You know, I’m usually the guy who pooh-poohs “I don’t remember when I was this excited.....” talk. Commenters say it every year, and every year I play the Debbie Downer act by noting that people said the same thing last year. But you know what, no Debbie Downer here. I’ll buy! I don’t remember the last time that Minor Lines was such a daily highlight report from such a large group of really good prospects.

If you're a Baseball America subscriber, enjoy. Updated Top 30 Prospect Rankings for all 30 teams. ($) We'll also have updated system analyses for all 30 teams going live today/tomorrow as well (rising/falling/hurting/graduating)https://t.co/zbM9mMYGPL — JJ Cooper (@jjcoop36) July 18, 2019

Baseball America yesterday released a mid-season re-ordering of every team’s Top 30. Of the 9 highest ranked players on this list in action last night we got:

THREE four-hit games INCLUDING a Cycle

A two-homer game

Six innings of one-hit shutout pitching

It’s just kind of amazing that I can’t figure out who to put in the headline half the time. 2019 is turning into a daily hit parade that is freaky and fun and exciting. It’s a great time to Minor Lines! There will be talent!

So.... @SFGiants Jairo Pameros home run!!! Oppo and I couldn't even track it great since it got out in the corner. Man is he fun to watch! #AZL#ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/9qqr5WqVRk — The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) July 19, 2019

HIGHLIGHTS: Joey Bart hit 2 HRs; Seth Corry struck out 8, allowed 1 hit in 6 IP; Jairo Pomares hit for the cycle; Luis Matos and Luis Toribio had 4 hit games.

Sacramento lost at Salt Lake Bees (Angels), 9-6

winning their series 3-2

Brandon Beachy had an unfriendly return to AAA, giving up 7 runs before departing in the 6th inning and the RiverCats couldn’t quite storm back to take the series finale.

Steven Duggar has taken to the PCL environment quite well since being optioned down to Sacramento. His BB rate has jumped up to 12%, the K rate has come down below 20% and he’s hitting .345 including 8 hits in his last 5 games. Reading performances of players who go down a level — especially this big down a level — is always tricky, but he’s doing what he needs to do to try to get back up.

Zach Green hit his 23rd HR of the year with two outs in the 9th. With Evan Longoria out for awhile it feels like his chance can’t be too far away. However, Green did also strike out three times last night, giving him 86 for the year in just 225 ABs. Yikes!

Richmond lost to Erie SeaWolves (Tigers), 3-0

Ooh, exciting! So who’s Erie playing toniiiii....aw...dang it, Richmond! Fortunately, Ryder Jones, in his first game with the Squirrels after rehabbing in Scottsdale, spoiled Erie’s fun with two outs in the 9th (and they’ve already had a couple no-hitters this year, so quit being so greedy Erie!). Down to their last strike of the night, Jones broke up Watkins no-hitter with a ground ball double the opposite way.

Jones wasn’t the only new-comer to make his 2019 Squirrels debut. Former Cincinnati Red Keyvius Sampson made the trip up from the AZL Black team with Ryder and throwing 3 solid innings.

San Jose beat Rancho Cucamonga Quakes (Dodgers), 6-1

The Giants were supposed to get another shot at Dodgers prospect (thanks Cincinnati!) Josiah Gray, but he got called up to the Texas League for his AA debut instead. And San Jose wasted no time messing around with the substitute teacher.

Following a one-out Heliot Ramos double in the first inning, Joey Bart got himself into a hitter’s count and he went looking to do damage.

Joey Bart has power! (Pt 1) pic.twitter.com/VHrsJIxY7c — Roger Munter (@rog61) July 19, 2019

POWER! I’ll let Joe Ritzo detail Bart’s recent hot streak:

Joey Bart is locked in right now. Just crushed his second home run of the night - a towering drive to left center. Bart’s second multi-homer game of the year. Has 12 hits in his last 25 at-bats. Up to nine homers in 42 games overall with the #SJGiants. — Joe Ritzo (@JoeRitzo) July 19, 2019

And just for fun he also threw two runners out on the basepaths. Seems like the hand’s feeling better, Joey?

