San Francisco Giants Prospects: 2024 Midseason Top 30 Update
The Giants’ system is largely led by its top trio of Bryce Eldridge, Marco Luciano and Hayden Birdsong, the latter two of which have played in the big leagues. Younger players like Rayner Arias and Joe Whitman could raise their stock this year, too, but injuries to prospects like Aeverson Arteaga and severe underperformance from former top prospects like Vaun Brown have hindered this system’s growth.
Baseball America subscribers can see the full updated Giants Top 30 here. Notable risers, fallers, new additions and injury updates are below.
Notable Risers
Hayden Birdsong, RHP
In 2023, Birdsong put himself on the map with a strong season that culminated in a stint at Double-A. He jumped right back on the same track in 2024 after returning to Richmond before a jump to Triple-A Sacramento and his initial callup to the big leagues. The 22-year-old Eastern Illinois alum made his big league debut on June 26.
Joe Whitman, LHP
Whitman was the first lefthander off the board in the 2023 draft, and the Giants are reaping early benefits associated with his selection. The 22-year-old Kent State alum has brought his fastball up to 97 mph and has shown a swing-and-miss slider to back it up.
Notable Fallers
Vaun Brown, OF
Two years ago, Brown was one of the best performers in the system. Injuries waylaid his progress, and he stumbled badly in Double-A this season. He was placed on the development list and sent back to the team’s spring training complex in Arizona to retool his swing in an effort to recapture his form from 2022.
Cole Foster, SS
The Giants’ third-rounder from 2023 stumbled in his first full season, when he was assigned to Low-A San Jose in the California League. Scouts reported a player with limited athleticism and a swing, despite being designed to lift and pull, that was not producing much in the way of impact.
Notable New Additions
18. Spencer Miles, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: Miles was the Giants’ fourth-round pick in 2022 out of Missouri. He was signed for $347,500, but was derailed shortly after making his debut by back surgery and then suffered a strained flexor tendon in his pitching elbow. As of July 1, he was pitching rehab games in the Arizona Complex League.
Scouting Report: A former position player, Miles brings a powerful mix. The righthander can bully hitters with a fastball in the mid-to-upper 90s and then put them away with a potentially plus curveball with top-down break. He’ll mix in a fringy slider and nascent changeup as well, though the heater and hook are his main two weapons at this point.
The Future: Miles was always going to be a project type of arm. WIth his development delayed by injuries, the process of molding him into a big leaguer will take a bit longer. His next step is returning to a full-season affiliate to get back on track toward his ceiling as a back-end rotation piece or strong bullpen weapon.
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Slider: 45 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 45
19. Randy Rodriguez, RHP
BA Grade/Risk: 40/Medium
Track Record: Rodriguez was signed by the Giants in 2017 and muddled his way through the lower levels of the minor leagues until 2021, when he broke out at Low-A San Jose and earned a spot on the 40-man roster. He made his big league debut on May 4.
Scouting Report: Rodriguez works primarily with four- and two-seam fastballs as well as a slider and changeup. Both heaters sit in the upper 90s, while his changeup and slider average around 90 mph and 85 mph, respectively. He’s used that mix to be a steady arm out of the Giants’ pen in 2024 and has been roughly the same against hitters of both hands.
The Future: Rodriguez’s current role is his likely future role as well. He’s a low-leverage reliever who can get grounders and strikeouts but could stand to tighten his command.<br><br>
Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Slider: 60 | Changeup: 40 | Control: 40
23. Jose Ortiz, OF
BA Grade/Risk: 40/High
Track Record: Ortiz was the Giants’ 13th-round pick in 2023 out of Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico. The speedy outfielder was putting together an eye-opening campaign in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League before being shelved for almost all of June with knee soreness after colliding with a wall during a game.
Scouting Report: A smaller player, Ortiz has the skills to be a sparkplug-type of contributor who creates havoc at the top of a lineup. He’s a slam-dunk center fielder with a potentially plus arm that would be effective even in right field. His offensive skill set revolves around making plenty of contact and spraying the ball around to take extra bases. His power will likely be limited to doubles with the occasional home run mixed in.
The Future: After getting back on the field, Ortiz’s next step will be moving to Low-A San Jose at some point during the season. He is one of the most exciting players from San Francisco’s 2023 draft class and could have a future in the upper third of a big league lineup.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 50 | Power: 40 | Speed: 60 | Fielding: 60 | Arm: 60
24. Lisbel Diaz, OF
BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme
Track Record: The Giants signed Diaz out of Cuba in July 2023 and let him get his feet wet in the Dominican Summer League to begin his career. He opened this year with a strong turn in the Arizona Complex League before moving to Low-A San Jose on June 25.
Scouting Report: Diaz doesn’t have the loudest set of tools, but he has a chance to be a solid big leaguer. He has two average or better tools in his power and arm, but the rest of his skill set is fringy or below-average. He’s an animated player with a strong idea of the strike zone and quick, powerful swing that produces plenty of thump and a potentially fringy pure hit tool. He’s a below-average runner and defender in a corner.
The Future: Now that he’s at a full-season affiliate, he’s begun facing higher-caliber competition and is facing his first real tests as a professional. If everything clicks, he could be a second-division regular who provides thump at the bottom of a lineup.
Scouting Grades: Hitting: 45 | Power: 50 | Speed: 40 | Fielding: 40 | Arm: 60
Significant Injuries
Aeverson Arteaga, SS
A year ago, Arteaga led the High-A Eugene club with 17 homers. Now, the 21-year-old shortstop will miss the entire 2024 season while recovering from surgery to alleviate the effects of thoracic outlet syndrome.
Reggie Crawford, LHP
The former two-way player focused solely on pitching in 2024 and has been excellent when he’s been on the mound. He made it to Triple-A Sacramento before landing on the injured list with general fatigue in his arm on June 13.
