of the hits on the other.

But that’s what Perez did, going 2-2 on a day when his teammates combined to hit 0-24. But Perez did more than just slap hits, as he smashed a solo home run in the 5th inning, while also drawing a walk and stealing a base. What a day!

Like Sugastey in AA, Perez was once one of the top prospects in the organization, and has since been passed on the depth chart. Despite posting a 122 wRC+ for Eugene last year, the now-23 year old is back in High-A for a 3rd stint, as the team prioritizes Sugastey and Cavanaugh in Richmond. Perez has mostly been the second fiddle to Diego Cartaya in Eugene, though Cartaya’s recent injury — which hopefully is minor — opening the door a bit there.

On Thursday, at least, he ran with it, boosting his OPS to .761 and his wRC+ to 93, while nabbing his 1st stolen base of the year (Perez stole 23 bases in 2023 and 20 in 2024, but just 9 last year). Here’s to more days like that!

As for the players that Perez caught, it was a dynamic game for the starter, RHP Niko Mazza. As has been a theme a bit lately for the Giants prospects, Mazza was effectively wild, as he only threw 42 of 75 pitches for strikes, while walking 2 batters in 4 innings, and hitting another. But he gave up just 1 hit on the day — a single — and he struck out 7 batters. He didn’t give the Everrett batters anything to hit, and more often than not they futilely tried anyway.

It’s still too early to develop strong trend lines, but so far we’re really seeing an uptick in strikeout stuff across the organization. That’s been extremely true for Mazza, an 8th round pick in 2024. The recently-turned 24-year old struck out just 8.7 batters per 9 innings in his debut season with Low-A San Jose last year, but is up to a staggering 14.5 through 3 starts in High-A. But again, it’s a very small sample size — he’s thrown just 9.2 pitches — and unfortunately the walks have accompanied the strikeouts.

RHP Cade Vernon, taken 2 rounds after Mazza, had his 2nd straight great outing, with a single being the only baserunner he allowed in 3 innings, while striking out a pair. In his 1st 2 games of the year, Vernon allowed 5 hits, 4 walks, and 4 runs in just 3.1 innings … but in 2 games since, has ceded just 1 hit and 0 walks in 5.2 scoreless frames.

And finally, it was RHP Liam Simon, who again struggled with command but did have his best game of the year. Simon threw just 19 of 39 pitches for strikes — which, admittedly, is a huge improvement — while tossing 2 no-hit innings with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Simon has turned into an extreme all-or-nothing player as he looks to find his command following a string of severe injuries. Through 4 innings he’s faced 31 batters, and only 12 of those 31 have put the ball in play, as he has 9 walks, 2 hit batters, and 8 strikeouts.

Low-A San Jose (9-3)

San Jose Giants beat the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Angels) 13-3
Box score

You want evidence of an offense that’s rolling? The Baby Giants have played 12 games this year, and they’ve scored double digits in 5 of those games. If you remove the pair of 7-inning doubleheaders, San Jose is hitting 10 runs or more in half of their full games. Remarkable!

And they did it the way they’ve been doing it: with a lot of hits, a lot of extra-base hits, and a lot of home runs. Specifically, with 15 hits, 10 extra-base knocks, and 4 big flies.

On Wednesday, right fielder Cam Maldonado (No. 34 CPL) hit a home run, his 1st extra-base hit of the season. Here’s what I wrote in yesterday’s roundup:

Maldonado isn’t a huge power guy, but he’s not a stranger to power, either. Not to have a beloved former prospect catch a stray, but he’s no Wade Meckler. You can expect him to hit a few homers here and there. But his real calling card is his all-around game

Apparently Maldonado took great offense to that characterization, because last year’s 7th-round pick exploded on Thursday, hitting 3-5 with not 1, but 2 more home runs, and also a double, with 3 total runs knocked in and 1 strikeout. That’ll teach me!

And with that, the right-handed hitter now has an .861 OPS and a 116 wRC+, and suddenly his debut full season is going quite swimmingly indeed.

