2012 SF Giants Minor League Pitching Preview
The composition of the Triple-A Fresno Grizzlies starting rotation is traditionally a mixture of homegrown pitchers that have advanced level-by-level through the Giants farm system and veteran hurlers, even some with past big league experience, that can be called upon to fill a need in San Francisco if necessary. Potential newcomers to the Grizzlies starting staff this year include a pair of pitchers originally drafted by the Giants in Eric Surkamp and Justin Fitzgerald.
Surkamp enjoyed an outstanding 2011 campaign at the Double-A level posting a 10-4 record to go with a 2.02 ERA and 165 strikeouts in just 142 1/3 innings. The 24-year old left-hander led the entire San Francisco minor league system in ERA and strikeouts and was rewarded with a late-August promotion to the major leagues with the big club in dire need of a fifth starter. Surkamp had mixed results with the Giants compiling a 2-2 record and a 5.74 ERA in six starts proving that more minor league seasoning is probably in order before returning to the highest level. The future remains bright for Surkamp as the unquestioned top starting pitching prospect in the upper levels of the system and the start of 2012 should bring him his first taste of Triple-A.
Fitzgerald, a right-hander who has moved up a level each year since he was drafted, could join Surkamp in the Fresno rotation. A relief pitcher during his first two years as a professional, Fitzgerald made the seamless transition to a starter with San Jose in 2010, earning California League All-Star honors. He continued that success with Double-A Richmond last year fashioning a 3.51 ERA and a 9-9 record. A workhorse, Fitzgerald led the team in starts (27) and innings pitched (146 1/3). If a spot is available in the Fresno rotation, look for Fitzgerald to join Surkamp in the Pacific Coast League this year, where a big year in mainly hitter-friendly conditions could vault him up the prospect charts.
Other candidates to begin the year in the Fresno starting rotation include returnees Andrew Kown, Matt Yourkin and Shane Loux (none of which were originally drafted by the Giants). The trio spent all of last season as starters with the Grizzlies and were each extended non-roster invitations to big league spring training this year. Kown had arguably the most success of the group, as the 29-year old right-hander was a midseason PCL All-Star en route to compiling a 10-9 record and a 4.48 ERA. Yourkin, a 30-year old lefty, posted similar numbers with a 10-8 record and a 4.69 ERA over 29 starts. Loux, 32, has past brief major league experience, but was just 8-12 with a 4.67 ERA in 28 starts a season ago with Fresno. Both Kown and Yourkin are beginning their ninth seasons of pro ball while 2012 marks Loux's 14th. None of the three are considered prospects, but their veteran presence and multiple years of Triple-A experience should help younger players in Fresno while a big league call-up remains possible in a pinch.
Other arms that could be headed to Fresno this season are familiar faces in Brian Burres and Eric Hacker. Burres was originally drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2000, was the San Jose Giants co-Pitcher of the Year in 2004 and then was claimed off waivers by the Baltimore Orioles prior to the 2006 season. In parts of six big league seasons, Burres has gone 17-25 with a 5.75 ERA over 106 appearances, including 56 starts. The 30-year old left-hander provides nice insurance for the big league team at the Triple-A level. He pitched in five games (two starts) with Pittsburgh last season (1-0, 3.86 ERA), but spent most of the year with their Triple-A affiliate in Indianapolis (23 starts, 5-9, 4.66 ERA). Burres was also a non-roster invitee to Giants big league camp this season.
Hacker struggled in the Minnesota Twins organization last season, going 7-14 with a 6.10 ERA in 25 starts for Triple-A Rochester. However, the 28-year old right-hander had a solid year with Fresno two seasons ago winning 16 games with a 4.51 ERA. A minor league free agent, Hacker re-signed with the Giants where he'll look to recapture his earlier success, most likely as a key member of the Fresno pitching staff.
Heath Hembree may headline the group of Grizzlies relief pitchers to start the year. The former fifth round draft pick enjoyed a spectacular first full professional season in 2011 with San Jose and Richmond. Hembree collected 21 saves and boasted a 0.73 ERA with the SJ Giants before a midseason promotion to the Flying Squirrels, where he notched 17 more saves to go with a 2.83 ERA. Between the two stops, Hembree amassed 78 strikeouts in just 53 1/3 innings and held the opposition to a .188 batting average. Considered the top relief pitcher prospect in the organization, Hembree will be under the microscope this season as Giants fans hope he becomes the next great late-inning arm in San Francisco. With an impressive showing in Fresno, Hembree, who features a mid-to-upper 90's fastball, could certainly make an impact in the major leagues at some point this season.
