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1. Joey Bart, C

Hit Power SB Field Overall 55 65 30 60 70

Background: For all his exploits throughout his career at Georgia Tech – and there were plenty – perhaps the most impressive accomplishment for Bart was simply where he was taken in last June’s draft. Only eight backstops have been taken within the top two selections in history: Steven Chilcott, Mike Ivie, Danny Goodwin (who went #1 overall twice), Joe Mauer, John Stearns, Ben Davis, and Joey Bart. And Bart, the 2018 Johnny Bench Award winner, became the highest drafted catcher since the Minnesota Twins took Mauer with the top pick in 2001. A well-built 6-foot-3, 220-pound offensive dynamo, Bart collected hardware like scrap metal throughout his final season with the Yellow Jackets:

2018 Johnny Bench Award Winner

2018 First Team All-America (PG/Rawlings, MCBWA, BA, Collegiate Baseball, ABCA/Rawlings, and D1Baseball)

2018 ACC Defensive Player of the Year; 2018 ACC Player of the Year; 2018 All-ACC First Team

2018 Pre-season All-American (Perfect Game/Rawlings, Baseball America, NCBWA, D1Baseball)

The 6-foot-3, 220-pound backstop put together an epic junior campaign, slugging .359/.471/.632 with 12 doubles, 16 homeruns and a 56-to-41 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He also nabbed a whopping 12 base runners in just 21 total attempts. He came to terms with his new organization on a deal with $7,025,000 – the highest ever handed out to a position player. And he began to provide immediate dividends as well. After a six-game introduction into the Arizona Summer League, Bart slugged .298/.369/.613 with 14 doubles, a pair of triples, and 14 homeruns in the Northwest League. According to Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average mark by a staggering 66%.

Analysis: Per the usual, here’s what I wrote about Bart heading into last season’s draft:

“Consider the following:

Ignoring Beer, who is likely going to be an early first round pick in this year’s draft class, here’s where the remaining hitters were drafted: 10th overall (Collins), 22nd overall (Craig), 8th overall (Haseley), 4th overall (McKay), 38th overall (Papi), and 23rd overall (Ramsey). Needless to say, I like Bart’s odds to go early in the first round. So let’s continue. Consider the following comparison (note: this is through Bart’s first 41 games in 2018):

Name Age PA AVG OBP SLG BB% K% Bart 21 200 0.356 0.470 0.626 15.0% 20.0% Collins 21 274 0.363 0.544 0.668 28.5% 19.3%

Obviously, based on raw numbers alone, Collins was the better of the two prospects. [But] the current White Sox top prospect has had a lot of trouble making consistent contact in minor leagues; he currently owns a career .227/.379/.438 triple-slash line. Catching production at the big league level is notoriously thin; the average production line at the position was a lowly .245/.315/.406 last season. Given the level of production of most of the aforementioned players, that .245/.315/.406 line seems like a reasonable baseline. Bart’s ceiling likely resides around the .260/.320/.440 mark.”

A lot of my trepidation surrounding Bart was, simply, his future ability to make contact. He fanned in slightly more than 20% of his plate appearances last season against vastly inferior competition. And I suspected – and still do – that it’s incredibly likely that number will eventually go up as he climbs the minor league ladder. Though, it should be noted it was a pedestrian 19.7% in short-season ball, which offers hope down the line as well. Bart should also provide plenty of value behind the dish as well: he threw out 42% of would-be base stealers with Salem-Keizer and was a plus-3 defender in an admittedly brief stint. I was probably too pessimistic with his ceiling originally, but there’s an awful lot.

Ceiling: 5.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2020

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2. Logan Webb, RHP

FB SL CH Control Overall 60 55/60 45/50 45 55

Background: A fourth round pick out of Rocklin High School in 2014. Webb finally put together a full season of action after missing part of 2016 and 2017 due to Tommy John surgery and the subsequent rehab. The hard-throwing right-hander sparkled during his 21-game cameo in the California League last season, posting a 1.82 ERA, 74 strikeouts, and 36 walks in 74.0 innings. The front office bumped Webb up to the Eastern League in early August for another six starts. He would finish the year with a career high 104.0 innings of work, compiling 100 strikeouts, 47 walks, and a 2.41 ERA.

Analysis: A bit of a forgotten arm in the Giants’ system because he was limited to just 70.0 innings the previous two seasons. Webb’s fastball looked explosive during his time in Class AA reaching upwards of 95 mph on occasion. His slider, an above-average pitch that could see an uptick in grade as he polishes it more, is a filthy late-breaking offering. And his changeup will show some nice run to it, though it’s clearly a below-average offering at this time. Given his limited experience – he tossed just 134.2 innings before this season – Webb still has some projection left in his right arm. Consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2016, only four 21-year-old pitchers posted a strikeout percentage between 23.5% and 25.5% with a walk percentage between 10.0% and 12.5% in the California League (min. 70 IP): Alex Torres, Steve Johnson, Zack Wheeler, and Chris Anderson – all but Anderson making it to the big leagues.

