There R Giants 2024 Top 50: #31-35

Slouching Our Way Towards the Top 30

Photo Credit: Shelly Valenzuela | San Jose Giants

So far in the Top 50:

• Just Missed List

• #50-46 (Lisbel Diaz, Hayden Wynja, Alix Hernandez, Carson Ragsdale, Ben Madison)

• #45-41 (Jose Cruz, Tyler Myrick, Eric Silva, Nick Zwack, Josh Bostick)

• #40-36 (William Kempner, R.J. Dabovich, Scott Bandura, Cole Foster, Nick Avila)

At least half — and quite probably more than half — of our first 15 players in this year’s rankings have been relievers, that most ubiquitous of players on the current baseball scene. There are good reasons for that: every team uses far more relievers than any other position, they’re in great demand, and they need the narrowest skillset in order to be successful in their prescribed role. Have strong arm, will travel.

Still, an endless parade of relief pitchers is no more exciting to the average fan in a prospect ranking than it is in a playoff game, so I think we’ll all be happy to know that we’re moving into different realms of the system as we near the 30-mark.

In our last edition, we started slowly introducing hitters back into the equation, and today we’ll not only keep that trend alive, but we’ll have more pure starting pitchers than relievers for the first time in the series. Indeed, the last two posts will end up being the high-water mark for our bullpen guys, as we’re left with just a small handful from here on out. Bring on the starter types! I’m sure we’re all ready for them by now.