2018 San Francisco Giants Top 10 Prospects Chat

GPT (USA): Sandro Fabian had a strong last 6 weeks finish to the season, how has he developed from last year?

J.J. Cooper: Hey everyone. Thanks for coming out. I’d say the scouting report on Fabian right now is very similar to what it was a year ago–good hitting RF without the plus power you’d love to have at the position, but he has enough skill and defense to still make it work. What he also has is he’s handled the jump to full season ball, so he’s a little less risky than a year ago.

GPT (USA): Did any of the complex league guys, other than Ramos, get even close to being considered for a top 10 spot?

J.J. Cooper: Jacob Gonzalez isn’t too far away from the Top 10. He was the closest to cracking the 10 of the other draftees. The other guys from the AZL Giants (and one from the DSL Giants) who crack the top 30 will likely be more in the 20-30 range.

rene (Idaho): While doing your outreach when writing this list, did any names well outside the top 10 get mentioned a lot? Or guys who could jump into the top 10 next year from outside the rough top 20?

J.J. Cooper: Right now my Giants’ prospect ranking list is about 65-70 players long. That list keeps changing as moves are made–Orlando Calixte and Engelb Vielma just dropped off of it as they were DFAd. We write up 31 prospects for the Baseball America Prospect Handbook and I’ll probably end up with notes on another 20-30 guys who I could write up if needed. Those notes come in handy for next year and trades, as a guy like AZL catcher Andres Angulo is unlikely to make this year’s top 30, but he could crack next year of the 2020 list and it’s good to have an understanding of how he’s progressed.

Sam (Midlands, UK): If Brandon Belt were to be traded, would Chris Shaw be ready to start everyday at 1B?

J.J. Cooper: Offensively, I think he could handle it. Defensively the difference between Belt and Shaw would be pretty severe. He’s got a pretty good ways to go at first base defensively.

Sam (Midlands, UK): Providing he stays fit, when would you realistically see Heliot Ramos in the majors?

J.J. Cooper: Center field. He’s a pretty impressive athlete if he doesn’t thicken up too much.

J (CA): Were either Aaron Bond or Malique Ziegler close to making the list?

J.J. Cooper: No. Not for a top 10. Both are in top 30 consideration. Been a fan of Ziegler going back to his NIACC days.

Frank (Indianapolis, IN): How many of these guys could make the BA 100?

J.J. Cooper: I think that Ramos is pretty close to a lock and I could see Shaw making it (or not making it). That’s pretty much the end of the road as I don’t think Beede/Arroyo is going to make the 100.

Jonathan (Syracuse, NY): Did anyone come close to sneaking onto the back of the list and displacing Suarez?

J.J. Cooper: The guy who I debated most putting into the 10 who didn’t make it was Melvin Adon. He’s old for the level he’s pitching at, but that’s understandable as he’s a very late bloomer. He most likely ends up as a reliever, but that arm is pretty special.

Jayson (Santa Rosa): Who is the best prospect in the system at the shortstop position that can be at least average there defensively in the majors?

J.J. Cooper: That’s a question whose answer depends on which scout you talk to. I can probably find a scout who thinks Arroyo is a 50 defender at SS, but that would be a minority viewpoint. Ryan Howard gets some 50 grades depending on which scout you talk to. Same with C.J. Hinojosa, but both are not seen as big league everyday shortstops. There’s not a shortstop in the org right now who I believe will move Crawford off the position.

a.j. (las vegas): How close did 2nd and 3rd round picks Jacob Gonzalez and Seth Corry come to the top 10?

J.J. Cooper: Gonzalez is closer. Corry has a great CB, but he’s a long, long ways away and it’s hard to rank a guy who walked eight per nine all that high in the top 30.

Roger (Washington DC): Malique Ziegler had tale of two halves in short season ball: scalding the ball in the first half and slumping badly in the second. Does he have a path to big league career?

J.J. Cooper: His speed and defense give him a clearer path than most as he could end up fitting in as a useful backup.

