It’s J2 Day! And the Giants have 25 new players coming into the system — don’t look for them this year, these are all 2020 contracts, so we won’t see them in box score for 10 more months, though for some of them word will come out of performance in the Tricky League (a special Dominican League for J2 signees) or Dominican Instrux. The most prominent of the group according to MLB.com was LHP Esmerlin Vinicio:

Giants signed LHP Esmerlin Vinicio (16.5Y, 6'0" 165, Dominican Republic, 800K bonus) to an international free agent contract. Athletic, clean arm action, some projection, and adv approach. Low 90s FB, flashes +CB, avg CH. Evaluators also like his command and his makeup.

Video: pic.twitter.com/DyGy1FLNtd — GPT (@giantsprospects) July 2, 2019

Though the Giants also gave hefty bonuses to two Venezuelan SS, including at least a million (reports vary) to Aeverson Arteaga (according to GPT, he may be the 3rd from bottom left in the photo of Venezuelan signees below). As always, check out the invaluable @giantsprospects twitter feed for much much more on all of these players.

OFFICIAL: #SFGiants sign 25 International prospects.



13 from Venezuela

9 from the Dominican Republic

1 from Colombia

1 from Nicaragua

1 from Panama pic.twitter.com/gxRo3HT0OS — San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) July 2, 2019

Venezuela signees pic.twitter.com/WvNX20wh7l — San Francisco Giants (@SFGiants) July 3, 2019

HIGHLIGHTS: Andrew Suarez allows 1 hit over 8 shutout innings; Seth Corry threw 6 shutout innings; Franklin Labour homered twice; Marco Luciano homered twice among three hits, walk.

Sacramento beat Albuquerque Isotopes (Rockies), 11-2

Andrew Suarez had by far his best outing of the year, throwing 8 shutout innings against the Isotopes. A leadoff single in the 3rd inning was the only hit that Suarez allowed in the game. Following that hit he would retire 17 of the final 19 batters he faced. He left having thrown 101 pitches and a season high 8 innings.

With the exception of his last start in El Paso, Suarez has been gradually turning his season around over the last month. At the start of June he had a 7.59 ERA. Since then he has allowed 1 or 0 runs in 4 of his 6 starts. The clunker in El Paso (8 ER in 3IP) hurts the overall line, but we’ve been seeing more of the old Suarez. He has struggled to miss bats, though, with just 42 Ks in 66.2 IP in the PCL this year — and the PCL is not currently a league where pitching to contact is strategy that gets rewarded a lot of the time. But if you have a little help from your friends, sometimes it works out well!

Suarez was supported by abundant offense, as every spot in the lineup collected at least one hit and five players had multiple hits. That included Steven Duggar, who is now 4 for 12 in his three rehab games, and Aramis Garcia who doubled and tripled (tripled? YES, tripled!). But the best supporter of all was Abiatal Avelino who collected three hits, including a double and homer (yes, that’s a Triple Shy of Cycle alert!):

Richmond lost at Harrisburg Senators (Nationals), 11-2

And....the other side of the one-sided score. Brandon Lawson’s own bases-loaded throwing error contributed heavily to a 7 run 2nd inning that put to bed the competitive portion of this game.

In the ashes of what remained of the game, Jalen Miller had another 2 hit game. In his last three starts he’s now 5 for 10 so perhaps the gleamings of a little bounceback are beginning for the youngest member of the Squirrels.

Jacob Heyward, another player who really suffered through a long June, picked up a double one day after hitting his 8th HR of the year.

San Jose lost at Modesto Nuts (Mariners), 7-0

San Jose was shut down in a 7-0 whitewashing at the hands of the Nuts. Giants hitters struck out 18 times against Modesto pitching, contributing heavily to their 2 for 11 with RISP numbers.

Heliot Ramos picked up two hits — although he erased himself one of those times with his 6th CS. Fabian Peña also had two hits (together the pair had 2⁄ 3 of the team’s total) including their only XBH.

