San Francisco Giants minor-league notebook: Wooing Brett Auerbach, plus a no-hitter for Eugene

May 26, 2024

In the final round of the most unusual draft in MLB history, the Giants had a decision to make. Should they select a little-known pitcher from a small private college in New York, or take a versatile player from one of the biggest college programs in the country?

A lot was riding on the decision beyond whether the organization simply liked one player better than the other. With only five rounds in a 2020 draft conducted in the midst of a pandemic, the Giants knew they needed to sign every player they selected in order to maximize their draft bonus pool. And they needed to save as much money as they could with some of their picks so they could go overslot to sign third-round pick Kyle Harrison, a player around whom the organization had built their entire draft strategy.

In the end, the Giants opted to take Ryan Murphy, the right-hander from Le Moyne, who has quickly shed his cloak of prospect obscurity and established himself as one of the Giants’ top starting pitching prospects. But while the Giants didn’t take the position player from Alabama, they still desperately wanted him in their organization. As soon as the draft ended and the undrafted free agency period opened, the Giants were calling Brett Auerbach, hoping to persuade him to eschew his remaining collegiate eligibility and join their farm system.

It wasn’t an easy sell. Auerbach, who transferred from junior college to Alabama in 2019, was in the middle of a breakout season for the Crimson Tide when the 2020 season abruptly ended. Though he was already 21, he could have reasonably expected to improve his draft stock with a big senior season at the Power 5 conference program. He also could have signed with any MLB organization.

MLB put a hard cap on undrafted free agent bonuses that summer, limiting them to $20,000, so even if the Giants wanted to sway Auerbach with a big bonus, they couldn’t. Instead, they took a page out of the college recruiting handbook, selling him on the organization itself and their plan for his development. It was a full-court press, with area scout Jeff Woods, scouting director Michael Holmes, farm director Kyle Haines, GM Scott Harris, president Farhan Zaidi and Giants manager Gabe Kapler all taking time to sell the organization to Auerbach personally.

“We wanted this guy to know that we wanted him, he was a priority,” Holmes said over the phone last week. “We wanted him to know that we had a player plan for him of how we were going to use him behind the plate, in the infield, all over the field. And ultimately, we wanted to sell him on our organization that we were the right place to develop him.

“We were really passionate about how his style of play with the versatility is something that Farhan has really been attracted to and are things he values.”

Ultimately, Auerbach bought what they were selling. (“We were maybe as excited about when we found out that we were going to sign him as we get in the draft room sometimes,” Holmes said.) Nearly two years later, both sides are reaping the rewards.

Auerbach was perhaps the biggest pop-up prospect in the Giants’ system last season, when he hit .288/.379/.528 with 17 home runs in 87 games between both A-ball levels. He played all over the field, logging time at catcher, second base, third base and all three outfield positions. He also ran the bases well, swiping 30 in 37 chances. Auerbach built on that strong season this spring, when he picked up three extra-base hits in 18 at-bats in big-league spring training, after which he was named the Barney Nugent award winner.

Now with Double-A Richmond, Auerbach, 23, is posting a better than league-average line (.250/.328/.423 compared to the league average .229/.323/.398) while continuing to be a Swiss Army knife in the field.

Standing a listed 5-foot-9, Auerbach doesn’t have the frame typically associated with power hitters and he hit just four home runs in 72 games at Alabama, but Giants scouts who saw Auerbach hit three home runs in the Cape Cod League during the summer of 2019 felt there was more power to unlock once he turned pro.

“One thing from a development side that we thought we could help him with, and talking with Kyle and all of our hitting guys was, here’s a guy who made hard contact, he controlled the zone, but he was hitting a lot of balls on the ground,” Holmes said. “From a player development plan, we felt really good that our hitting guys could get this guy to get the ball in the air a little bit more. And, kudos to Brett, he’s gone out and done that with a lot of hard work with player development.”

Holmes also had a close relationship with Alabama head coach Brad Bohannon, who spoke highly of Auerbach’s work ethic both on the field and in the weight room. That gave the Giants confidence that he’d get the most out of his 185-pound frame.

“We can only come up with so many plans evaluating so many guys, but ultimately, it falls on the player to put those plans in place and to work hard and do this and that. And to Brett’s credit, he’s done it,” Holmes said.

Though it’s never fair to compare anyone to a Hall of Famer, Auerbach’s ability to catch and play several other positions, his build, his speed and his bat-to-ball skills elicit the inevitable Craig Biggio comparisons. Auerbach doesn’t need to have Biggio’s career to be a scouting success story. Making an impact in the big leagues as an undrafted free agent will land Auerbach in an elite group that includes, among others, former Giants great Kevin Mitchell.

