San Francisco Giants: Reyes Moronta Becoming a Name to Remember

In the world of prospects, young San Francisco Giants’ hurler Reyes Moronta is becoming a name to watch as he advances through the system.

Sometimes, it takes a couple years in the minor leagues for prospects to find their footing and start cruising through the levels. That’s been the case for San Francisco Giants’ pitching prospect Reyes Moronta.

Moronta spent his first five seasons in the Giants’ organization bouncing between rookie levels, Low-A, and A-ball, and didn’t reach full-season ball until his fifth season when he pitched for the Single-A Augusta GreenJackets. The results were mixed. He pitched to a 4.14 ERA and 1.390 WHIP over those five seasons, but showed great strikeout potential by averaging over 10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched. In Augusta in 2015, he earned a 5.73 ERA and 1.623 WHIP, but still showed the ability to get hitters to swing through pitches, racking up nearly 12 strikeouts per nine.

2016 was a breakout season for Moronta, when he got his first taste of High-A San Jose baseball and spent the entire season with those Giants. In his age-23 season, Moronta dominated hitters that were usually about the same age. He spent most of the early months as a set-up man before transitioning back to the ninth inning, and put up a 2.59 ERA and 1.068 WHIP, his best numbers since his debut season with Dominican Summer League team in 2011.

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He led California League relievers by holding opponents to a .195 average, though his seven home runs allowed a little higher than desired. He did all this while maintaining, and even surpassing his career strikeout rate. He struck out an eye-popping 93 batters in 59 innings, good for a career-best 14.2 strikeouts per nine, which also led the California League. He added 14 saves, all coming after July began, for good measure.

Moronta was so good in 2016 that the Giants added him to their 40-man roster the following offseason, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft. He was in big league camp for the first time this past Spring Training as a result, and he continued to impress.

The reliever, built like Jean Machi with a fastball like Hunter Strickland, only made four appearances but he made the most of each one. In 3.1 innings, he struck out four hitters while allowing just two singles and a walk, and didn’t let any of those runners score. He picked up two saves in those four appearances, which didn’t happen by mistake. Manager Bruce Bochy gave him those chances because Moronta fits the profile of a guy who can close games, and given some time, that might be his major league calling.

Moronta took his mid-90s, sometimes triple-digit fastball and nice slider with hard, downward bite to Double-A to start the 2017 season with the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He made his Double-A debut on Saturday, and was tasked with holding a 3-2 lead in the ninth inning. After a two-base error by right fielder Hunter Cole to lead off the inning, Moronta picked up his teammate. The Giants’ number-17 prospect (according to MLB.com) needed just 11 pitches to strike out the side and preserve the lead, getting three straight hitters to swing through strike three.

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If the bullpen problems persist in San Francisco, Moronta’s name could come up as a pitcher that could help in the coming months, albeit it is still too early to think of him as the answer. Even if the bullpen settles down up in the big leagues, September could be the perfect time for Moronta to get his feet wet at the big-league level when rosters expand. Either way, Moronta’s name is becoming one to remember in the Giants’ farm system.

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