The Giants did very little this offseason to improve their lineup, and while some fans are worried whether the Giants will contend in the future they neglect one key factor. Their prospect-rich farm system. They are stacked with young players almost ready for the big leagues. The Giants have been blessed with a strong farm system, and considering players like Cain, Lincecum, and Posey have come from the farm success for these prospects is very likely. The coaching staff coupled with the players talent really projects good things for the future.
First we should cover some players who should make an impact who are already at the major league level. The first that comes to mind is first baseman Brandon Belt. While he only hit .225 with nine homeruns and eighteen runs batted in, he should begin to produce when given decent playing time. If Bochy doesn’t keep popping him in and out of the lineup he should begin to produce like fans hoped he would in 2011. Another player to watch this year is catcher Hector Sanchez. In 2011 he hit .258 with one RBI. While that is not impressive, he only had thirty-one at-bats. He has hit over .300 in AAA ball, and when the Giants finally give up on Eli Whiteside and Chris Stewart, Sanchez should be Posey’s backup and see more significant playing time where he can finally make an impact for the Giants.
The Giants’ prospects look very promising this year. The first one that comes to mind is center fielder Gary Brown. Last year on the Giants’ AAA team Brown hit .336 with fourteen homers and eighty RBIs. All while posting a .407 OBP in 559 at-bats. Brown is probably the Giants’ center fielder of the future and we should expect to see him start consistently in 2013, unless the Giants fade early from the NL West race then we should see him as a September call-up. Brown has shown the most promise among the Giants’ prospects and hopefully that promise will turn him into a star. Another batting prospect the Giants have is outfielder Francisco Peguero. In 2011 he posted a .309 batting average while posting a .318 OBP in AA Richmond. He also promises to be a potential star for the Giants. Now onto pitchers. RHP Heath Hembree is another hyped Giants prospect. Last year in AA Richmond Hembree posted a 2.83 ERA in 28.2 innings with thirty-four strikeouts. While Hembree is a closer, not a starter, his value to the team will still be high. For example when Hembree is ready in a few years if Wilson is still with the team the Giants could shop Wilson to a team that may need bullpen help. If Wilson’s value stays high the Giants could pick up a big bat. Another prospect that fans have seen before is Eric Surkamp. While with the Giants last year, he posted a 2-2 record with a 5.74 ERA. While this is not impressive, Surkamp still has a lot of value for the Giants, and with the proper grooming should develop into their fifth starter, replacing the struggling veteran Barry Zito.
All in all the Giants’ future looks bright. They have talent at the minor league levels, where many of them are just about ready to make an impact. In the future these players could become the faces of the Giants’ organization, and could carry the team to another World Series title.