For the latest on Auerbach’s Richmond team and the rest of the Giants’ farm system, continue below…

Triple-A Sacramento River Cats

Record: 13-11

In a result not atypical of a series in Albuquerque, the River Cats’ pitching staff allowed 61 runs in the six games last week, but thanks to some timely hitting on the Sacramento side, the River Cats managed a series split. Now they head home in a battle for first place in the West division against Las Vegas.

It was the perfect series for Kevin Padlo to introduce himself to his new organization. Padlo joined the Giants in a trade with Seattle late last week and took advantage of the favorable hitting conditions to break out of a season-long slump. He homered in his second game with the team and then put together a career game on Sunday, going 3-5 with three longballs. The corner infielder came to the Giants hitting only .173 with one home run in 15 games with Triple-A Tacoma, but historically has been a minor-league masher, with 90 home runs in 667 minor-league games coming into this season.

Padlo is rad yo

This man Kevin Padlo is 3-for-4 with 4 runs, 3 home runs, and 6 RBIs TODAY.#ClawsUp https://t.co/VPvKMYTMbd pic.twitter.com/pKCCjvM66e

— Sacramento River Cats (@RiverCats) May 1, 2022

With a COVID-19 outbreak impacting the Giants’ major-league roster, there has been a lot of roster movement in Sacramento. Jason Krizan, Luis González, Mauricio Llovera, Kervin Castro and Ka’ai Tom were all recently added to the big-league roster, and outfielder Jaylin Davis was lost on waivers. (Some of those players are coming back: Tom returned to Sacramento after only a day in the big leagues, Castro was optioned on Sunday and Krizan and reliever Yunior Marte were optioned late Sunday to get the Giants down to the new 26-man roster limit.)

Sacramento’s roster has been buoyed by the addition of Padlo and a rehabbing LaMonte Wade Jr., who has five hits in 14 at-bats in five rehab games thus far. They’ll soon have another addition in shortstop Isan Díaz, who was acquired in a cash deal from the Marlins on Saturday after being designated for assignment earlier this week. Díaz, 25, was a compensation round B selection by the Diamondbacks in 2014 out of Puerto Rico. He tore up the Rookie-level Pioneer League in 2015 before being traded to the Brewers in a multi-player deal that sent Jean Segura to Arizona. In 2018, he was part of the blockbuster deal that netted Milwaukee Christian Yelich.

Díaz has a career .824 OPS in the minor leagues but has struggled in his major-league appearances. In parts of three seasons with Miami, he hit .185 in 439 at-bats. Díaz is a left-handed hitter with above-average power for a middle infielder.

Offensively, the River Cats don’t need a lot of help. They are third in the Pacific Coast League in runs scored. Third baseman David Villar continues to be the top performer among the team’s regulars. In 21 games, he has a .293/.402/.622 line. His homer on Sunday was his team-leading eighth of the season.

Tom, who got only one at-bat in his brief major-league stint, is batting .327/.387/.509 in 55 at-bats for Sacramento. Speedy center fielder Bryce Johnson is also off to a good start, with a .338/.353/.462 line and a team-best eight stolen bases in 19 games.

Catcher Ricardo Genovés is beginning to heat up after a slow start. He had three hits on Sunday and has a four-game hitting streak, during which he has three of his four doubles on the season. He raised his season average from .220 to .259 during the Albuquerque series. Defensively, he’s shown off that strong right arm, throwing out seven of 13 attempted base-stealers.

It hasn’t been a good stretch for top outfield prospect Heliot Ramos, who had just three hits in 21 at-bats against the Isotopes and has seen his season line drop to .211/.349/.310 with 18 strikeouts and 13 walks in 71 at-bats.

The team ERA took a big hit against the Isotopes, and Sacramento’s 5.75 mark is currently the third highest in the PCL. Home runs (36 in 24 games) and walks (101) have been the biggest issues, though they are third in the league in strikeouts (232).

Former Stanford star Tristan Beck made the jump into the River Cats’ rotation last week after three strong starts for Richmond to begin the season. He struck out 19 and posted a 2.57 ERA in 14 innings for the Flying Squirrels before making his River Cats debut on Saturday. Beck was roughed up, allowing seven runs in 4 1/3 innings. He missed a significant part of last season with injury but his fastball has been sitting in the mid-90s this season.

