Don’t forget to pick up your copy of the The 2024 Prospect Digest Handbook here.
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1. Kyle Harrison, LHP
| FB | SW | SL/CU | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 80 | 55 | 50 | 45/50 | 60 |
Background: San Francisco has, perhaps quietly so, had a direct tie to a homegrown ace going back to at least 2005. And this just isn’t a case of “team” ace, but an actual bonafide MLB ace. Matt Cain, a former 1st round pick in 2002, made his MLB debut in 2005. He would stay with the organization until retiring at the young age of 32. Tim Lincecum, another former first round pick, followed in his footsteps as he debuted two years later and stuck around until 2015. Madison Bumgarner, yet another first round pick, would extend the homegrown ace tenure until 2019, after which he would leave for the dry sands of Arizona. But before he would leave Logan Webb, who isn’t a former first round pick, would debut during Bumgarner’s final season – 2019. Webb, of course, has been an absolute stalwart for the organization over the past three years, throwing 556.2 innings of work to go along with a 3.07 ERA and more than 14 Wins Above Replacement (BR). And now that brings us to the – likely – next link in the homegrown ace chain: Kyle Harrison. A massive over-slot signing as a third round pick in 2020, Harrison, who signed for nearly $2.5 million, has shredded the competition at each stop along the minor league ladder. He dominated Low-A in 2021, averaging 14.3 K/9 and 4.7 BB/9. He spent the majority of the following season twirling gems for the club’s Double-A affiliate, the Richmond Flying Squirrels. Last year, just four years removed from hurling games against high schoolers, the lefty posted a 105-to-48 K-to-BB ratio against the PCL competition. He continued to confound big league bats across seven starts as well, averaging 9.1 whiffs and 2.9 walks per nine innings to go along with a 4.15 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Harrison has a low three-quarter arm slot with a loose, fast arm. He has elite, true ace potential if the command upticks to average. And I think that does happen in the coming years.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 21-year-old hurlers posted a strikeout percentage greater than 34% with one club in any Triple-A league (min. 50 IP): Yovani Gallardo and – of course – Kyle Harrison. Gallardo would go onto a very solid, sometimes great, 12-year big league career. Now, it’s worth noting that Harrison’s walk percentage (16.3%) was nearly double that of Gallardo’s.
Harrison was all over the place for the first couple months of the season, walking 44 hitters in only 56.1 innings of work with the River Cats. Then he hits the disabled list with a “hamstring injury” and missed nearly four full weeks. Once he came back he’s a changed man, honing in on the strike zone like he rarely has before. Between his rehab appearance, three Triple-A starts, and his big league debut, he walked 15 in 46.0 total innings, or 2.93 BB/9. Plus mid-90s fastball with life; a plus-plus slurve, arguably the best breaking ball among any prospect in the minors, a solid-average changeup, and a hard cutter / slider. When Harrison is living around the zone, he’s incredible to watch. He has true ace potential, which is very rare. I’m betting not only the command, but on it improving in the future.
Ceiling: 4.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2023
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2. Bryce Eldridge, RF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 45/50 | 55/60 | 30 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
Background: Baseball’s always seemed to be fascinated by the prospect of a two-way player, even before the explosion of Shohei Ohtani in recent years. There’s always been good hitting pitchers, like Warren Spahn, who once posted a 133 OPS+ in 122 plate appearances in 1958, or Brandon Backe (.256/.317/.414 in 158 career PA), or Ken Brett (.262/.291/.406 in 373 career PA). Several years ago the Brewers converted former first rounder (10th overall) Brooks Kieschnick into a two-way player near the end of his career. Kieschnick, who was drafted ahead of Billy Wagner, Derrek Lee, and Chris Carpenter in 1993, batted .286/.340/.496 and posted a 4.59 ERA in 96 innings over his final two seasons. Tampa Bay selected Brendan McKay fourth overall in 2017 with the idea of making him a southpaw / power-hitting first baseman. And, of course, two years ago the Giants selected hulking first baseman / lefty hurler Reggie Crawford with the 30th overall pick. So it’s not surprising that San Francisco grabbed another interesting two-way candidate in James Madison High School star Bryce Eldridge with the 16th overall pick last July. Named as the Virginia Gatorade Player of the Year, the 6-foot-7, 223-pound athlete was unstoppable on the mound in 2023, throwing 39.2 innings with 66 strikeouts, just eight walks, and a tidy 1.06 ERA to go along with a perfect 9-0 win-loss record. And he mashed at the plate as well, batting .422/.649/1.067 with eight homeruns and 23 RBIs. San Francisco signed him to a deal worth $3,997,500. Eldridge slugged .294/.400/.505 with five doubles and six homeruns in 31 games in the Complex League and San Jose.