Steve Edlefsen, Dan Otero, Jean Machi and Wilmin Rodriguez may also fill important roles out of the Fresno bullpen. Edlefsen made 13 appearances in San Francisco last year (9.53 ERA), but barring a dominant spring and/or injuries to big league relievers, he's likely headed back to the minors. Otero was placed on the 40-man roster this offseason after returning to form in 2011 where he combined for a 2.31 ERA and 13 saves between Richmond and Fresno. Machi has 12 years of professional experience and spent most of last year in the Mexican League where he impressed with a 2.30 ERA and 15 saves. Rodriguez, a left-hander, was a key member of Richmond's bullpen last year, but will be looking for his first extended success in Triple-A.
Looking to the Double-A level, last year's three California League All-Star starting pitchers could headline the Richmond rotation. Chris Heston was San Jose's most consistent hurler last season recording a 12-4 mark with a 3.16 ERA in 24 starts. A right-hander with an excellent sinker, Heston, who will turn 24 in April, should take on a leading role with the Flying Squirrels and a big season would greatly elevate his prospect status.
Kelvin Marte and Craig Westcott may join Heston in the Squirrels starting rotation. Marte, 24, has interesting potential as a left-hander with a fastball that reaches the low 90's and a long awaited clean bill of health. The southpaw missed most of 2009 and 2010 due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John Surgery, but achieved All-Star recognition last year with his 12-6 record and 3.47 ERA over 25 starts with San Jose. Westcott has achieved nothing but success in the Cal League the last two seasons combining for a 19-4 record and a 2.93 ERA in 37 starts, but struggled in Richmond (5.13 ERA) during the second half of 2010. The 26-year old has a lot to prove if he's given a spot in the Flying Squirrels starting rotation this year.
Other possible starting pitchers in Richmond could include Fitzgerald, if he doesn't begin the year in Fresno. Daryl Maday has a long history in Double-A making 62 starts at the level with decent success over the last three seasons (4.47 ERA last year), but has struggled mightily when given a chance in Fresno. Andy Reichard (9-4, 3.38 ERA) had a solid year in San Jose, including late in the season as a starter, and could provide depth. Meanwhile, Hector Correa is an intriguing possibility as the right-hander just earned a spot on the 40-man roster. Correa made 43 relief appearances between San Jose and Richmond last season combining for a 2.55 ERA and a .188 opponents batting average to establish the 24-year old right-hander as a top prospect in the organization. Correa was a starting pitcher as a member of the Marlins system from 2005-08 and could perhaps return to that role this year for the first time since joining the Giants in 2009. If he's not a starting pitcher with Richmond to begin the year, Correa may jump all the way to Fresno while continuing to work out of the bullpen.
There are a bevy of relief pitchers in the organization and their destinations will have to be sorted out during spring training. David Quinowski had a solid 2011 season in Richmond (3.64 ERA) and the lefty will be looking for his first taste of Triple-A at some point this year. Mitch Lively is a hard-throwing right-hander who combined for a 2.14 ERA and nine saves between San Jose and Richmond a season ago. Jake Dunning is a former infielder that was tried out as a starter early last year in San Jose. After struggling, he returned to a more familiar role working out of the bullpen and collected 10 saves to go with a 3.07 ERA after the All-Star break. Stephen Harrold has what Baseball America calls the best slider in the Giants farm system and he put it to good use last year in Augusta recording 16 saves and a 1.54 ERA. The right-hander was up-and-down after a late-season promotion to San Jose, but then excelled in the high-profile Arizona Fall League. Quinowski, Lively, Dunning and Harrold were all extended non-roster invitations to big league camp and the quartet could find themselves scattered throughout the farm system to begin the year, with Quinowski most likely to start as high as Triple-A and Harrold the strongest possibility to be back in San Jose.
The San Jose rotation will probably feature the standouts of last season's Augusta starting staff, headlined by 2011 South Atlantic League Pitcher of the Year Shawn Sanford. A 23-year old right-hander, Sanford was just 10-10 last season, but owned a 2.55 ERA and issued only 30 walks compared to 107 strikeouts in 169 2/3 innings. Sanford opened last season as a relative unknown in the Giants organization, but a huge year in Augusta has led to a big league spring training invite and a likely place at the top of the San Jose rotation to start 2012.
Mike Kickham and Taylor Rogers were also important pieces of last year's GreenJackets starting rotation and they each appear ticketed for the California League. Kickham, 23, is one of the top left-handed pitching prospects in the system with a good fastball and nearly a strikeout per inning pitched last season. He logged a 4.11 ERA in 21 starts with Augusta and finished the year strong. Rogers was one of the top starters in the South Atlantic League last season with a 12-10 record and a 2.91 ERA. Like Sanford, he possesses pinpoint control and records most of his outs on the ground - a trait that should prove valuable in the hitter-friendly conditions of the Cal League.