Jose Marte had a decent start, going 5 innings and allowing just 2 solo HRs on the board. Mariners super prospect (and super steal) Jarred Kelenic was particularly rough on Marte as he reached base four times including one of those home runs, as well as a double and a single (hey, another Triple Shy of a Cycle — it’s almost like that’s not uncommon!). Though Marte’s 4 Ks was his lowest total since the first week of the season (a game he left early with an injury), this was his first start this year with 0 walks as well.

I know Kevin would feel I have been derelict in my duty if I didn’t leave this here:

First thousand fans through the gates this Saturday, July 6 will get a “Churro Time” cart . There will be a few hidden GOLDEN churro carts in the giveaway too, and if you receive one we will have a special gift for you!Giveaways and churros doesn’t get much better...Saturday! pic.twitter.com/RimdqaQntM — San Jose Giants (@SJGiants) July 2, 2019

Augusta won at Charleston RiverDogs (Yankees), 10-0

It’s all one-sided today! We have the rare trouncing for the Greenjackets! Seth Corry was excellent, going 6 shutout innings and followed (or perhaps set) what seems to be a trend today with a middling strikeout total but low walk total.

What a night for Seth Corry. The best outing of the year, and possibly of his young career tonight in Charleston. 6 IP (career high) of shutout baseball. 2 hits, 5 strikeouts, only one walk. Was around the zone all night. GreenJackets offense terrific as they roll to a 10-0 win. — Rylan Kobre (@RylanKobrePxP) July 3, 2019

Corry’s 91 Ks are 5th in the Sally, but it’s most encouraging to see the 1 BB. That’s just the third time this year he’s limited himself to 1 — he has yet to have a no walk start this year. Limiting the walks is key for Corry because he’s been very hard to hit when he’s in the strikezone. Last night was the fifth straight start in which he’s allowed 3 or fewer hits, and 13th overall in his 16 starts. In fact, his season high in hits allowed is just 5, which came back on May 12. Corry’s 2.35 ERA is now 4th in the league.

The game was tight throughout Corry’s time on the hill, but after he left the Jacket broke out with a big 6-run rally. Diego Rincones RBI double started things rolling in the big rally. It was one of Rincones three hits and two doubles in the game. Diego has hit just 1 HR in the Sally this year, but he’s now up to 19 doubles. He’s currently slashing .294/.352/.399. He’ll need to grow into some more power at some point for that bat to fully play though.

Salem-Keizer won at Spokane Indians (Rangers), 9-3

Franklin Labour, the #SFGiants No. 23 prospect, has no intention of keeping the ball in the yard:



Last night: 2-for-4, 2 HR

Tonight: 2-for-5, 2 HR



The 21-year-old now has 9 homers in 18 games for @SKVolcanoes. Live stats for the top @SFGiants prospects: https://t.co/KeSUYIKoLA pic.twitter.com/6wyvVBExpf — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 3, 2019

That would be 4 HRs in two nights! I remember Jack Clark doing that way back in the day (in Cincinnati I think) but I can’t say I have any memories of a prospect managing this feat. Anybody? Let’s crowd-source some help? Has a Giants minor leaguer done this before in recent memory?

Labour led a HR parade as the Volcanoes bashed four long balls to dominate Spokane. Tyler Flores added his 4th of the year — that’s actually third in the league behind teammates Labour and Ricardo Genoves. No other player in the league has more than 2 so far.

Not hitting a HR — at least not yet — was Alexander Canario who first gets to go through the whole “hey they pitching’s better up here” experience that is the common refrain of development. Canario had a painful night, picking up a new hat with three Ks AND getting plunked with a fastball in his first PA for good measure. Get ‘em tomorrow, Alexander!

Over his last seven starts (with both SK and Augusta), Jesus Ozoria has allowed just 6 earned runs (and just 7 overall). The 21 year old who the Giants picked up just before the season for Tom Murphy, has mostly been very successful at keeping teams off the board (with the exception of a couple of Sally clunkers), but his peripherals have been wandering the wrong way much of the year. He has just 32 Ks and 22 BBs in 47.2 IP. The walks, at least, have been moving the right direction since moving down to the NWL — he has just 2 in his 3 starts with Salem-Keizer.