Webb’s poised to be one of the bigger breakout prospects in 2019: he’s another year removed from Tommy John, offers up two above-average or better offerings, and has success against older competition. There’s a lot to like in his electric right arm. There’s some upside as a #3 arm.

Ceiling: 2.5-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2020

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3. Heliot Ramos, CF

Hit Power SB Field Overall 45/50 55 50 45/50 55+

Background: Ramos, the 19th overall pick two years ago, set the baseball world ablaze during his debut in the Arizona Summer League: in 35 contests, the tools-laden center fielder slugged a scorching .348/.404/.645 with 23 extra-base hits to go along with 10 stolen bases. But Ramos, still only heading into his age-19 season, struggled as he adjusted to life in the South Atlantic League during his sophomore campaign. In 124 games with the Augusta GreenJackets, Ramos batted a pedestrian .245/.313/.396 with 24 doubles, eight triples, and 11 homeruns. He also swiped eight bags in 15 attempts. His overall production, as measured by Weighted Runs Created and Deserved Runs Created Plus, hovered around the league average mark.

Analysis: So there are a few things to note with the young center fielder:

Despite swinging one of the hottest bats in organized baseball during his debut, he still whiffed in nearly 32% of his plate appearances. But he was able to trim that down significantly – 25.4% – as he skipped several levels in 2018. Not unusual – especially for young prospects making a big leap – Ramos struggled out of the gate as he transitioned into the Sally, hitting a depressingly poor .220/.297/.358 over his first 45 games. He was able to right the ship near the beginning of May and batted .260/.322/.417 over his remaining 79 contests. The list of 18-year-old hitters with a modicum of success in the Sally isn’t incredibly long, which also plays into his favor as well.

A year-and-a-half in and Ramos is still very much a project, a raw piece of clay needing the right amount of sculpting to eke out every ounce of his potential. But it’s there; it just needs coddled. Ramos needs to improve his use of his above-average to plus-speed, both on the base paths and in center field. And the continued develop of his hit tool is also paramount as well. As far as the production is concerned, consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2015, only two 18-year-old hitters posted a wRC+ between 100 and 110 in the South Atlantic League (min. 350 PA): Billy Rowell and Nomar Mazara – both having nearly identical peripherals at the plate as Ramos.

Ceiling: 2.5- to 3.0-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2021

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4. Alex Canario, CF/RF

Hit Power SB Field Overall 60 55 55 50 55

Background: Handed a hefty $300,000 on the international market in 2016. Canario didn’t make his professional debut until the following summer when he appeared in San Francisco’s foreign rookie league; in 66 games, the 6-foot-1, 165-pound center fielder batted a solid .294/.391/.464 with 17 doubles, four triples, and five homeruns. The front office pushed the Dominican-born prospect up to the Arizona Summer League last season. And Canario struggled a bit during the transition. In 45 contests, the teenage outfielder batted .250/.357/.403 with five doubles, two triples, and half-of-a-dozen dingers. His overall production, as measured by Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average mark by 19%.

Analysis: As the case with many prospects in the Dominican Summer League, Canario’s walk rate was a bloated 12.0% during his stint in 2017. But unlike many other teenage prospects moving stateside that number moved up a notch in the Arizona Summer League last year. Canario has an intriguing power/speed foundation wrapped up in a potentially saber-friendly package. He remains incredibly raw – and several years away – but there’s starting outfielder potential here.

Ceiling: 2.5-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2021/2022

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5. Diego Rincones, RF

Hit Power SB Field Overall 55 55 30 50 50

Background: Part of theinternational class that added former top prospect Lucius Fox to the fold in 2015. San Francisco has handled Rincones with the same care as one would with a classic car. The Venezuela-born corner outfielder spent his debut season in the Dominican Summer League – with mediocre results; he batted a lowly .244/.346/.343. The front office would bump the then-18-year-old up to the stateside summer league the following year and the production improved noticeably: he batted a solid .308/.372/.428 with eight doubles, one triple, and three long balls. Last season Rincones moved up another level – to short season Northwest League – and, once again, his offense continued to develop; in a career best 61 games, Rincones slugged .315/.357/.455 with 15 doubles and seven homeruns.