Scouting Report: As a pitcher, Eldridge shows a solid three-pitch mix. His above-average fastball sits in the low-90s and may find another gear as his body begins to fills out (or if he focuses solely on becoming a moundsmen). His go-to secondary offering is a tightly wound low-80s slider that morphs into a curveball / slurve at times. He’ll also mix in a solid-average, mid-80s changeup. Again, as a pitcher, I would have put a late second / early third round grade on him. As a hitter, Eldridge showcases a higher ceiling thanks to his plus bat speed and plus power potential. They’ll be some swing-and-miss issues to his game, but if he can fully tap into the thunder at the plate, he’ll be able to compensate.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2027
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3. Marco Luciano, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40/45 | 60 | 50 | 55 | 50 | 55 |
Background: It feels like Luciano’s been round for a decade, quietly hovering near the top of any prospect list the entire time. Truth be told, he joined the Giants’ organization during the summer of 2018, signing for a hefty $2.6 million contract. At the onset of his career, Luciano looked like a burgeoning superstar, showcasing the potential to be a true five-tool guy all the while doing so against significantly older competition. The Dominican shortstop reached High-A as a 19-year-old, though he spent his 2022 season back in the Northwest League as he dealt with a back injury. Last season, in another injury-marred campaign, Luciano appeared in 56 games with Richmond, another 18 contests with Sacramento, and 14 games with the Giants in the big leagues. Luciano finished his minor league season with an aggregate .223/.334/.442 slash line with 14 doubles, 15 homeruns, and 40 stolen bases (in 46 total attempts). His production, per Weighted Runs Created Plus, topped the league average by 6%. He hit a disappointing .231/.333/.308 line in 45 big league plate appearances.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: The overall production is good, but far from great. But there’s another story to be told. Mainly: pre-injury and post-injury. Prior to hitting the disabled list with a back injury – an issue that would knock him out of action for eight weeks – Luciano slugged .288/.360/.507 through his first 40 games. His production during that time period was 39% above the league average. However, after he returned, the Giants’ top prospect hit a paltry .200/.281/.350 over his final 22 contests.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 21-year-old hitters met the following criteria with one club in any Double-A league (min. 225 PA): 110 to 120 wRC+, a double-digit walk rate, and a 28% to 32% strikeout rate. Those three bats: Khalil Lee, Luis Alexander Basabe, and Marco Luciano. Probably worth noting that Lee and Basabe were both toolsy, albeit flawed prospects that never quite figured it out.
The truth might have been staring at us (me) all along. The hit tool may be his ultimate undoing. And if it’s not his ultimate undoing, it could be his injury history. And both could be career / ceiling limiting. From a physical standpoint, Luciano’s never going to be one of those guys that look like a model in a uniform. But he does pack quite a punch from his wiry frame, thanks in large part to the bat speed / tremendous rotation / torque he generates. He’s a perennial 30-homer threat with OBP skills. I’m bullish on his ability to stick at shortstop (some of which is related to back issues), so a lot is riding on that power potential. It looked like the older hurlers already figured him out. He could be a .245/.330/.445 bat.
Ceiling: 3.0-win player
Risk: Moderate to High
MLB ETA: Debuted in 2023
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4. Diego Velasquez, 2B/SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 55 | 40 | 50 | 50 | 55 | 55 |
Background: While he didn’t command the bonus heights of Lucius Fox or Rayner Arias or Marco Luciano or even Aeverson Arteaga, Velasquez earned the Giants’ largest bonus given out to a free agent on the international scene three years ago. Velasquez joined the organization for a cool $900,000. The front office took the aggressive approach and sent Velasquez to Complex League for his debut that summer. And he was dreadful, hitting a putrid .213/.283/.231 with just three extra-base knocks in 46 contests. Unsurprisingly, the young switch-hitter found himself back in the stateside rookie league for a do-over in 2022. This time, though, he looked significantly improved: he batted .277/.369/.352 with eight extra-base hits in 52 games. Velasquez spent the final couple of weeks (struggling) in Low-A. The 6-foot-1, 150-pound middle infielder spent the entirety of last year back with the San Jose Giants in the California League. He had his finest showing to date – by a rather wide margin. He slugged .298/.387/.434 with 32 doubles, one triple, eight homeruns, and 23 stolen bases (in 29 stolen bases). Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his overall production topped the league average mark by a rock solid 25%.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only two 19-year-old batters posted a 120 to 130 wRC+ with a 15% to 17% strikeout rate and a 9% to 12% walk rate (min. 350 PA): Brett Lawrie, who once looked like one of the better young players in the big leagues, and – of course – Diego Velasquez.