Roger (Washington DC): Tyler Herb, acquired from Seattle, was a somewhat surprising 40 man addition this week. What kind of reports did you get on Herb? Does he have potential above depth guy?

J.J. Cooper: I was surprised by that myself, as I wasn’t really planning on ranking him in the top 30. I don’t see him as long-term big leaguer, but then, maybe i’m wrong, as I also didn’t see him getting added to the 40-man roster.

Wagner (SF): Shaun Anderson was pretty good with the Giants, I liked him in college, can he stick as a starter?

J.J. Cooper: I think he has a better shot of being a starter than reliever. I know he was a reliever at Florida, but that had more to do with the Gators’ insane depth than any lack of starter traits for Anderson. His control is definitely good enough to start.

J.P. (Springfield, IL): It's been said recently the Giants are one of the favorites to acquire Stanton. Would it therefore be a safe assumption such a deal would be mostly financial? I just don't see there being enough otherwise in terms of prospects. What package would you send over to Jeter if this was your call?

J.J. Cooper: Evaluating what kind of package it would take to get Stanton is very difficult to do because the combination of the remaining years of his contract plus his opt out plus his no-trade clause. There are so many complicating factors that it hard to figure out what talent for talent deal is fair. So really the best I can answer is I don’t know. If the Giants have compete with other teams to put together the best prospect package, it would be tough for them, as the farm system has less high ceiling prospects than a number of other potential Stanton landing spots. But if it is more of a financial deal, then the Giants are in much better shape. I’ll say this, I can’t think of a team who could use Stanton more than the power-starved Giants.

Roger (Washington DC): Where does Jordan Johnson prospect status stand at this point?

J.J. Cooper: Going to be tough for him to crack the 30 this year I think, but there are still attributes that could make a future big leaguer. The changeup is pretty impressive.

Gary (Palo Alto): Matt Krook has had quite a career journey. His time as a starter in San Jose appeared to be a disaster (6.11 ERA, 59/80 BB/K in 73 IP). But a late-season move to the bullpen suggests he might have found a home as a reliever (1.02 ERA, 7/25 BB/K in 17.2 IP). Is this the plan going forward and what were the reports on his stuff?

J.J. Cooper: I don’t think the Giants have settled for sure on what his long-term role is, but the fact that he seemed to fit in the bullpen as well as he did (and his long-running control problems) would seem to point towards the pen. Krook’s fastball has worlds of sink and movement when he’s on, and that would work really well in short stints.

Dan (Baltimore): Bryan Reynolds. Any concern he didn’t hit for more power in the Cal league?

J.J. Cooper: We covered that in the report. That’s just not ever been the guy he is, even if that’s the guy scouts have always wanted him to be.

Jason L. (Pleasant Hill, CA): I see no 3B in the Top 10 Prospects. What are the chances of Christian Arroyo sliding over to the Hot corner? Or does this mean high school stars Nolan Gorman and Nander de Sados will be taken with our 2nd pick in the Draft?

J.J. Cooper: Arroyo’s clearest big league spot is third base. He’s not pushing Crawford or Panik aside without an injury, so I expect him to compete for the third base job if healthy. That or second base is Arroyo’s best long-term fit according to scouts.

Brian S. (San Francisco): Who's a better long-term OF prospect, Duggar or Reynolds?

J.J. Cooper: We think Reynolds, which is why he ranks ahead of Duggar, but their BA grades will be the same. There’s not a whole lot to separate the two. Different strengths and weaknesses, but overall, they are pretty similar prospects.

Lyle (Memphis, TN): What aspect of his game does Seth Corry need to work on the most right now?

J.J. Cooper: Control. If Corry can throw strikes, his fastball/curve combo is enough to stay ahead of hitters, but he has to throw strikes first.

Vandy Guy (Vandyland): Is Beede more than a 4/5 at this point?

J.J. Cooper: Think that is covered in the scouting report.

