The last half decade has been a productive time of development for the Giants’ Dominican Summer League teams. The 2016-17 teams have already produced four big leaguers, including a burgeoning star in Camilo Doval, and seemingly annually some interesting prospects have emerged from the DSL level, including players like Ricardo Genovés, Diego Rincones, Alex Canario, Luis Toribio, Alexander Suarez, and Luis Matos. That’s a good half decade’s worth of value from the very lowest level of player development! Even the 2021 DSL teams produced some interesting players whom we’ll look at more closely in Friday’s wrap-up of the ACL teams.
But, if the above paragraph caused you to wave your banners and toot your kazoos, prepare for the sad trombone twist in paragraph two: at first blush, the 2022 season didn’t continue that run of success. Individual player success was lacking, team success was almost non-existent. There weren’t any real breakout performances.
The biggest single factor of the somewhat down year was player health. The Giants were extremely excited about the players they brought into the organization in January in the new international class. But they ended up having a really difficult time getting and keeping those players on the field in their first professional season. Other players who seemed to be taking a step forward in their development — whether new to pro ball or returning for their second year — also ran afoul of the injury bug, thwarting or suddenly ending promising campaigns.
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