Life On The Farm: San Francisco Giants (# 5)

So begins the Top 5...

Graduated To Majors: Matt Downs (3B, # 24), Travis Ishikawa (1B, # 17), Buster Posey (C, # 2), Joey Martinez (SP, # 30), Sergio Romo (RP, # 10), Waldis Joaquin (RP, # 11), Osiris Matos (RP, # 26), Luis Perdomo (RP, # 28, now with Padres), Billy Sadler (RP, # 29, now with Astros), Merkin Valdez (RP, UR), Madison Bumgarner (SP, # 1), Alex Hinshaw (RP, # 18)

The Rest Of The Top 10 (with quick commentary)
Hitters: BA-OBP-SLG, AB, HR-RBI, BB-K, SB-CS
Pitchers: G-GS, W-L, ERA, IP-H-HR-BB-K

3 - Angel Villalona: 1B
Hi A: .267-.306-.397, 292, 9-42, 9-73, 0-1
Quick Take: Have they moved him through the minors too fast? Lack of plate discipline says yes. Also the small matter of a murder investigation.

4 - Tim Alderson: RHP
Hi A: 5-5, 1-1, 4.15, 26-31-4-3-20
AA (Giants): 13-13, 6-1, 3.47, 72.2-76-5-14-46
AA (Pirates): 7-7, 3-1, 4.66, 38.2-39-4-13-18
Quick Take: Sent to the Pirates for Freddy Sanchez.

5 - Nick Noonan: 2B
Hi A: .259-.330-.397, 459, 7-64, 48-97, 9-5
Quick Take: When will the tools match production?

6 - Ehire Adrianza: SS
Lo A: .258-.333-.327, 388, 2-46, 42-66, 7-1
Quick Take: Showed some elements of a game, but would be best served repeating.

7 - Conor Gillaspie: 3B
Hi A: .286-.364-.386, 469, 4-67, 55-68, 2-3
Quick Take: Hit for a good average and drew some walks, but didn't show much power.

8 - Rafael Rodriguez: RF
R: .299-.392-.362, 127, 0-19, 16-23, 5-4
Quick Take: Actually came over to the states already and played his 1st year in the AZL.

9 - Scott Barnes: LHP
Hi A (Giants): 18-18, 12-3, 2.85, 98-82-7-29-99
Hi A (Indians): 3-3, 0-0, 2.13, 12.2-14-1-6-10
AA (Indians): 6-6, 2-2, 5.68, 31.2-35-7-14-29
Quick Take: Sent to the Indians for Ryan Garko.

AAA: Fresno Grizzlies (PCL)
Breakout Hitter: Jesus Guzman (UL): .321-.379-.507, 452, 16-71, 37-82, 0-2
Disappointing Hitter: Adam Witter (UR): .224-.300-.411, 107, 6-21, 11-27, 0-0
Breakout Pitcher: Alex Hinshaw (# 18): 46-0, 1-2, 3.96, 52.1-42-3-32-72
Disappointing Pitcher: Kevin Pucetas (# 15): 28-28, 10-6, 5.04, 159-173-15-50-96
Quick Take: Guzman appears to be a find and made his major league debut last year. Hinshaw once again dominated AAA and appears to just need a sustained look in the big leagues to establish himself. Witter struggled offensively at Fresno and was even worse at Connecticut. Pucetas was setup to debut this past season, but his struggles here have set back his development.

AA: Connecticut Defenders (EL)
Breakout Hitter: Brock Bond (UL): .333-.429-.409, 450, 1-33, 67-69, 13-15
Disappointing Hitter: Jackson Williams (# 16): .223-.316-.310, 300, 2-24, 35-60, 1-5
Breakout Pitcher: Madison Bumgarner (# 1): 20-19, 9-1, 1.93, 107-80-6-30-69
Disappointing Pitcher: Brooks McNiven (UL): 16-13, 1-4, 4.84, 57.2-74-4-14-20
Quick Take: Bond continues to show an advanced offensive approach and looks like his bat should be big league ready for next season. Bumgarner got to make his major league debut and looks ready for a solid career in the majors. Williams has struggled to hit at every stop and at some point he will need to. McNiven was the worst of a pretty good group of pitchers.

Hi A: San Jose Giants (CL)
Breakout Hitter: Brandon Crawford (UR): .371-.445-.600, 105, 6-17, 10-32, 2-4
Disappointing Hitter: Shane Jordan (UL): .237-.304-.295, 156, 0-11, 14-25, 5-4
Breakout Pitcher: Craig Clark (UL): 26-25, 16-2, 2.86, 147.2-131-19-36-135
Disappointing Pitcher: Oliver Odle (UL): 23-21, 8-12, 5.37, 117.1-159-19-24-79
Quick Take: Crawford exploded onto the scene and earned a promotion to AA, where he struggled, and now finds himself in the Arizona Fall League. Clark broke out and dominated Cal Leaguers. Jordan struggled and earned his release. Odle battled every 5th day.

Lo A: Augusta GreenJackets (SAL)
Breakout Hitter: Francisco Peguero (# 22): .340-.359-.437, 238, 1-34, 5-39, 15-5
Disappointing Hitter: Dom Duggan (UL): .220-.307-.311, 296, 3-33, 31-59, 23-11
Breakout Pitcher: Eric Surkamp (UR): 23-23, 11-5, 3.30, 131-129-6-39-169
Disappointing Pitcher: Mike Loree (UR): 22-21, 8-9, 4.67, 123.1-139-9-26-70
Quick Take: Peguero got a midseason promotion to Augusta in his first season in the states and acclimated himself well. Surkamp showed an unbelievable strikeout rate, especially when you add the fact he was a lefty. Duggan really struggled in his 2nd season at Augusta while Loree showed some ability in his full-season debut, but struggled to put up the strikeout numbers.

TK's Early 2010 Top 10 Prospects:
1) Angel Villalona: 1B
Top prospect baseball wise, but pending murder investigation may eliminate all his development time.
2) Zach Wheeler: RHP
Prep righty from Georgia was 6th overall pick and set to make pro debut next year.
3) Tommy Joseph: C
Prep catcher was the 2nd rounder this year and set to make pro debut next year.
4) Nick Noonan: 2B
Needs to start hitting to make Chase Utley comparisons come true.
5) Rafael Rodriguez: RF
Likely will start next year in Rookie ball as well with a chance to play at Augusta.
6) Conor Gillaspie: 3B
Hit well, but needs to start showing some power.
7) Ehire Adrianza: SS
Likely repeating Low A, but has all the tools with a lot of projection left (6-1, 155).
8) Francisco Peguero: RF
Toolsy OF will likely play a full-season for first time next year and may start at San Jose.
9) Thomas Neal: LF
OF hit .337-.431-.579 at San Jose with 22 homers and 41 doubles.
10) Eric Surkamp: LHP
Anytime a 6-4, 190 pound lefty puts up 169 strikeouts (against 39 walks) in 131 innings, he becomes an instant prospect.

Dropped From Top 10: None.

Final Overview: A system ripe with raw talent showed evidence of that after the prospects close to the majors got promoted. A lot of there guys have some issues with plate discipline, but most of their arms are high-impact. Villalona is a big key, as the heralded signee is facing a lot of time in prison if he indeed committed murder and would be a huge loss in both prospects and money. System has taken a step back with Bumgarner and Posey graduating to the majors, but likely still a Top 10 system on the strength of their pitching.