One thing that’s jumped out at me the last few days, especially as I’ve watched the lower levels of the system performing, is the way that the Giants’ amateur and international scouting departments are working in complementary fashion the last few years. Every day as I come back home to write up my thoughts about what I saw in camp, I feel like my major impressions were big arms out of the draft and impressive young bats coming from the international program. No doubt, the fact that the Giants’ 2021 draft was so pitcher-heavy influences this, but watching the various rosters play together, it’s hard not to notice the trends.
The San Jose lineup this year should be anchored by 2019 IFA signings Aeverson Arteaga and Adrian Sugastey, and the lineup should include older IFA guys like Luis Toribio and Ghordy Santos. The pitching staff, meanwhile, is going to feature a heavy dose of 2021 draftees like Will Bednar, Matt Mikulski, Mason Black, Eric Silva, Tyler Myrick, and more.
Move up a rung on the ladder and we should see a Eugene squad that features Marco Luciano and Luis Matos in the batters’ box and Kyle Harrison, Nick Swiney, et al on the bump. Now I don’t want to be too dogmatic about this. Obviously, Randy Rodriguez is a very exciting arm (who I’m hoping gets tried as a starter in Eugene) and Casey Schmitt and Hunter Bishop are bats we’re all watching carefully. Still, the predominant sensation that I feel like I’m coming back to this apartment with every afternoon is how impressed I was at seeing some domestic arm perform and various international bats. We’ve heard Joe Salermo talk about how scouting young arms on the international market is more difficult (and the Giants have mostly succeeded with older, lower bonus pitchers), while young bats can be incredibly expensive, risky, and hard to come by in the amateur draft.
I don’t know if this is plan or accident, but the two sides of the house look to be coming together to establish a firm foundation, in my opinion. It’s an exciting development that should pay dividends going forward.
Now let’s get to Monday’s action — where, yes, some drafted arms and some international bats led the way!
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