For a player that struggled mightily at the onset of his career, Velasquez’s bat is showing some interesting traits. He’s a bat-to-ball guy, which differentiates him from the club’s other top young shortstops (Marco Luciano and Aeverson Arteaga), and Velasquez’s power is trending upward. With that being said, his contact heavy approach does limit the ceiling on the extra-base firepower. He’s tough to make swing-and-miss and his pitch recognition is off-the-charts. And then there’s his defense: it’s above-average, maybe borderline plus. The ceiling isn’t exceptionally large and there’s no such thing as a safe teenage prospect, but Velasquez might be one of the few that falls into that category. I really, really like him. This might be one of the more aggressive rankings I have in this year’s book.
Ceiling: 2.0- to 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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5. Walker Martin, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50/55 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 |
Background: Prior to 2023, Eaton High School had seven ballplayers selected in the midsummer draft. None of whom were taken before the 15th round. But that all changed with lefty-swinging shortstop Walker Martin. A two-sport athlete who led The Fightin’ Reds’ football squad at quarterback, Martin was an offensive dynamo on the diamond over his final three amateur seasons. The 6-foot-1, 188-pound middle infielder mashed .456/.575/.955 with 12 doubles, five triples, and four homeruns during his sophomore campaign. He followed that up with an even heartier .566/.675/1.157 slash line as a junior. And he was nearly unstoppable during his senior showing in 2023. Appearing in 29 games, Martin battered the competition to the tune of .633/.722/1.632 with 11 doubles, four triples, and a whopping 20 homeruns – including, according to his Gatorade Player of the Year press release, dingers in nine consecutive games. San Francisco selected the young power hitter in the second round, 52nd overall, and signed him to a deal worth nearly double the recommended slot bonus. He earned a cool $3 million, roughly $1.4 million above the recommendation. He did not appear in an affiliated game after joining the organization.
Scouting Report: Some of the best bat speed available in the entire draft class, the lanky 6-foot-1, 188-pound infielder is primed to add strength and good weight to his frame as he matures. A shortstop by trade, he’s a candidate to slide over to the hot corner as he continues to mature. Beautiful left-handed swing (aesthetically reminiscent of Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich), Martin has the potential to become a consistent 25-homer threat in the professional ranks. He could be one of the best selections in the second round.
Ceiling: 2.5-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2027
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6. Rayner Arias, CF
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 50/55 | 60 | 50 | 50 | 50 | 55 |
Background: San Francisco has never been shy about handing out big bonuses to young international players. They added Lucius Fox to the fold for $6 million. Marco Luciano earned a $2.6 million deal on the international scene, as well. And the latest toolsy prospect the club came to terms on a mega-deal is Dominican centerfielder Rayner Arias, who joined the NL West Division franchise for $2,697,500 – the second high bonus the organization has handed out to an international prospect. Hailing from Bani, Arias’s father, Pablo, spent parts of four seasons dwelling away in the minor leagues between 1999 and 2002. The younger Arias, who stands a chiseled 6-foot-2 and 185-pounds, put on a show of dominance during his debut in the Dominican Summer League as he slugged .414/.540/.793 with six doubles, two triples, four homeruns, and four stolen bases in only 16 games. His production in his ultra-abbreviated debut was a whopping 130% better than the league average, as measured by Weighted Runs Created Plus.
Scouting Report: Just for nonsensical fun, here are his numbers prorated for an entire 162-game season: 61 doubles, 20 triples, 41 homeruns, and 41 stolen bases. It may not be the greatest debut in history, but it is damn close it, even in a 16-game sample size. The game tape is almost as limited as the debut sample size itself. But it’s impressive none the less. Tremendous torque and bat speed. Plus raw power. Above-average speed (for now). Well-built frame. Arias could be something very soon in terms of prospects. There’s impact tools, but the hit tool needs to be flushed out. He’s one to watch both in the immediate and long-term future.
