4. Tyler Beede, RHP
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 5/23/1993 (24)
2017 teams/levels played for: AAA Sacramento River Cats
2017 Stats: 19 GS, 109 IP, 4.79 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 8.2% BB
Info: Beede was initially drafted by the Blue Jays in the first round out of high school but couldn’t come to an agreement with the team and headed off to Vanderbilt where he had a storied career before once again being a first round selection, this time to the San Francisco Giants in 2014.
Beede blasted through the Giants system, and he appeared ready for the majors at the end of 2016, but he had a major set back of a season in 2017
Beede blasted through the Giants system, and he appeared ready for the majors at the end of 2016, but he had a major set back of a season in 2017, showing reduced velocity for the entire season. He has seen velocity fluctuations in his career previously, but typically for short stints, but he never recovered his top-end 93-95 MPH fastball that can touch 97-98 with excellent sink on his two-seamer and tremendous late movement on his four-seamer. Instead, his fastball sat down a couple ticks all season in 2017,and his numbers reflected it.
Without the premier velocity on his fastball and secondaries, Beede’s below-average command really became a factor, something that has plagued him since his college career. He has a quality cutter and curve and a fringe-average change when he’s on, but without command, each is below-average and none keeps hitters off of his fastball.
Beede has been noted previously for mixing in a slider and other fastball and change variations, leading many to think that he could benefit from locking down his repertoire and focusing on just 3-4 pitches. One scout went as far as to suggest to me that Beede could use a season pitching out of a major league bullpen, using 2-3 pitches to develop significant feel for those pitches, before allowing him to return to the rotation.
Of course, at this point in his development, Beede is getting older as he will turn 25 this season, so he really needs to establish himself soon or face falling to the wayside as a pitching option. If Beede can get his command even to average levels, he could profile as a back-end starter, but for now, he’s left as a major question for the San Francisco Giants, who will likely send him to AAA to open 2018.
3. Steven Duggar, OF
Birthday (age on opening day 2018): 11/4/1993 (24)
2017 teams/levels played for: Arizona Rookie League Giants, high-A San Jose Giants, AAA Sacramento River Cats
2017 Stats: .262/.365/.445, 192 PA, 6 HR, 10 SB, 27/54 BB/K
Info: Consistently overlooked in his collegiate career at Clemson, causing him to fall to the San Francisco Giants in the 6th round of the 2015 draft, and even after a solid 2016 season, he’s seemed to slide under the radar for many.
Duggar has a very solid eye and has good pitch recognition. While he shows above-average raw power in the cage, but he often struggles to set up consistently to get to that power in games, though he does spray line drives from line to line.
Defensively, Duggar is a solid, albeit not spectacular center fielder. He has excellent instincts, an above-average arm, and above-average routes to balls that allows him to play center well and be a quality option for the Giants at the big league level.
After improving his quickness and reads on the bases, Duggar has the opportunity to play significant time for the San Francisco Giants this season in center field. He should split time with Austin Jackson to open the season, but he could end up taking the job from Jackson with good play.
Next: #1 and #2