Also in that article, I wrote the following about shortstop Jhonny Level (No. 3 CPL):

Level will probably not continue having 1+ extra-base hits per game, which is what he currently has

And apparently he took offense to that characterization as well, because the switch-hitter, playing designated hitter in this game, went 2-6 with both of his hits being doubles, while recording 1 RBI and 1 strikeout.

Through 9 games, the recently-turned 19-year old has a whopping 8 doubles, to go along with 3 home runs, and he looks oh-so-comfortable on both sides of the plate. Level is significantly more than 2 years younger than the average Cal League hitter, yet currently has a 1.327 OPS and a 219 wRC+. If you’re new to stats, those ones are really, really, really, really good.

A pair of late-rounders left the yard as well, as left fielder Damian Bravo and first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins both hit solo shots. Bravo finished 2-5 and also added a double and 2 strikeouts, as he cleared the fences for the 2nd day in a row. The 15th-round pick in July started the year 5-30 with 1 home run and no doubles, and in 4 games since then has hit 6-20 with 2 homers and 3 doubles. Sometimes you just need a week to settle in!

Jenkins, on the other hand, hit 2-4 with a walk and 2 strikeouts, as the strong season continues for the 2024 14th-round pick. After hitting below league average in the Cal League last year, the lefty is mashing to the tune of a 1.221 OPS and a 192 wRC+, though he does have a 32.4% strikeout rate. A year ago, Jenkins had 4 home runs in 50 games with San Jose; this year, he has 3 in just 8 games.

So many hot performances have forced some players to fly under the radar, which is the case with second baseman Isaiah Barkett, last year’s 10th-round selection out of Stetson. The 22-year old righty has been hitting and hitting and hitting some more, and Thursday he went 2-4 with a double, a walk, and a strikeout, raising his OPS to 1.158 and his wRC+ to 184. This is his debut season, and he’s started it with an 8-game hitting streak! That’s quite an introduction!

The pitching was good, with the stars coming in relief. RHP Ubert Mejias, in particular, had a standout day, as he recorded 5 outs, 4 of which came by strikes (though he did allow a hit and a walk in his 1.2 shutout innings). The Cuban has a 1.29 ERA with 8 strikeouts in 7 innings, though he’s also issued 4 walks, and is 25 years old. RHP Garrett Langrell, a 24-year old taken in the 16th round in July, hit a batter in a no-hit, no-walk inning, with 1 strikeout. After ceding 2 runs in his professional debut, Langrell has pitched 3 consecutive scoreless outings, and has 8 strikeouts against just 1 walk in 5 innings this year.

The starter was LHP Jordan Gottesman, last year’s 6th-round selection, and he struggled quite a bit, throwing just 44 of 77 pitches for strikes, while walking 3 batters in 4 innings, and hitting another. The Northeastern southpaw gave up just 3 hits in those 4 innings, but 2 of those hits were home runs, which tagged him for 3 earned runs. He did strike out 5 batters, though. Gottesman is only 3 starts into his career, but he’s showing a lot of electricity, while also showing a good amount of things that he still needs to work on. That’s what the Minors are for!

Home run tracker

4 — Bo Davidson — [AA]
3 — Cam Maldonado x2 — [Low-A]
3 — Jeremiah Jenkins — [Low-A]
3 — Damian Bravo — [Low-A]
2 — Onil Perez — [High-A]
1 — Adrián Sugastey — [AA]

Friday schedule

Sacramento: 7:05 p.m. PT at Tacoma (SP: Seth Lonsway)
Richmond: 4:10 p.m. PT at Hartford (SP: Trystan Vrieling)
Eugene: 6:35 p.m. PT vs. Everett (SP: Hunter Dryden)
San Jose: 6:30 p.m. PT at Rancho Cucamonga (SP: Argenis Cayama)

Reminder that almost all MiLB games can be watched on MLB TV.