The Lunatic Fringe

Yeah, so the old Top 10 Lists, like we’ve done here and here, don’t really fit this year.

It’s really Kyle Crick and all the other Giants prospects.  Yeah, that’s the system in 2014.

So, we’re going to do something a little more different and fun.  At least, I hope it’s fun for you.

I’ll run down quick prospect recaps for everyone we mention down here.  Also, you’ll see my old-fashioned Top 10 on Wednesday, and a bit about prospects I don’t mention on Friday.

But, first, a little state of the system: It’s Kyle Crick and everyone else.

That’s not to say that there aren’t some interesting other prospects.  But not a single one of them is a sure thing.  Especially on the hitting side.  That’s why a lot of people are ranking the Giants low by many system rankers…and it’s hard to argue.  The Giants system just doesn’t have the number of sure-fire prospects people want.

There is a lot of pitching with interest.  There are some command-heavy pitchers, and some high-velocity pitchers.  Most of them are low-level guys, and won’t be up in the next couple of years.  But there are a lot of them, and a few of them might hit.

The hitters…well, a lot of them might not hit.  There aren’t many guys with high skills in the system hitting-wise.  There’s…uh, maybe three guys with power.  There are a few who have good batting eyes.  But all of them need a lot of development to make the majors.  And…there’s at least one big bust in the group.

This isn’t to say it’s all been bad.  The Giants have delivered a lot of homegrown talent to the majors that led to two World Series titles.  And winning seasons don’t help with getting big draft talent like Buster Posey or Madison Bumgarner.  But…that’s why the 2014 draft will be hugely important to the Giants.  The Giants will pick at #14, and they could desperately use a big hit.  With the new system, the Giants won’t have their second round pick until #53.  They might take high school pitcher Touki Toussaint, who is throwing 95 already as an 18-year old but has control issues.  Maybe it’ll be Braxton Davidson, an OF/1B type of big hitter.  Or Louis Ortiz, a California high school pitcher who throws 95 with a slider already.  Or Derek Fisher, Virginia’s powerful outfielder with a big swing, and little defense.  Or Hartford pitcher Sean Newcomb, who had a huge Cape Cod season.

There’s still a season of changes to who will move up or slide down in draft position, so it’s not time to predict there.  But the farm system could use a recharge, especially after Crick advances in the next couple of years.

(But let’s face it, if Newcomb’s available, it’ll be him.)

Let’s take a look at today’s prospects:

Kyle Crick, RHP – He’s a young Matt Cain.  Seriously, he is.  I saw him pitch in November in the last game of the Arizona Fall League, and he was still hitting 97-98.  Granted, he didn’t pitch a full season (he missed two months with an oblique strain early), but still, impressive.

Crick has a great fastball and a great curve, both of which are strikeout pitches.  He’s working on the changeup, which is key.  He’ll need it to keep left-handers off balance, but when he does, he could be unstoppable on the mound…as long as he keeps the ball in the zone.  As with many live arms, control will be his biggest challenge, but so far, the way he throws, he can survive without it.

Ty Blach, LHP – Not a lot of people thought about Blach.  He was drafted in the 5th round of 2012 out of Creighton University, and the Giants had him rest for the rest of the year after being one of the heaviest-used pitchers in college baseball.  And then he went all the way to San Jose to make his professional debut.

Sound familiar?  It happened to a 2009 draftee named Brandon Belt.

Okay, it’s a different situation between a pitcher and a hitter, but it’s still impressive to see a player drafted after the 2nd round do that, even an older college player.  But Blach is very mature, both in his control and mix of pitches.  He’s got low-90’s stuff, a good slider and a very good change-up.  He came out of a crowded San Jose rotation as the top performer, and that is saying something.

Blach isn’t going to be an ace, but he’s got the right stuff to be a kind of pitcher who can be a mainstay in rotations.  He’s also someone who, at 23, could move as fast as any starter in the system to be in the big leagues.

Mac Williamson, OF – Well, when it comes to hitters in the Giants system, there was Mac and there was everyone else.  Williamson is a right-handed power hitter, and he showed it with 25 home runs and 31 doubles in 520 at-bats in San Jose, to give himself a .504 slugging percentage.  He also drew 51 walks to give himself a nice .375 on-base percentage.

But…this is a guy hitting power in San Jose.  And 16 of those home runs came on the road, where there are a lot of big power-helping parks.  Fans of the Giants’ system have seen many guys with tons of power in San Jose, only to see them fade away at higher levels.  And with just a .292 average, and 132 strikeouts in 520 at-bats…well, there are also signs of worry.

Williamson has some raw tools, for sure, but he needs to develop that batting eye and not let breaking pitches break him.  That’ll be a tall order in Richmond.