The Giants’ system is sound, led by Kyle Harrison and Marco Luciano. Both saw time in the Major Leagues in 2023, with Harrison having more success than Luciano. I still like Luciano long-term, but there will be swing-and-miss in his game that fantasy managers will have to deal with. Bryce Eldridge is an intriguing prospect with tremendous raw power, with concern about how much contact he will make. He looked good in his professional debut, so hopefully, he can build on that.
The system also has depth, with several high-end prospects in the lower levels of the minor leagues. Rayner Arias was one of the best performers in the DSL in 2023, and Reggie Crawford could emerge as a two-way player. I like him better as a pitcher, but he’s athletic enough to be considered a hitter at the highest level, and that athleticism should help him as a pitcher.
Prospect Snapshot
- Top Prospect: Kyle Harrison
- Biggest Mover: Mason Black
- Biggest Disappointment: Vaun Brown
- Emerging Prospect: Rayner Arias
1. Kyle Harrison (LHP)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2023 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 30 SP
- Tools Summary: He has a solid arsenal that got big-league hitters out. His control in Triple-A backed up, but in the Majors, he was fine.
The Giants were careful with Kyle Harrison while he was in Triple-A, limiting him to four innings and/or 75 pitches. After his promotion, he routinely pitched five innings, even once getting into the seventh inning. It all seemed to work as he was effective and pitched to a 4.15 ERA, striking out a batter an inning while limiting his walks to 2.9 per nine.
He has a three-pitch mix with a fastball that averages 93.6 MPH with a spin rate of 2240. While that is not elite, he missed plenty of bats with it (24.8% whiff rate), and that’s the important thing. Hitters do not pick up the pitch, which has been true throughout his professional career.
He also threw a slurve and change-up, and both were solid but did not produce elite whiff rates (24.2% and 19%). He did throw strikes, something he didn’t do in Triple-A; provided that holds, he should be able to pitch at the top of the rotation.
He’s going to be an outstanding pitcher for a long time.
2. Marco Luciano (SS)
- Highest Level: Majors ETA: 2023 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 15 3B or Top 45 OF
- Tools Summary: The bat has significant power potential, but the swing and miss increased as he faced better pitching.
Marco Luciano suffered from a back problem in 2022, which turned into a stress fracture over the winter. Consequently, his season started late, but he didn’t mind as the season ended with him playing shortstop for the Giants.
He has some of the best power potential in the Giants system with elite bat speed and a body that is filling out. While he didn’t hit in his brief time in San Francisco, when he hit the ball, he hit it hard, posting an average exit velo of 93 MPH and a max exit velo of 111.8 MPH.
Not only is he hitting the ball hard, he’s striking out at an alarming rate. He kept his contact under control in the lower minor leagues, but once he faced better pitching, he struck out 36% of the time. Granted, it was a small sample size, and he is only 22 years old, but that’s an ugly number.
The ceiling is an impact power bat with a chance to hit 30+ home runs. However, it might come with pressure on his batting average, with 100 points on top of that for OBP.
3. Carson Whisenhunt (LHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2024-25 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP
- Tools Summary: His double-plus change-up is his money pitch. He throws strikes with a 92 to 94 MPH fastball and a decent curve.
One of my sleepers coming into the season was Carson Whisenhunt. He was considered a first-round talent in 2022 but dropped to the second round when he was suspended after a failed drug test in his Junior year at East Carolina. He’s not a hard thrower, sitting 92 to 94 MPH with a curveball that is getting much better. But the stuff worked as he moved through three levels (Low, High, and Double-A), posting a 2.45 ERA.
It’s a simple delivery that he repeats; therefore, he should be able to throw strikes. If you add it all up, the ceiling is a number three starter who could see the Major Leagues sometime next season.
4. Bryce Eldridge (1B/RHP, #16)
- Highest Level: Complex ETA: 2027 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF with extreme risk
- Tools Summary: His carrying tool is his 70-grade raw power. However, at 6-foot-7, there are concerns about how much contact he will make.
When he was drafted, the Giants announced him as a two-way player. From what I understand, he’s likely to move to a positional bat full-time. His height at 6-foot-7 will make him one of the tallest current MLB positional players if he makes it that far. Remember, height brings length to the swing and plenty of swing and miss.
In watching some of his at-bats, he does an excellent job at staying short to the ball, so perhaps he can limit his whiff rate. Still, projecting anything less than a 25% strikeout rate is not warranted. What he will provide is huge power. He had some of the best power in the 2023 Draft and could rival Luciano’s, although Luciano has better bat speed.
He’s a tricky guy to draft in a FYPDs. You’re always looking for five-tool players; Eldridge is not that. But, one comp I’ve heard, and I hate to do this, is Matt Olson. Olson also has length (6-foot-5) but has been able to manage it. The last time I looked, he pumped 54 home runs in 2023 to lead the league. If Eldridge can keep his strikeout rate in the 23 to 25% range, perhaps the comp makes sense.
