Org Ranking: 29
I've ranked every farm system, as well as the top 100 MLB prospects for 2015. Below, I've ranked at least the top 10 Giants prospects, plus an overview of the system and any other names of note beyond the top 10. I also discuss any prospects who might help the big league club in 2015, one or two prospects whose stock has taken a big hit in the last year, and a sleeper prospect who I think can jump into the main top 100 list for 2016.
Non-Insider subscribers: Check out the free Tampa Bay Rays top-10 prospects report to see what these entail.
Top 10 prospects
1. Andrew Susac, C
2. Keury Mella, RHP
3. Kyle Crick, RHP
4. Clayton Blackburn, RHP
5. Tyler Beede, RHP
6. Adalberto Mejia, LHP
7. Mac Williamson, RF
8. Ty Blach, RHP
9. Christian Arroyo, 2B
10. Michael Santos, RHP
Overview
Mella is the potential jewel here, and would probably have sneaked into the top 100 if his season hadn't been curtailed by a rotator cuff injury, although he did come back healthy at the end of the summer. He sits 93-95 mph with plus sink, generating a ground ball rate near 60 percent in 2014, with a power curveball that projects to be his swing-and-miss pitch. Crick had another year of poor command, and the odds of him ending up a reliever just keep increasing even though he has the size and velocity to start. Blackburn is at the opposite end of the pitching spectrum, pitching at just 88-89 but with good sink, plus command, and an above-average curveball. He allowed just one home run in 93 innings in Double-A, generating a 56 percent ground ball rate, and has walked only 75 guys in 395 pro innings, with consistently good strikeout rates. Beede was their first-round pick in 2014, a top-10 talent earlier in the spring who had a weak finish and scared teams with his wobbly command and difficulty pitching out of trouble; it's a No. 2-starter package in terms of stuff, size and delivery, and if you're a Giants fan, well, In Tidrow We Trust. Williamson missed most of the year after Tommy John surgery, and with his hit tool his weak spot he sorely needed those at bats. Arroyo, their first-round pick in 2014, struggled in the Sally League but turned his season around after a demotion to the Northwest League. He wasn't too old for the lower level and returned to shortstop after the move down, although I see zero chance he stays there in the long run. Mejia, Blach and Luis Ysla (12) are all potential back-end starters, although Blach hasn't shown he can miss enough bats for that role, and Mejia is out 50 games after testing positive for a banned (and dangerous) stimulant.
Ray Black (11) throws 97-100 mph with a plus slider, but missed two and a half years with shoulder problems and pitched just once in April before another DL stint, staying healthy from May through year-end. He's on the 40-man roster now, and there's really no reason to wait for him -- if he's able to handle the work, he should be in the big leagues this year. Lefty Stephen Okert (15) could join him there after dominating high-A and Double-A last year. Cody Hall (13) just turned 27, but he's been up to 100 in relief as well and had a ridiculously good winter in Venezuela, allowing just one run and 10 baserunners in 17 innings as the closer for Caribes. Joan Gregorio (16) didn't take the step forward I expected, although he still has the above-average fastball and some projection, just not the results to consider him above all of these more probable big leaguers. Austin Slater (14), their eighth-round pick out of Stanford last year, is a better hitter than his draft position might indicate, with at least doubles power and average speed.
2015 impact
Susac should find his way into 300-400 at bats this year, spelling Buster Posey behind the plate when Posey plays first or is the DH in AL parks. Okert, Hall and Black are all candidates for relief work in the majors this year.
The fallen
Chris Stratton (18) was their first-round pick in 2012, but his fastball backed up after he signed and he struggled in the high-A Cal League as a 23-year-old last year; his upside is probably as a setup man who works fastball/slider.
Sleeper
Santos was one of the biggest surprises in the Arizona Rookie League this summer, an athletic right-hander who was already up to 93 with tight rotation on his curveball. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 170 pounds, he has quite a bit of room to fill out and add some velocity.