Joey Bart has power! (Part 2) pic.twitter.com/dkG5c8mEnR — Roger Munter (@rog61) July 19, 2019

Excellent pitcher reaction there!

Jose Marte — one of the few Giants’ prospects who’s scuffled this year — had a nice outing, throwing 5 shutout innings with just two hits allowed against a strong Quakes lineup. The Giants also got an excellent debut effort from LHP Luis Amaya who gave San Jose a near perfect 2 innings after his call up from Augusta.

So this is what we’ve come to here — Heliot Ramos goes two for three, walks, and steals a base and merits hardly a mention? Sorry Heliot! I have powerful stuff to get to and cannot tarry!

Augusta beat Greensboro Grasshoppers (Marlins), 2-1

Let’s not let the hitters have all the fun! The Giants have gotten a few fantastic pitching seasons this year, too. And none better than 2017 3rd round Seth Corry?

#SFGiants No. 25 prospect Seth Corry flirted with perfection in a for @GreenJackets:



6 IP

1 H

0 R

1 BB

8 K



Live stats for all the @SFGiants' top prospects: https://t.co/KeSUYIsNn0 pic.twitter.com/eVoV560LoX — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 19, 2019

How good has Corry been lately? Since June 1, he’s allowed just 7 earned runs — and just 11 runs overall — in 9 starts, a stretch covering 43 innings. And he just keeps getting better! In his four July starts, Corry has shutout his opponent three times, allowing just 2 runs and just 11 hits in 22 IP. He’s done all that while maintaining the high K rates and yet walking just 3 batters in those 4 starts combined. Corry is really turning his athleticism into performance in a breakout 2019! With 112 Ks overall this year in just 81.2 IP he’s spinning a sensational 33% K rate in the Sally. And at 20 years old, he’s still young for the level. It feels like he’s pitching his way out of this league, but Augusta is really stretching to cover innings at this point with all the promotions their staff has had. Maybe like a young MadBum before him, the Giants will just let Corry try to dominate the Sally for the whole summer! And maybe even help carry the GreenJackets to a playoff spot (they’ve not been to the promised land since MadBum was leading the charge! Well, actually I have remember the Adam Duvall having a quick duck in/duck out of the playoffs, too, but the MadBum team won it all!)

Hitters aren’t the only Giants prospects taking huge steps this year. Seth Corry just 2 runs allowed and just 3 walks this month in 4 starts. Fb up 94 w killer curve pic.twitter.com/Dl87hOVybC — Roger Munter (@rog61) July 19, 2019

Salem-Keizer beat Boise Hawks (Rockies), 2-1

The Volcanoes won a pitchers’ duel? Huh. The Volcanoes won a pitchers’ duel! Man, everything’s coming up Milhouse lately! Jesus Ozoria and three relievers held the Hawks down to 1 run, and the SK bats did just enough late to pull out the win.

On a night where the team managed just 4 hits, it was patience at the plate that helped the offense succeed as they drew 8 walks — two of which would lead to their runs.

Ricardo Genoves doubled in the tying run in the 6th. And in the 7th, a lead off walk and two WP helped turn Tyler Fitzgerald’s single into the game winner.

With Hillsboro having lost three in a row, Salem-Keizer is now in a solid position to take the 1st half title. Their magic number is down to 3 and their fate is in their own hands. Just take care of business at home this weekend.

AZL Giants Orange beat AZL Mariners, 7-4

AZL Giants Black beat the AZL White Sox, 12-10

So Luis Toribio doubled, tripled, and had two singles for the AZL Orange team last night. And not only was this NOT the most impressive line of the night for the AZL squads, I’m not sure if it was the best line by a Luis last night (more on that in a second)!