Ceiling: 3.5-win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2027
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7. Hayden Birdsong, RHP
| FB | CB | SL | CH | Command | Overall |
| 60 | 60 | 55 | 50 | 45 | 50 |
Background: The Giants, perhaps surprisingly, have a pretty lengthy history with Eastern Illinois University. Particularly during the early parts of the draft’s history. The club selected a total of six players from the school between 1965 and 1978, including the secondary phases. But the organization went 15 years between their 1989 selection of Dan Henrikson and Kyle Baines in 2004. And with the selection of Hayden Birdsong in the sixth round two years ago, the franchise went another 18 years in between picks. Basically a reliever during his duration with the Ohio Valley Conference school – which begs the question, what are the coaches doing there? – the 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-hander made stops at three separate levels during his first full year in the minors last season, going from Low-A to High-A and then onto Double-A. Birdsong finished the year with 100.2 innings, recording a 149-to-44 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with an aggregate 3.31 ERA.
Scouting Report: Man, what in the world was going on at Eastern Illinois University that forced Birdsong into a (practically) full-time relief role and it wasn’t even the team’s closer gig. Whatever caused the coaching staff to keep this Bird caged is beyond me. The big right-hander, who barely looks old enough to drive, unleased a big league quality four-pitch mix during his assault on minor league hitters last season. His fastball, a plus offering, sits in the mid-90s and will touch as high as 97 mph when he reaches back for a little more. He features two very good breaking balls: an above-average, mid-80s slider with horizontal sweep and a slightly slowed 12-6 bending deuce. Both remain a bit inconsistent, but there’s definite value between them. He’ll also mix in a decent, not overly good, changeup. The command can waver at times, but it’s typically no worse than 45-grade. As it stands now, Birdsong – essentially – moved from an Ohio Valley Conference reliever to a potential #4-type starting pitcher at the big league level.
Ceiling: 2.0- win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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8. Reggie Crawford, LHP
| FB | CB | SL/CU | CH | Command | Overall |
| 70 | 70 | 55/60 | 45 | 40/45 | 50 |
Background: There’s been a few two-way players that have been taken early in the draft process over the past decade or so. Those that immediately come to mind, include: Brendan McKay, Bubba Chandler, and Casey Kelly. Certainly, there are others, but those were on the forefront of my mind. The Giants added Reggie Crawford’s name to the list with his selection at the back of the first round two years ago. A standout at the University of Connecticut, Crawford was a dynamic thumper in the middle of their lineup slugging .365/.414/.558 during the COVID-limited 2020 season and then posting a .295/.349/.543 slash line the following year. The Huskies’ coaching staff would hardly use the hard-throwing first baseman / left-hander on the mound during that time, limiting him to just eight total innings. But his work with Team USA and with the Bourne Braves in the Cape Cod League helped draw the spotlight further onto him. Unfortunately for 6-foot-4, 235-pound former state champion swimmer, he would miss the entirety of the 2022 season recovering from Tommy John surgery. Despite the elbow woes, San Francisco selected him with the 30th overall pick two years ago. Last season, Crawford – finally – made his professional debut, hitting .235/.263/.529 in 19 plate appearances with San Jose and Eugene. He also made 13 starts with the club’s Low-A and High-A affiliates, posting an impressive 32-to-10 strikeout-to-walk ratio in only 19.0 innings of work. He tallied a 2.84 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: With that being said, he’s a superior prospect as a pitcher.
Scouting Report: It doesn’t take but a throw or two to see that Crawford’s completely back from Tommy John surgery. His plus-plus fastball / curveball combination is still intact, mostly just overpowering the opposition. His fastball sits in the mid- to upper-90s with relative ease. And his curveball, which looks like a knuckle curve, is a power breaking ball personified. The big lefty, who sometimes is a bit…erratic, commands the breaker fairly well. He’ll also mix in a very rare, borderline changeup. Crawford seems to have added a new wrinkle (pun absolutely intended) to his repertoire: a power cutter, which could be the third offering he’s desperately in need of. At the plate, the former Huskie still possesses plus to plus-plus power, but he’s going to be hamstrung by a below-average hit tool and matching OBP skills. Given his lack of developmental time on the mound, the ceiling is pretty large with Crawford, more than initial thoughts may have indicated. It comes with a lot of risk, mostly command and injury history related. There’s mid-rotation caliber potential here. The floor is a dominant closer.