Sean Hjelle also had a rough turn against the Isotopes, allowing seven earned runs in 4 1/3 innings on Sunday. He had his best start of the season in his previous outing, throwing six innings of one-run ball, striking out five. He has a 4.37 ERA and a 14:5 K:BB in 22 2/3 innings. Right-hander Raynel Espinal has been the team’s best starter thus far. The 30-year-old veteran has a 2.30 ERA in 15 innings over four outings with a 23:6 K:BB. He came on in relief on Saturday but threw three innings in the loss.

Joining Beck on the move from Richmond to Sacramento was right-handed reliever Patrick Ruotolo, who finally got the call to Triple A after a 2.45 ERA in 66 Double-A innings over two seasons. Ruotolo, a 2016 27th-round pick, has been excellent since his promotion. In six innings over three appearances, he’s allowed just two hits and one run while striking out seven and walking two.

Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels

Record: 13-8

The Flying Squirrels were without the services of Auerbach this past week, as he was sidelined by a non-COVID-19 illness. Nonetheless, it was a good week for Richmond, as they took five of six from the Bowie Baysox.

Corner infielder Sean Roby homered twice in the Bowie series and he now has eight on the season, seven of them coming at Richmond’s home park, which has been a notoriously difficult park for power hitters. He’s batting .231 with a .338 OBP in 65 at-bats but he sports a .615 SLG.

Sean Roby's eighth home run of season. Seven of them at The Diamond.

412 ft / 110 mph

Eight home runs ties the franchise record for most in a single calendar month (Jarrett Parker – May 2013).#SFGiants https://t.co/qI9bl4ATJy

— Trey Wilson (@treywilson757) April 29, 2022

After a difficult stint with the Flying Squirrels in 2021, Will Wilson has found his power stroke. The shortstop is second on the team with five home runs and upped his season OPS to .880 after a strong series against Bowie, during which he homered twice and walked six times. He’s walked 14 times in 83 plate appearances this season after walking 22 times in 221 plate appearances with Richmond last year.

Frankie Tostado is also making the most of his return to Richmond. After hitting .249 with a .731 OPS last season, Tostado has been red-hot of late and is currently batting .348/.375/.508 in 69 at-bats, although his K:BB is 16:3. On the flip side, Diego Rincones has struggled in his return to Richmond. In 13 games, he has a .619 OPS, down from .878 in 2021. He’s making plenty of contact (just four strikeouts in 55 plate appearances) but has a .255 BABIP. Middle infielder Tyler Fitzgerald is also off to a slow start, with just nine hits in his first 64 Double-A at-bats.

Right-hander Kai-Wei Teng was the headliner in the rotation to start the season, but lefty Jake Dahlberg has stolen the show so far. In five starts, he has a 1.71 ERA and a 28:6 K:BB in 26 1/3 innings. On Sunday, he threw six scoreless innings against Bowie, not walking a batter and striking out four.

Teng sports a 5.00 ERA after a rough outing on Wednesday, when he allowed six runs in four innings. He’s missing plenty of bats (21 Ks in 18 innings) and his fastball has been in the 94-98 mph range, but his command has been spotty at times, with 12 walks and two hit batters thus far.

With Beck now in Sacramento, Matt Frisbee has returned to the Richmond rotation. He’s being eased back in and has nine innings pitched over his first three starts. The right-hander has allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks and has struck out eight.

The Richmond bullpen features the double-headed closer monster of left-hander Chris Wright and right-hander R.J. Dabovich, and both are off to solid starts. Wright has three saves and a 1.13 ERA in eight innings. He’s allowed just three hits and has eight strikeouts but has walked five. Dabovich has yet to walk a batter in his seven innings. He also has eight strikeouts but has allowed three runs (3.86 ERA).

Keep an eye on right-hander Taylor Rashi, who has yet to allow a run in 8 2/3 innings spread over seven appearances. He’s struck out 14 and walked four. Rashi, 26, struck out 68 in 46 2/3 innings last season for High-A Eugene. In 71 career minor-league innings, Rashi has held opposing batters to a .163 average.

High-A Eugene Emeralds

Record: 10-9

A season interrupted by inclement weather continued over the weekend for the Emeralds, who saw their Saturday match-up with Tri-City banged because of rain. That bit of misfortune opened the door for history, as the Emeralds used three pitchers to combine on a seven-inning no-hitter in Game 1 of Sunday’s twin bill. It was a fitting final day for a low-scoring series that saw only one team score more than four runs in any of the six games. Three of the games featured shutouts.

Left-hander Nick Swiney got the ball rolling in Sunday’s no-no, throwing the first 5 1/3 innings. Cole Waites finished the sixth inning and Nick Avila threw a perfect seventh to close it out.

