Spring Training with the Squirrels: Part 2
This is part two of Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson's report from Giants spring training. For part one, featuring notes from minor league camp, click here. Back across town at Scottsdale Stadium, Giants major league spring training features an assortment of familiar faces to fans in Richmond. Logan Webb, who
This is part two of Flying Squirrels broadcaster Trey Wilson's report from Giants spring training. For part one, featuring notes from minor league camp, click here.
Back across town at Scottsdale Stadium, Giants major league spring training features an assortment of familiar faces to fans in Richmond. Logan Webb, who pitched for the Flying Squirrels in 2018 and 2019, has cemented himself as the Giants’ ace after finishing 2023 as a Cy Young Award finalist. Austin Slater (2015-16), Tyler Rogers (2015-16), David Villar (2021), Sean Hjelle (2019, 2021) and Joey Bart (2019) are now all multiple years into their major league careers.
In 2023, there were 10 former Flying Squirrels who climbed to the majors for the first time with the Giants. Tristan Beck, Casey Schmitt, Patrick Bailey, Ryan Walker, Keaton Winn, Luis Matos, Marco Luciano, Wade Meckler, Kyle Harrison and Tyler Fitzgerald all made their MLB debuts last year.
Harrison, who arrived in Richmond as a 20-year-old top prospect in 2022, made a strong impression during his time in San Francisco after debuting last August. He is in line for a spot in the Giants’ starting rotation heading into 2024.
“We’re meshing well,” Harrison said from his locker, which sits next to Webb’s. “It’s great vibes here. We’re excited for the season to finally start. Getting to know these guys more and more.
"It’s kind of cool, all the starters sitting together here. You take bits and pieces from guys. You talk with them. You’ve got Robbie Ray over here and Alex Cobb, so quite a bit of experience. You’ve got guys like Logan, who has been doing it. It’s so cool. The biggest thing for me is just staying there now. You can make it there, but now it’s staying there and figuring out how to be the best version of yourself every five days.”
Harrison has continued to impress this spring, In his three starts, he has gong 2-0 with a 1.93 ERA. Now a couple years removed from his time with the Flying Squirrels, Harrison looks back fondly at his time in Richmond, despite falling short in the postseason against the Erie SeaWolves.
“The guys on the team, the environment, the coaching staff, the trainer, everyone was pulling on the same rope,” Harrison said. “When you’ve got everyone kind of fighting in the same direction, just going out there and competing, that’s really when we’re going to win baseball games. That’s what we did there. Unfortunately, we couldn’t get it done in Erie. I’m still pissed off about that day.”
Players usually have fond reflections on their time in Richmond. Playing in front of a supportive fanbase in a packed ballpark leaves a lasting impression, as does the clubhouse culture that has been in place the last two seasons under manager Dennis Pelfrey.
“I think Richmond is probably the coolest level to play at in the minor leagues for the Giants,” Meckler said. “Averaging six or seven thousand fans a night, it’s a great culture with the team.
"That team was also a super fun group of guys. A lot of times in minor league baseball, you go out there as a team and you’re trying to get your stats and get your hits. We were going out there trying to win. That is what was super fun about Richmond. Every game we had a team and a group of guys that was going out there trying to beat the hell out of the other team. It was super fun to play in that environment.”
Fitzgerald, in his own words, had an up-and-down time in Richmond. He finished 2022 strong, winning the team’s MVP award, and dominated in a brief return in 2023 before a promotion to Triple-A and eventually debuting in the majors at the end of the year.
“There was a time there when that was the lowest point in my career, and there was a time there when I felt like I was on top of the world,” Fitzgerald said. “To have the fans behind my back the whole time, and then to come back for redemption the next year, just setting my career up for success that way is something I will always remember. Whether I was hitting .200 or .300 there in that league, the fans just always felt like they had my back."
I was able to catch a handful of spring games for the major league and minor league groups, although unfortunately the Spring Breakout game between Giants prospects and Athletics prospects was rained out. Who knew it rained in Arizona?
My favorite was the last game of my trip, with the Giants going on the road to Goodyear to face the Reds. That night, the Giants had a lineup that included nine former Flying Squirrels players on the field at the same time: Harrison, Bart, Villar, Fitzgerald, Schmitt, Luciano, Ismael Munguia, Matos and Meckler.
All @GoSquirrels out there in this shot.
— Trey Wilson (@treywilson757) March 19, 2024
Munguia Matos Meckler
Luciano Fitzgerald
Harrison
Schmitt Villar
Bart https://t.co/3b89gzytrU
In that game, Harrison continued his strong spring, allowing one run while pitching into the sixth inning and striking out five. Luciano and Munguia each had a couple hits and an RBI. I even got to see a head-to-head matchup of 2019 Flying Squirrels when Bart faced Sam Moll, who is now pitching for Cincinnati.
Over the next two weeks, the rosters will be sorted out and the players will be dispatched out to start the season in San Francisco, Sacramento, Richmond, Eugene and San Jose. We’ll get our first look at the 2024 Flying Squirrels on the road at Somerset on Friday, April 5.
The real FUNN gets started on Tuesday, April 9 when the Flying Squirrels play their home opener against the Akron RubberDucks. Tickets are selling quickly, so make sure to pick up yours soon!
We will have some full interviews from my trip to spring training available in the coming days on the Funnville Nine Podcast, available on Apple and Spotify.