Rodney Leon (Fresno, CA): Not buying the hype on Bryan Reynolds. I see a Tweener’. Too tall to cover Center field but not enough power in the Bat to play every day in Left or Right field. He sounds like Ryan Sweeney/Blake Rutherford. Only 10 home Runs in the Cal League? Really?

J.J. Cooper: That’s a definite possibility for Reynolds, and is what’s spelled out in his scouting report. There’s power potential in there if he wants to hit for power, but it would require a pretty significant retooling. A decade ago, I would have found it highly unlikely he would ever make that adjustment, but these days, it happens all the time.

Barry (Menlo Park): It seems like the Giants like to draft big armed pitchers with command and control problems, hoping to straighten them out at some point. Does this approach work often, or do you think command is something that is more of a gift than it is something that can be taught?

J.J. Cooper: Yes, the Giants have believed in their ability to turn great arms with control problems into useful big leaguers. It does work some times. Garrett Williams development in 2017 is an example of how it can click for a pitcher with innings and mechanical refinement. I don’t think command is just a gift, because I’ve seen too many guys over the year go from near bottom of the scale control to average or better–Craig Kimbrel comes to mind. But if you want the best example, look at Randy Johnson. Johnson’s career minor league walk rate was 6.5 BB/9. In the big leagues he ended up being a guy with plus command and control.

Roger (Washington DC): A DSL player in the Handbook, you say! I know that's a statement on the depth of the system, but it also suggests some good reports coming in on 17 year old Alexander Canario.

J.J. Cooper: Ding, ding, ding.

GPT (USA): If the 2017 draft happened now, where would Ramos be drafted?

J.J. Cooper: A whole lot higher than he was. Probable top 10.

HaakAway (Santa Cruz): How much does Gregorio’s PED suspension change your view of him?

J.J. Cooper: His lack of remaining options worries me even more. Don’t think he’s really ready to stick on a big league roster, but if he doesn’t, he’s going to be placed on waivers.

Lyle (Memphis, TN): Do you see Ramos being able to handle a full-season assignment to the new ballpark in N. Augusta next season?

J.J. Cooper: Yes. I think it’s a potentially easier jump for him than it was for Sandro Fabian last year and Fabian survived (also less of a jump for him than Lucius Fox the year before that). Ramos is Sally League ready to me.

Warren (New London): I'm a little surprised not to see Jacob Gonzalez in the top ten. I know he wasn't good at 3B, but the bat looks pretty interesting. Was he close?

J.J. Cooper: He didn’t miss by much, but the back of the top 10s hitters are guys who are closer to the big leagues with similar tools.

J (CA): Where does Jalen Miller’s prospect status stand after a couple mediocre seasons?

J.J. Cooper: A lot less than it was before. He hasn’t hit. You root for him to figure it out, but so far, he’s yet to turn his tools into skills.

Cove Chatter (California): Hey JJ. With the love Duggar has gotten this offseason, I figured him for top 5 in the system. Any specific reason why he's not ahead of, say, Reynolds, Williams, and Garcia?

J.J. Cooper: There’s not a lot of difference between 4 and 8 on this list. In fact, the BA Grades for all these guys will basically be the same. Williams is the highest-ceiling guy in this top 10 other than Ramos to me. Garcia is a catcher with power. If he’s an average defender, he’s got a good shot at a long MLB career. Reynolds has more power potential than Duggar. I could make a case for Duggar to lead this group too, it’s a pretty paper thin difference between first in this grouping and last.

Norm Chouinard (Connecticut): Did Miguel Gomez make a case for a longer stay next season or is he more of a replacement level guy?

J.J. Cooper: I think he can hit, but I’m not so sure he has a defensive home.

J.J. Cooper: Sorry everyone. I’m not going to pull a Glaser with Thanksgiving coming up. We’ll release the AFL Top Prospects on Friday and be back rolling out Top 10s next week. Happy Thanksgiving everyone.