Seth Rosin and Austin Fleet, two right-handers used as both starters and relievers last season, could be headed to San Jose this year. Rosin, a fourth round draft pick in 2010, finished the year strong out of the GreenJackets bullpen (2.57 ERA after the All-Star break) and has great size on the mound to go with a good fastball. A spot on San Jose's staff is likely, but it remains to be seen if it'll be a starter or in relief. Fleet put up decent numbers in Augusta last season (4.32 ERA) before a surprising late call-up to Richmond. He threw well with the Squirrels and then had an impressive stint out of the bullpen in the Arizona Fall League. Fleet could open the year on San Jose's staff or perhaps return to Richmond. Both Rosin and Fleet were also given non-roster invitations to big league camp.
Look for Brett Bochy and Jacob Dunnington to start the year as key members of the San Jose bullpen. Bochy, the son of San Francisco manager Bruce, was a dominant force as the Augusta closer during the second half after Harrold's promotion to San Jose. For the year, he amassed 53 strikeouts in just 39 innings to go with a paltry 1.38 ERA and 10 saves. Dunnington started the season in Augusta before a July promotion to the California League. Between the two stops, he recorded a 3.44 ERA, but proved very difficult to hit as evident by his .184 opponents batting average and 84 strikeouts in 65 1/3 innings. Dunnington is still only 21 and his future may even be as a starter, perhaps as soon as this year.
Drew Bowlin (2-0, 3.66 ERA), Edward Concepcion (1-1, 3.61 ERA) and Jose Valdez (0.00 ERA in 12 games after demotion from San Jose) pitched in relief for Augusta last season and could be in-line for promotions to the San Jose bullpen this year.
Highlights of the Augusta starting rotation to begin the season could include 2011 supplemental first round draft pick Kyle Crick. Drafted out of the high school ranks, the 19-year old Crick reportedly has a fastball that sits in the low 90's and reaches 97 MPH to go with developing offspeed pitches. Bursting with potential, Crick enters the year with only seven innings of professional experience, but a strong spring training in minor league camp could vault this power arm all the way to the South Atlantic League.
Fellow 2011 draftee Clayton Blackburn may join Crick to form an exciting Augusta starting rotation. Drafted in the 16th round out of high school, Blackburn was one of the top pitchers in the rookie-level Arizona League last summer where he posted a 1.08 ERA in 12 games (six starts). Over 33 1/3 innings, the 19-year old right-hander struck out 30, walked just three and held the opposition to a .140 batting average. Blackburn doesn't throw as hard as Crick, but with a low 90's fastball and a reportedly good feel for pitching, the Giants organization may believe he's ready for a jump to Augusta this season.
Right-handers Reinier Roibal, Kendry Flores and Joan Gregorio are also possibilities to take on spots in the Augusta starting rotation this season. Roibal and Flores both worked in the Salem-Keizer (Short-Season) rotation last year. Roibal, a 23-year old from Cuba, logged a 3.74 ERA in 14 starts with the Volcanoes while Flores, 20, struggled somewhat with a 5.06 ERA, but had nearly a strikeout per inning. Gregorio, 20, had a dominant 2011 season for the AZL-Giants compiling a 2.32 ERA in 12 starts.
Phil McCormick (1.19 ERA, 6 SV) and Derek Law (2.50 ERA, 4 SV) were top relievers for Salem-Keizer and the AZL-Giants respectively last season and should be moving up to Augusta. Law was a successful starting pitcher in college and could return to that role.
Finally, it will be interesting to see where several of the pitchers drafted last June begin their respective seasons. Following Crick's selection in the supplemental first round, the Giants took college relievers Bryce Bandilla and Chris Marlowe in the fourth and fifth rounds respectively. Bandilla is a big lefty with a mid 90's fastball while Marlowe, a right-hander who also throws hard, logged incredible strikeout totals (15.5 K's per nine innings) last spring at the collegiate level. Marlowe did pitch briefly last summer for the AZL-Giants and both hurlers could start the year in Augusta, with jumps all the way to San Jose possible.
Josh Osich was taken in the sixth round- also out of the college ranks. Osich was a successful starting pitcher at Oregon State, but has battled injuries throughout his career. A lefty with a low-to-mid 90's fastball, Osich could move quickly, perhaps with an assignment to the California League, if he's healthy. He was considered a top-two round talent in last year's draft before injury concerns scared teams away.
The list of pitchers currently in the Giants minor league system could continue further, but these are some of the names to watch as spring training gets set to begin later this month. The difficult decisions of finding places for these pitchers on the four teams (Fresno, Richmond, San Jose and Augusta) scheduled to begin their seasons in early-April will follow, not to mention the numerous hurlers (most not mentioned here) that will find their way to Salem-Keizer and the Arizona Rookie League come June. Meanwhile, we'll continue our series next week with the Giants Minor League Hitting Preview.