© Orlando Ramirez | 2019 Mar 10
Due to the Giants being in ‘win now’ mode for the better part of the last decade, they have often given up valuable assets in their farm system in order to receive players who could contribute at the major league level. Consequently, their farm system has been ranked in the bottom half of the league for much of the past five-to-ten years.
However, it appears brighter days may be on the horizon for the Giants’ minor league system. On Thursday, Baseball America updated their ‘organizational talent rankings’ and the Giants had jumped up 13 spots, 28 to 15, from their 2019 preseason rankings. The rankings stated:
Notes:
2018: 25 | 2017: 24 | 2016: 19 | 2015: 26 | 2014: 19
4 Top-100 prospects: C Joey Bart (18), OF Heliot Ramos (67), SS Marco Luciano (70), OF Hunter Bishop (97)
Notes: The Giants’ 2018 draft and its international signing haul last year are quickly boosting what had been a bottom-tier farm system.
For an organization that was believed to be headed towards selling all their major league assets to contenders at this year’s trade deadline in order to retool for the future, it seems the farm system might be in much better shape than previously believed.
Here is an update on the four main prospects that have helped them surge up the rankings:
Joey Bart (C):
The Giants selected Joey Bart out of Georgia Tech as the second overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft. This season in San Jose, Bart is currently slashing .263/.314/.484 with 10 home runs. According to Joe Ritzo, San Jose’s play-by-play announcer, as of June 24, the catcher is hitting .356 with four home runs in his last 11 games. MLB.com projects Bart to reach the majors in 2021.
Joey Bart blasts his 10th home run of the season. Bart joins Heliot Ramos (12) as the two #SJGiants into double-digits in homers. Bart last 11 games: .356 AVG, four homers.
— Joe Ritzo (@JoeRitzo) July 25, 2019
Heliot Ramos (OF):
Ramos was taken with the 19th overall selection in the 2017 MLB draft. After a disappointing season in 2018 in Augusta, Ramos has been turning heads this year in San Jose. He is currently putting up big numbers, slashing .310/.394/.520, with 12 home runs. For a farm system that hasn’t developed too many outfielders in recent years, Ramos could be the one to break that stereotype. MLB.com projects Ramos to reach the majors in 2021.
Marco Luciano (SS):
The Giants signed Luciano during the 2018 international signing period, and he may be the Giants prospect with the most upside. Although, Luciano is still just 17 years old and seen as a very raw prospect. The shortstop is still in Arizona – playing for the Giants’ rookie team – putting up absurd numbers. Luciano is currently slashing .330/.425/.661 with eight home runs. MLB.com projects Luciano to reach the majors in 2023.
Hunter Bishop (OF):
Bishop, who grew up in the Bay Area and went to high school at Junipero Serra High School in San Mateo, was selected with the tenth overall pick in the 2019 MLB by the Giants. This past season at Arizona State, Bishop put up unheard of numbers; slashing .344/.482/.757 with 22 home runs. In just a short amount of time in rookie ball, Bishop is slashing .250/.483/.550. Due to the fact that he was drafted so recently, MLB.com does not have a prediction for when he could reach the majors yet.