I’m telling ya — this is a tough crowd to grab the spotlight in! How tough? 18 year old Cuban refugee Jairo Pomares has failed to get a hit in just 1 of his 19 pro games. He’s a mind-boggling 32 for 81 in his pro debut, slashing .395/.437/.580. He even has a decent 6 BB to 16 K ratio. And I can hardly ever remember to talk about him!

No more of this villainy! Because you are looking at a bonafide Cycle Afficionado here and what did Jairo do last night?

.@SFGiants Jairo Pomeras hit for the cycle tonight! Here are the 1B, 3B and HR! When understanding what being in the zone is, this is the example. One of the best performances I've seen this year. On par with CJ Abrams debut and Luciano from a few weeks ago#ProspectOne pic.twitter.com/2M71pVBj0m — The Welsh (@IsItTheWelsh) July 19, 2019

Pomares earned his $1+ million dollar signing with a strong track record of performance in the strong Cuban national youth league, which also means he comes to the Giants with a solid foundation of game playing and coaching. Like so many of these short-season athletes the Giants have, he offers the potential speed and athleticism to stick up the middle and the potential bat to be able to handle a move to a corner.

And in a “blink and you’ll miss it note” don’t sleep on Julio Rodriguez’ perfect 3 up/3 down/3 K debut last night.

RHP Julio Rodriguez (19.5Y) made his 2019 debut tonight for AZL Giants Orange. I saw him in April, 90-92 FB with cut, and a curveball that shows real potential. — GPT (@giantsprospects) July 19, 2019

DSL Giants lost to DSL Tiger2, 17-13

Don’t touch that dial! Don’t adjust that channel! This isn’t a repeat of yesterday’s box score — Luis Matos really DID have back to back four hit games! That’s 8 for 11 with three doubles and 1 strikeout over two mornings. The über-hot stretch has pushed his OPS up to 1.011, 7th in the DSL. He’s also 6th in batting average and slugging (.601) and first in doubles (17). He also has a nifty 12 to 1 SB/CS ratio.

The blinding sun of Matos’ hitting makes it difficult to focus in on anybody else’s flashlight, but Holy Cow! — Victor Bericoto ALSO has back to back four hit games on his rèsumé. Because everybody just gets four hits every day now apparently!

Bericoto took Wednesday off, but sandwiched around that day of rest he had two 4 for 5 days which also included three walks. Bericoto had temporarily slumped down to .283 but it’s amazing what an 8 for 10 will do to your batting line!

So....15 hits, 13 runs...seems like it might be enough to win a game. Poor Robinson Escobar. Tasked with holding a 13-10 lead in the final innings...he most assuredly did not hold it. The Giants team ERA is now 5.29. The 284 runs they’ve allowed (7.1 per game) is the second worst total in the league — behind only this Tigers2 staff which has allowed 286.

Today’s Scheduled Starters:

Sacramento (Ty Blach) @ Tacoma (Jonathan Niese)

Richmond (Brandon Lawson) vs. Erie (Tarik Skubal)

San Jose (Sean Hjelle) vs. Rancho Cucamonga (Andre Jackson)

Augusta (Trent Toplikar) vs. Greensboro (Colin Selby)

Salem-Keizer (Alex DuBord) vs. Boise (Jeffri Ocando)

AZL Giants Orange (TBD) vs. AZL Giants Black (TBD)

DSL Giants (Marvin Brown) @ DSL Colorado (TBD)

Whoo-boy. Richmond’s reward for barely staving off a no-hitter yesterday was to go up against maybe the biggest pop-up prospect arm of 2019? Detroit really has some arms on the way (Really. If you’re in a Dynasty league you probably want to pick Skubal up).

So we come to the conclusion of a stuffed, ridiculously fun Minor Lines. This morning feels like an Embarrassment of Riches, doesn’t it? Is this how Tampa Bay and Padres fans feel when they read their Minor Lines?

Don’t ask why, don’t ask how, don’t ask anything at all. Just treasure it!