5. Victor Bericoto (OF)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 OF with upside
- Tools Summary: Plus power with solid on-base skills.
Victor Bericoto was a small sign for the Giants in 2019 and had a breakout season in 2023. The Giants started him in High-A, and he posted a .533 SLG with 16 home runs while posting a sub-20% strikeout rate. Shortly before the All-Star break, they promoted him to Double-A, where he struggled. He showed more swing and miss in his game than he had previously. He did improve as the season wore on but still only hit .237.
Signed as a first baseman, the Giants have moved him to a corner outfield slot, and he has played well there. While there is average speed, he has a fine arm, and the extra position flexibility should help as he navigates the upper levels of the minor leagues. If it all comes together, he can be a power-hitting corner outfielder with 25+ home run pop.
6. Mason Black (RHP)
- Highest Level: Triple-A ETA: 2024 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP or High-Leveraged Reliever
- Tools Summary: He has an intriguing arsenal with a sinker that will scrape 97. The delivery and lack of a change-up might push him to the bullpen.
Mason Black was a third-round pick in the 2021 Draft. He got off to a slow start to the 2023 season, posting a 5.79 ERA, and walked nearly four per nine in April and May. But when June hit, he threw more strikes and lowered his ERA by almost three runs. Ultimately, he posted a 3.71 ERA in 29 starts with a 3:1 strikeout-to-walk ratio.
He’s a sinker-slider pitcher that gets plenty of whiffs with both pitches. The slider, in particular, is plus with a 35% whiff rate. He also throws a curveball and cutter, with the curveball having excellent pitch characteristics. What he doesn’t have is a change-up or splitter to use against lefties. However, he showed no negative splits, so I guess the cutter and sinker neutralize left-handed hitters.
So, I like the arsenal despite not having a change-up, but the delivery gives me pause that his ultimate role will be in the bullpen. There is not only effort, but he also doesn’t use his lower half well and flicks the ball to the mound. It likely adds deception, but throwing consistent strikes might be a challenge.
7. Rayner Arias (OF)
- Highest Level: DSL ETA: 2027+ Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF with risk
- Tools Summary: He’s a big, strong kid with the chance for plus power.
Rayner Arias is projected to be a power-hitting corner outfielder. He’s athletic, with excellent bat speed and a chance to park plenty of home runs in Major League stadiums. As in many cases, it will come down to how much he hits, and the early returns were good in the DSL. He walked more than he struck out (19.7% BB-Rate vs. 14.5% K-Rate) while leading the league in hitting with a .414 batting average. It doesn’t get much better than that!
8. Grant McCray (OF)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 OF with extreme risk
- Tools Summary: He has loud tools but significant swing-and-miss in his game.
Grant McCray has some of the loudest tools in the minor leagues, but the strikeout rate is problematic. There is 70 raw power and speed, but there is length to his swing where it looks like he’s trying to hit each pitch close to the strike zone 500 feet. In “roster portfolio theory,” he’ll be on the high-risk, high-reward side. As long as you keep this side to less than 20%, given the ceiling, he’s a player I would be investing in.
9. Reggie Crawford (LHP)
- Highest Level: High-A ETA: 2026 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 45 SP with risk
- Tools Summary: He has the size, athleticism, and big fastball you look for in a front-line starter. However, he just hasn’t pitched much. Therefore, the finer points of pitching are not there – primarily throwing strikes and tighter secondary pitches.
When the Giants drafted Reggie Crawford in the first round of the 2022 Draft, they announced him as a two-way player (first base and LHP). He didn’t pitch in 2022 as he was recovering from TJS and finally got on the mound, pitching 19 innings across Low-A and High-A. The Giants limited him to two innings or less in each outing and then shut him down in early August. He posted a 2.84 ERA, striking out over 15 per nine while walking 4.7 per nine. He also got 19 plate appearances as a hitter, and I saw him at DH in the AFL, so I’m assuming the Giants have not decided on whether he’ll be a two-way player. For now, I’m going to assume he’ll be a pitcher.
I watched several of his outings on MiLB and was excited about what I saw. His fastball was up to 95 MPH with a pretty good-looking slider. I did not see him throw a change-up. The most impressive thing was the physicality and athleticism he showed. He’s big, well built with a great delivery. He needs to pitch, which he’s done very little of. I think you can hang a number three starter ceiling on him. But, if you decide to roster him, you’ll have to be patient as he’s sushi raw.
10. Hayden Birdsong (RHP)
- Highest Level: Double-A ETA: 2025-26 Fantasy Ceiling: Top 50 SP
- Tools Summary: He’s athletic with an above-average arsenal. He needs to cut down on his walks, but there’s the making of a number four or more starter.
There could be something here with Hayden Birdsong. He was the Giants’ sixth-round pick last July. He has good stuff with a fastball that sits 92 to 94 and touches 96 with a solid curveball and change-up. He’s walking too many, but the delivery is athletic and repeatable. While there’s risk, it looks and smells like a number 3 / 4 starter.
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