YOU’RE SEEING THAT RIGHT, COMBINED NO NO BY SWINEY, WAITES, AND AVILA. #goems pic.twitter.com/D3W9OwXAGn

— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) May 1, 2022

Swiney endured a frustrating pro debut season last year when a concussion caused the 2020 second-round pick to miss several months. He pitched well at the end of the season and has carried that over into 2021 for Eugene. On Sunday, he struck out seven and walked one and lowered his ERA to 3.29 with his season-best performance. He has 14 strikeouts in 13 2/3 innings this season.

Waites, he of the triple-digit heater, has a 6.75 ERA but four of the five runs he’s allowed this season came in his first outing. He’s walked four in six innings but has 16 strikeouts. Avila, meanwhile, notched his third save and lowered his ERA to 1.17. He has emerged as a breakout relief prospect in the early going and recently was praised by Giants coordinator of pitching sciences Matt Daniels.

Nick has been as good as anyone to start ‘22. As much as he struggled at the beginning of ‘21, he never gave up.

He started tapping into his best qualities at the end of ‘21 and it’s made a huge difference for him.

Guys like Nick exemplify the culture we try to create here📈 https://t.co/rxBXuydWXN

— Matt Daniels (@MattD_Official) April 22, 2022

The Emeralds rank second in the league in team ERA with a 3.20 mark, not surprising given much of the Eugene staff pitched last season in Low-A San Jose’s standout staff. One of those starters, Prelander Berroa, has been nearly unhittable through his first three starts. In 10 1/3 innings, he’s allowed just three hits and one run, striking out 12 and walking five.

Top pitching prospect Kyle Harrison proved he was human on April 22, when he lasted just two innings in a rough outing against Vancouver. He was charged with just four runs but three unearned runs also scored, as he allowed two home runs, walked two and hit a batter. On Thursday, he rebounded emphatically, allowing just a run in four innings. He struck out 11 and walked only two and now has a 32:5 K:BB in 15 innings to go along with a 3.00 ERA.

Randy Rodriguez, who was the Low-A West reliever of the year last season, is making a gradual transition into a starter’s role now that he’s on the 40-man roster. He’s been limited to three innings or less in each of his four starts but gets the opportunity to feel what it’s like to prepare as a starter. He’s allowed five hits and seven walks in 9 2/3 innings but only three earned runs and he’s struck out 12. Wil Jensen has been in a swingman role and has pitched well, allowing four earned runs in 12 1/3 innings (2.92 ERA) with 17 strikeouts and just three walks.

One unfortunate development for the Eugene rotation was left-hander Seth Corry’s first-inning exit from his second start of the season. He left with what was termed at the time “an injured arm.” The Giants were hoping for a rebound season for the talented and hard-working Corry, who struggled with command issues last season.

On paper, it looked like the Emeralds would dominate on offense this season with a roster stocked with the organization’s top position player prospects. Cold weather and inconsistent playing time with so many rainouts have made it difficult for many of the Emeralds hitters to find their rhythm in the early going. Luis Matos (.161 BA/.429 OPS), Hunter Bishop (.113 BA/.416 OPS), Patrick Bailey (.167 BA/.518 OPS) and Jimmy Glowenke (.133 BA/.524 OPS) are among those still looking for their first hot streak.

Marco Luciano has had no such issues, however. After struggling with Eugene late last season, the Giants’ top prospect has looked every bit the part so far this season. In 18 games, he’s batting .328/.380/.578 with four home runs. He’s cut his strikeout rate from 37 percent with Eugene in 2021 to 22 percent this season, which is in line with the rate he posted with San Jose.

Marco Luciano was 2 for 4 in Wednesday’s victory over Tri-City pic.twitter.com/YXhgtKt3Pu

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) April 29, 2022

Luciano is tied for the team lead in home runs with Armani Smith, who also leads the Emeralds in walks with 10. He’s batting only .250 through 17 games but has a .381 OBP and a .919 OPS. Shortstop Ghordy Santos has also been impressive. Before going 0-for-6 in Sunday’s doubleheader, he was 8-for-25 with two doubles, a triple and a home run over his previous six games. He’s batting .286/.355/.482 on the season.

Third baseman Casey Schmitt has excelled on both sides of the ball so far this season. The 2020 second-round pick is batting .296/.328/.519 with three home runs. One interesting note: After playing exclusively in the field at third base in 2021, Schmitt has made two appearances at shortstop this season, including on Sunday in Game 1 of the Emeralds’ doubleheader. He’s considered one of the top defensive third basemen in A-ball but has plus arm strength that could work at shortstop, as well.