Analysis: An interesting prospect heading into full-season action in 2019. Rincones looks like a potential starting caliber corner outfielder if he continues along the same development path: the hit tool and power grade out as better-than-average, but his lack of patience at the plate will ultimately eat into his overall value. Rincones has strong bat-to-ball skills – he’s fanned only 84 times in 693 plate appearances – and generally goes a solid job keeping the ball off the ground, which will allow some future development in power. With respect to his production, consider the following:

Between 2006 and 2016, only four 19-year-old hitters posted a wRC+ total between 123 and 133 in the Northwest League (min. 150 PA): Alfred Joseph, Charcer Burks, Luis Liberato, and Marcus Wilson.

What makes Rincones so intriguing (with respect to the aforementioned group) is that his production is almost exclusively derived from his batted ball profile and not his patience at the plate. Don’t sleep Rincones, especially if his walk rate creeps up towards the 6%.

Ceiling: 2.0-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2021

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6. Sean Hjelle, RHP

FB CB SL CH Control Overall 55 50 50 55 55 45+

Background: Not too many people in the world can view the top of Randy Johnson’s scalp. But the Giants found one in second rounder Sean Hjelle. Pronounced jelly, Hjelle stands a towering 6-foot-11 but only manages to tip the scales at 225 pounds. The big right-hander was a mainstay in Kentucky’s rotation during his sophomore and junior campaigns, making 31 combined starts and a pair of relief outings, throwing 217.2 innings with 193 strikeouts and just 55 free passes. San Francisco signed the Minnesota native to a $1.5 million deal after making him the 45th overall pick. Hjelle made 12 brief appearances in short-season ball, posting a 22-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 21.2 innings.

Analysis: Per the usual, here’s what I wrote about Hjelle heading into the draft last season:

“Not overpowering in the traditional sense, Hjelle does a fantastic job of pounding the strike zone with practically unheard of regularity for a massive pitcher. And his frame allows his arsenal to play up several ticks. As far as the production is concerned, consider the following:

The most interesting names among the aforementioned group: Barrett Astin, a former third round pick, former University of Florida ace Brian Johnson, Athletics right-hander Daniel Mengden, Keegan Thompson (a Cubs third round pick last year), and minor league veteran Jack Wynkoop. As for as Hjelle’s ceiling is concerned, he has the potential to be a serviceable backend starting pitcher – a la Johnson and Mengden.”

Hjelle offers up a standard four-pitch mix: a 91-92 mph fastball that grades up thanks to his long limbs and stride length, an above-average changeup that should confound hitters in the lower- to middle-levels of the minor leagues, a curveball and slider, the latter both grading out as average. Again, he looks like a serviceable #4/#5-type arm.

Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2021

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7. Seth Corry, LHP

FB CB CH Control Overall 55 55 50/55 45 50

Background: One of only seven players in the third round of the 2017 draft to receive a seven-figure bonus. Corry, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound lefty out of Lone Peak High School, began last season back in the Arizona Summer League. In nine starts Corry struck out 42 and issued 17 walks in 38.0 innings of work. San Francisco bumped the young southpaw up to the Northwest League in early August for another five starts. Corry finished his 2018 season with a solid 59-to-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 57.2 innings spread across 14 total starts. For his young career, he’s averaging 8.8 strikeouts and a whopping 5.9 walks per nine innings.

Analysis: Corry showed an electric, above-average fastball with solid arm-side run; a hammer curveball; and a changeup that flashes above-average. Young left-handed pitchers with three above-average pitches don’t grow on trees. The fact that he’s battling some control issues will only dull his prospect shine a bit. There’s some #3/#4-type potential brewing in Corry’s left arm. But, again, it’s going to come down to his ability – or inability – to consistently throw strikes with all three pitches. He’s very promising, but very raw.

Ceiling: 2.0- to 2.5-win player

Risk: High

MLB ETA: 2021

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8. Shaun Anderson, RHP

FB CB SL CH Control Overall 55 45 55 55 50 45

Background: Acquired from the Red Sox – along with Gregory Santos – near the trade deadline two years ago for playoff hero Eduardo Nunez. Anderson was part of the vaunted 2016 Florida Gators pitching staff, which featured the likes of A.J. Puk, Alex Faedo, Logan Shore, Brady Singer, Jackson Kowar, and Dane Dunning. Boston grabbed the former collegiate closer with the 88th overall pick three years ago and immediately transitioned into him into a full-time starting pitcher. And the results have been better than expected. The 6-foot-4, 225-pound right-hander split time between Low Class A and High Class A in 2017, posting a 107-to-33 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 123.0 innings. And he continued that trend last season as well, making 24 starts – and one relief appearance – between Richmond and Sacramento. He finished his third professional season with 127 strikeouts, 33 walks, and a 3.69 ERA.

