San Francisco Giants Minor League Major Performers: June 29th, 2018
As the San Francisco Giants won their game on Friday night, five of their eighth minor league teams won as well. Here are some big performers who stood out across all levels.
The Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels offense exploded on Friday, scoring a season-high 15 runs in a bludgeoning of the Harrisburg Senators. At the heart of the outburst was third baseman Jonah Arenado. The 23-year-old picked up two hits, hitting a home run and a double, drew a walk, drove in five runs, and scored another.
Arenado capped off a four-run first inning for Richmond, hitting a double to center field that scored two runs. He was back at it again in the second inning, finishing off another big rally with a three-run home run to left-center field. After that blast, Arenado’s fourth of the year, the Squirrels found themselves comfortably ahead 10-0. His walk came in the eighth inning, keeping the line moving as Richmond scored their 15th run of the day.
Of course, Arenado has the curse of a superstar older brother, but he’s trying to make his own path in professional baseball. The Giants’ 16th-round pick in 2013 is playing at Double-A for the first time, and hasn’t had the easiest time at a level which is notoriously hard on hitters. He’s hitting just .221/.260/.364 and missed over a month because of injury earlier this year, but has gone through a little hot streak lately. In his last seven games, he’s hitting .348 with 10 RBI. His five RBI on Friday represent the most he’s ever collected in a single game as a professional.
As the San Jose Giants got the better of a pitcher’s duel, Logan Webb continued his fabulous 2018 season. The right-hander, whom the Giants selected in the fourth round in 2014, threw four more shutout innings, allowing three hits and three walks while striking out seven batters.
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Webb had to pitch through trouble, but he did so incredibly effectively. He gave up two hits in the first, but was helped out by an outfield assist to go with his first K. In the second inning, he struck out the side to work around a single and walk. He pitched through a pair of walks in the fourth to end his outing with a zero in the run column. The third inning was his only clean one, and it included a pair of strikeouts. This was his second straight outing with seven strikeouts, a total that represents his career-high as a pro.
The 21-year-old now has a 1.94 ERA for San Jose in his first season at the level. He has allowed just one home run across 51 innings, and has struck out just under a batter an inning (49 strikeouts). In 16 appearances (15 starts), Webb has kept his opponents off the board eight times, and has allowed two or fewer runs 13 times. He was a Cal League All-Star this year, and the numbers paint a clear picture that he deserved the nod.
For the Arizona Rookie League Black team, 19-year-old right-handed pitcher Luis Moreno had the best outing of his young season, earning his first win of the year. He threw five scoreless innings and scattered two hits, and didn’t walk anyone while tying his career-high with five strikeouts.
The Colombian-born Moreno was immediately given a big lead after a six-run top of the first, and he had no problem holding that advantage. He retired the first six batters he faced before an error started the third inning, which he promptly erased with a double play groundball. A two-out single followed and the runner reached second on a wild pitch, but Moreno ended the threat with his third strikeout. Moreno threw another clean inning in the fourth, then stranded a leadoff double in the fifth to complete his shutout effort.
Moreno was signed late in 2016, and had a nice debut season in 2017 for the Dominican Summer League team. In 13 games, he pitched to a 3.23 ERA and 1.25 WHIP despite striking out just 38 batters in 64 innings. He didn’t get off to a great start this year, allowing eight runs on 11 hits and five walks in 5.1 innings over his first two starts, but bounced back incredibly well on Friday.
Next: Minor League Major Performers 6-29-18
Others Of Note:
Derek Law (Sacramento): 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K
Dylan Davis (Richmond): 3-6, 2B (17), 3 RBI (44)
Bryce Johnson (San Jose): 3-4, 2B (14), 3B (3), R
Domenic Mazza (San Jose): 4 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Diego Rincones (Salem-Keizer): 1-4, HR (3), RBI (14), R
Malique Ziegler (AZL Black): 2-4, 2 2B (2), R
Braden Frankfort (AZL Black): 3-4, 2B (1), 4 RBI (5), R
Jean Pena (DSL Giants): 2-6, HR (5), 3B (2), 3 RBI (20)
Keyberth Mejias (DSL Giants): 3-4, 3B (1), 2 RBI (5), BB, 2 R