AZL Giants Orange lost to AZL Indians Red, 10-6

AZL Giants Black beat AZL Cubs2, 7-1

Marco Luciano, the #SFGiants No. 3 prospect, can't be stopped!



The 17-year-old hit another in the Arizona League and has now gone deep five times in 12 games.



Live stats for all the @SFGiants' top prospects: https://t.co/KeSUYIsNn0 pic.twitter.com/TWHsJN5P1f — MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) July 3, 2019

What else is there to say about what 17 year old Marco Luciano is doing to the AZL? He homered in his first two at bats of the night, giving him 6 in 12 games (best in the league other than now-departed teammate Canario). The three-hit night was his second in a row, and he’s gone 9 for his last 13 with 3 HRs, 2 doubles and even 4 walks. In fact, the precocious 17 year old has a nifty 9 BB to 14 K rate going on, which isn’t half bad for rookie league. Luciano is now slashing a cool .404/.517/.915 — and guess what, he’s still 17! That’s right, he didn’t age at all while I wrote this paragraph. Like Heliot Ramos, Luciano’s birthday comes after the season has ended so he’ll play this whole summer at 17. Wow!

I think Marco Luciano already misses Alexander Canario and wants to join him at Salem-Keizer. Luciano homered in each of his first two at-bats in the AZL tonight. He has six in 12 games. — Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 3, 2019

I think you’re right, Andy!

Over at Team Black’s compound, 2nd rounder Logan Wyatt and 4th rounder Tyler Fitzgerald both picked up their first professional hits. Congratulations, guys! Many more where those came from we hope.

Jairo Pomares had two more hits including his 3rd double of the year. I feel like my Canario/Luciano dinger fetish has prevented me from showering an appropriate amount of love on this 18 year old Cuban refugee who hasn’t played competitive ball in a few years as he’s gone through the labyrithine (and often inhumane) process of getting from Cuba to the US, and is currently slashing .372/.413/.558. Pomares has yet to have a hitless game in his career, hitting the ground running with a 10 game hit streak (so far). So shout out to Jairo — you’re doing great and I promise to pay as much attention to you as I do Marco from here on out!

DSL Giants lost to DSL Mariners, 9-4

Well I already used up my “2 is the magic number” bit yesterday, and here Luis Matos goes out and collects yet another two hit day with a double. That’s 11 multi-hit games in 22 starts and an Iso of .301! More than half of his 30 hits on the year have gone for extra bases. Amazing start for the 17 year old who also collected his 6th SB of the season. He is not fond of the walk so far, with just 4 in 93 ABs but at least he’s keeping the K rate respectable (15%).

17 year old Venezuelan Catcher Ronaldo Flores also came up with 2 hits and 3 RBIs. Flores is off to a .338 start over 17 games, though just three of his hits have gone for extra bases.

Starter Odue Civada is having a really rough time of it. The 17 year old RHP has given up 14 Earned Runs — and 21 Runs over all — and walked 11 in his 16.2 IP to start his career.

You want to know why J2 Day is special — look at the way you quickly skimmed or skipped down to the rookie leagues. Look at the way the exploits of Canario, Luciano, Pomares, and Matos are injecting hope straight into the veins of Giants fans in this desultory interregnum. Look at what talent can do.

Today’s Scheduled Starters:

Sacramento (Enderson Franco) vs. Albuquerque (Kyle Freeland)

Richmond (Alfred Gutierrez) @ Harrisburg (Wil Crowe)

San Jose (Sean Hjelle) @ Modesto (Ljay Newsome)

Augusta (Keaton Winn) @ Charleston (Luis Medina)

Salem-Keizer (Alex DuBord) @ Spokane (Justin Slaten)

AZL Giants Orange (Juan Sanchez) vs. AZL White Sox (TBD)

AZL Giants Black (Sonny Vargas) @ AZL Padres1 (TBD)

DSL Giants (Luis Castillo) vs. DSL Mariners (TBD)

To the future!