Analysis: Anderson attacks with three above-average offerings – fastball, slider, and changeup – and one below-average curveball. The changeup provides a second out pitch. He’s now entering his age-24 season, so it’s likely time to scrap the curveball and focus on the other three pitches if he hopes to attain his #4/#5-type ceiling at the big league level. As far as the production is concerned, consider the following:

Between 2007 and 2016, only one 23-year-old pitcher met the following criteria in the Eastern League (min. 75 IP): 22.5% to 24.5% strikeout percentage, a walk percentage below 7%, and a swinging strike percentage hovering around 12%. That pitcher is Logan Verrett, a replacement level big leaguer.

Given Anderson’s collegiate career as a closer, it wouldn’t be overly shocking to see him slide in to a relief role as a solid “Plan B” option.

Ceiling: 1.5-win player

Risk: Moderate

MLB ETA: 2019

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9. Conner Menez, LHP

FB SL CH Control Overall 55 55/60 45 40/45 45

Background: One of the more pleasant surprises in the Giants’ system last season. Menez, taken all the way back in the 14th round three years ago, blitzed his way through the California and Eastern Leagues before mixing in a pair of spot starts in Class AAA. The 6-foot-2, 205-pound southpaw finished the year with career bests in innings (135.1), strikeouts (171), strikeout rate (11.4 K/9), and wins (nine). Menez also walked 60 hitters, or an average of 4.0 per nine innings. The former Master’s College alum is averaging an impressive 9.5 strikeouts and 3.7 walks every nine innings for his professional career.

Analysis: A fascinating prospect on several fronts:

Despite possessing ideal size with lanky limbs coming out of high school, Menez was wildly overlooked by traditional baseball schools; he caught the eye of Master’s College, New Mexico, and a handful of Division II and NAIA schools.

He was drafted late, but reached the pinnacle level of the minor leagues within two seasons.

And he misses a ton of bats, largely on the back of two above-average offerings.

Menez, despite the massive strikeout totals, isn’t a traditional power pitcher: his fastball sits comfortably in the 88- to 92-mph range with a peak of 93. And he only shows one other above-average offering: a 55-grade slider which has room to move up a tick. His changeup, an 83 mph offering, is below-average. At worst, Menez is going to become a competent left-handed reliever; at best, he’s a poor, poor man’s Chris Sale, peaking as a #4/#5-type arm. Consider the following:

Between 2007 and 2016, only six 23-year-old pitchers fanned between 27% and 29% of the hitters they faced in the Eastern League (min. 70 IP): Radhames Liz, David Hernandez, C.C. Lee, Eric Surkamp, Matt Barnes, and Alex Meyer. All six having accrued big league time.

Menez has one thing going in his favor: the Giants are terrible and will likely be terrible for the next several seasons, which should buy him some to improve his control at the big league level.

Ceiling: 1.5-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: 2019

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10. Ray Black, RHP

FB SL Control Overall 80 65 40 45

Background: Gifted with one of the fiercest fastballs in the professional ranks. Black’s story is one that hardly drips of overnight success. Selected by the Pirates in the seventh round out of the University of Pittsburgh in the 2011 draft, Black wouldn’t make his professional debut until nearly three full seasons later due to labrum surgery. Once healthy, video games strikeout numbers ensued against the low levels of the minor leagues – as did some comically poor walk rates. In 2015 Black punched out 51 and walked 25 in 25.0 innings of work with San Jose in the California League. He promptly followed that up with a 53-to-32 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 31.1 innings in Class AA the next season. But the former Panther began to piece together some semblance of control last season – seemingly out of nowhere. The hard-throwing righty recorded 66 whiffs against 12 free passes in 35.2 innings between the Eastern and Pacific Coast Leagues. And during two separate stints in the big leagues he struck out 33 and walked just 10 in 23.1 innings.

Analysis: Black first popped up on my radar all the way back in 2015. Here’s what I wrote when I listed him as the Giants’ 15th best prospect:

“Obviously, the ceiling resides something close to a very good backend reliever, perhaps even as a dominant closer. But, again, we’re looking at an old prospect with a checkered injury history dominating in the lowest levels of full season ball. Meaning: there’s a lot of swing-and-miss potential for him as a prospect. Pun intended, of course.”

Fast forward a handful of seasons and Black is seemingly on the precipice of big league dominance – if his control proves to be a repeatable skill. Black unleashes a wicked triple-digit fastball, which I saw up to 101 mph in a one-inning stint mid-season. And he complements the plus-plus offering with a potentially plus slider, though he lacks consistency with it at times. He’s an all-out max effort guy, but the arsenal was built for greatness. There is some risk, of course, given his track record of – you know – not being able to hit the broadside of a barn.

Ceiling: 1.5-win player

Risk: Moderate to High

MLB ETA: Debuted in 2017

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Statistics provided by FanGraphs, BaseballReference, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport, and TheBaseballCube.