Infielder Christian Arroyo and left-handed pitcher Tyler Beede were the only two members of the Giants organization to crack MLBPipeline.com’s list of Top 100 prospects, announced Sunday. Beede, 23, a first-round pick in 2013, checked in at No.88 overall, while Arroyo, 21, a first-round pick in 2014, fell just one spot behind, ranked 89th.
Both prospects are in different spots on the list than they were in 2016. Beede rose from 99th to 88th, after leading the Eastern League (AA) with a 2.81 ERA and ranking second with 251 strikeouts. Beede’s performance in 2016 was a refreshing sign for the Giants, after he struggled mightily in 2015, posting a 5.23 ERA in 13 starts at the Double-A level. Improved condition reportedly helped Beede get back on track.
Arroyo, also saw his stock move 10 spots, albeit in the other direction. Arroyo had a mediocre showing in his first Double-A season at the plate, finishing with a line of .274/.316/.373, homering just three times in 517 at-bats. Arroyo had played mostly shortstop in 2015, but moved to third-base with Brandon Crawford’s emergence on the big-league club.
The Giants have hit it big with first-round picks in the recent past, including Tim Lincecum (2006), Madison Bumgarner (2007), Buster Posey (2008) and Joe Panik (2011). San Francisco is hoping to continue that trend with both Arroyo and Beede who are expected to feature with the Triple-A Sacramento Rivercats this season. There is also an outside chance that Beede could compete for the fifth spot in the Giants’ rotation, if he outplays Matt Cain and Ty Blach in Spring Training.