Ceiling: 2.5- win player
Risk: High
MLB ETA: 2024/2025
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9. Carson Whisenhunt, RHP
| FB | CB | CH | Command | Overall |
| 50 | 50/55 | 70 | 50 | 50 |
Background: San Francisco’s brass has a simple plan of attack when it comes to the second round in the midsummer draft: lean heavily on college prospects. Going all the way back to 2009, the organization’s owned 18 total second round picks. They’ve draft a college player 14 times. It’s a pretty simple approach, though they might want to change it up based on the results they seen. Only one of those picks, former prospect-turned-star Bryan Reynolds, has turned out to be anything tangible at the big league level. Carson Whisenhunt, their second round selection two years ago, is hoping to change some of that perception. The 66th overall pick, the lanky left-hander finished his collegiate career at East Carolina on a bit of a sour note: he was popped for a banned substance and subsequently suspended for the entirety of his junior campaign. The Giants’ shot callers, though, weren’t overly concerned and so far that gamble has paid off. Whisenhunt made seven brief starts between the Complex and California Leagues, as well as the Arizona Fall League, during his debut, posting a 32-to-9 strikeout-to-walk ratio in only 22.1 innings of work. Whisenhunt opened 2023 back up in the Cal League, but moved up to High-A after just four starts. His time with the Eugene Emeralds lasted just six dominant starts before he earned a promotion up to the fires of Double-A. And, once, again, he continued to impress across six starts before a left elbow strain prematurely ended his campaign. Overall, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound lefty hurled 58.2 innings, posting an 83-to-23 strikeout-to-walk ratio to go along with a 2.45 ERA.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Whisenhunt’s ceiling isn’t tremendously high, but he should settle in as a competent #4-type starting pitcher, league average-ish.
Scouting Report: Whisenhunt came as advertised last season: average, low-90s fastball, above-average – albeit inconsistent – curveball, and one of the finest changeups in the minor leagues. Whisenhunt’s slow ball is a true equalizer, a genuine swing-and-miss offering that helps compensate for a less-than-intimidating heater. His changeup shows tremendous velocity separation, despite the arm speed, and doesn’t possess the typical arm-side fade associated with pronation. Instead, that’s noticeable drop with a little bit of cutting action. The command improved a bit last season to the point where it’s an average skill. Again, the ceiling is pretty limited, but big league organizations are always in search of inexpensive, quality league average starters. And that’s Carson Whisenhunt.
Ceiling: 1.5- to2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2024
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10. Aeverson Arteaga, SS
| Hit | Power | SB | Patience | Glove | Overall |
| 40/45 | 45/50 | 50 | 50 | 60 | 50 |
Background: Another one of the club’s international Bonus Babies. The Giants signed Arteaga to a million dollar pact during the summer of 2019. But the 6-foot-1, 170-pound middle infielder’s debut would be delayed a year-and-a-half thanks in large part due to the COVID pandemic. Given his age during the 2021 season, 18, the front office opted to send Arteaga up to the Complex League for his first taste of professional baseball. And he more than held his own, slugging .294/.367/.503 with 22 extra-base hits, including nine dingers, in 56 stateside rookie league games. Arteaga spent the following season, 2022, as a teenager battling the California League competition. And, once again, he more than held his own. Appearing in 122 games, Arteaga slugged .270/.345/.431 with 35 doubles, two triples, and 14 homeruns. Last season, though, the shortstop struggled for the first time in his career, hitting a lowly .235/.299/.410 with 29 doubles, three triples, 17 homers, and eight stolen bases in High-A. Per Weighted Runs Created Plus, his production was 11% below the league average threshold.
Snippet from The 2023 Prospect Digest Handbook: Here’s the thing about Arteaga: any value that comes from his bat is an added bonus, icing on his defensive wizardry-based cupcake.
Scouting Report: Consider the following:
Since 2006, only three 20-year-olds posted an 80 to 90 wRC+ mark with a 23% to 25% strikeout rate with one club in any High-A league (min. 350 PA): Ronny Mauricio, the longtime Mets top prospect, Sebastian Valle, and Aeverson Arteaga.
The book on Arteaga remains the same: he’s an absolute wizard at shortstop, so anything he adds inside the batter’s box and on the base paths is an added bonus. Arteaga doesn’t possess the bat speed as some of his other top prospect counterparts and he rolls over on outside pitches too frequently, but there’s average power to go along with his below-average hit tool. The defense alone will get him to the big leagues, even if it’s in a utility-type role. One important note: after starting the season off slowly, Arteaga, who batted .206/.305/.381 over his first 49 games, hit .254/.294/.428 over his remaining 77 contests. In an ideal situation, he’d be sent back to High-A for a quick refresher, but that’s unlikely.
Ceiling: 1.5- to 2.0-win player
Risk: Moderate
MLB ETA: 2025
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All statistics were provided via the following website: Baseball Reference, FanGraphs, TheBaseballCube, BaseballProspectus, ClayDavenport.com, Baseball America, and X-user @mk237700 (for compiling Statcast Data)