Low-A San Jose Giants

Record: 12-9

A 5-3 win on Sunday helped the Giants salvage a tough series against the Modesto Nuts, snapping a three-game losing streak and ending the series with two wins out of six games played. The series came on the heels of a strong effort versus Visalia, when they took five of six.

As a team, the Giants have struggled to hit out of the gate, with a Cal League-worst .635 OPS, but they’ve been able to eke out wins thanks to a Cal League-best 3.52 staff ERA. They have a +1 run differential for the season.

After walking two and hitting five batters in his first start of the season, 2021 first-round pick Will Bednar has reeled off three straight dominant starts. On Wednesday, he had his best start yet as a pro, firing five no-hit innings against Modesto. He walked two and hit a batter but struck out five and needed just 62 pitches to get through those five frames. Overall, he has a 1.62 ERA in 16 2/3 innings over his four starts. Opponents are hitting just .094 against him and he’s struck out 19 while walking five. It’s fair to wonder how much longer he’ll be in Low A.

Will Bednar struck out 6 over four innings, topping at 96mph, in Thursday’s victory over Visalia pic.twitter.com/FSJ4evjYwd

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) April 25, 2022

Holmes says Bednar came into spring training in outstanding shape after working out during the offseason with his older brother, David Bednar, who is a reliever for the Pirates.

“I think being with his brother in the offseason really pushes him and challenges him,” Holmes said.

Bednar was the first of nine straight pitchers the Giants selected to kick off last year’s draft, and many of those picks are with Bednar in San Jose. Second-round pick Matt Mikulski allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings on Friday, but before that had allowed just two runs in 12 innings. The left-hander issued five of his six free passes this season in Friday’s outing. He’s struck out 13 on the year.

Mason Black (third round, 22 strikeouts in 14 2/3 innings; up to 98 with his fastball), Seth Lonsway (sixth round, 1.93 ERA in 14 IP) and Nick Sinacola (seventh round, 2.30 ERA, 22 Ks in 15 2/3 IP) have all been impressive in the early going. Ninth-round pick Mat Olsen has been dominant out of the bullpen, posting an 0.93 ERA and running his fastball up to 98 with 13 strikeouts in 9 2/3 innings.

Eric Silva (fourth round) has a 5.73 ERA after allowing six runs in 6 1/3 innings over his last two starts. The 19-year-old has a 16:4 K:BB in 11 total innings this season. The right-hander’s been up to 96 mph with his fastball and has flashed effective secondary offerings while also struggling at times with his command.

Right-hander Trevor McDonald has been used exclusively in a relief role thus far, throwing multiple innings every third or fourth day. The 2019 11th-round pick whom the Giants went overslot to sign away from a college commitment has been excellent in that role, posting a 1.32 ERA and a 19:4 K:BB in 13 2/3 innings thus far.

When the Giants took outfielder Vaun Brown in the 10th round last season, many viewed him as a senior selected so they could sign him underslot to afford some of the overslot bonuses handed out to higher-round picks. Brown has been much more than that since turning pro, however. He hit .354 in 25 Rookie-ball games last season and has been one of San Jose’s top offensive performers so far in 2022, hitting .269/.352/.397 with two homers and six stolen bases.

“I’m proud of Vaun,” Holmes said. “He’s played really well. He’s got tools, and he’s got makeup, and he’s been really good defensively and offensively.”

Vaun Brown collected three hits, including as home run (104mph EV), a double, and a single in the victory over Visalia on Saturday pic.twitter.com/NZnw5qfifh

— SFGProspects (@SFGProspects) April 28, 2022

A couple of top Giants hitting prospects are starting to heat up with San Jose after slow starts. Center fielder Grant McCray hit his second homer of the season on Sunday in a two-hit game that raised his average to .191 from .163. He also had a two-hit game on Wednesday, his first multi-hit game of the season. McCray, who missed six games with an injury, has walked nine times in 13 games but also has 18 strikeouts in 58 plate appearances.

Catcher Adrian Sugastey, 19, led the Rookie Arizona Complex League in hitting last season, but he was batting under .200 with just two extra-base hits going into Saturday. He picked up a double in both Saturday and Sunday’s games and had three hits total, raising his average up to .203. Seven walks in 17 games has his OBP at .301.

Shortstop Aeverson Arteaga is hitting only .254 but he hit his third home run of the season on Sunday and has six extra-base hits in 79 plate appearances. He leads the team with a .752 OPS.

(Photo of Brett Auerbach: Courtesy of Samantha McCloskey / Richmond Flying Squirrels)

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