Bright Prospects

Sep 5, 2026 | Latest Post, Out of Left Field

by DrLefty

I’m tired of talking about how bad the Giants are, the countdown to avoid 100 losses, yada, yada, yada. This season started badly, stayed bad, got worse. I think the best record the Giants ever had was 2-3 (or at least that’s the closest they ever got to .500). I’m also tired/jet-lagged after flying home from Maui yesterday (cue the teeny-tiny violins) and not sleeping well.

This is the week that several of the Giants’ minor league affiliates finish their regular season and head into the playoffs. Let’s talk about that, and some of our brightest prospects instead. Does’t that sound like more fun?

 

Affiliates

The San Jose Giants (A), Eugene Emeralds (A+), and Richmond Flying Squirrels (AA) all punched their playoff tickets back in July. Let’s look at each of them in turn. For each, I’ll give a little overview of their season and upcoming playoff series, followed by “top prospects to watch” (from the Giants’ top 30) and “sleepers” (other interesting players on the roster).

 

San Jose (78-52)

The “little” Giants are finishing out their regular season on the road against the Fresno Grizzlies. Going into today’s play, San Jose has won 13 of their last 15 games. They open their first-round (division) series on Tuesday, September 8, on the road. It looks like they also will play Fresno in that round, if I’m reading the procedures correctly. Then the second and third games (if necessary for Game 3; it’s a best two-of-three) would be in San Jose. With a run differential of +176, the Giants are by far the best team in the California League. The second-best team is +26!  The Giants won the Cal League championship last year, and you never know what can happen in these short series, but they certainly should be the favorites to repeat.

Top Prospects to Watch*: Josuar Gonzalez, Jackson Flora (obviously)

Sleepers to Watch: 2026 draftees Tanner Mally (OF) and Eric Nachtsheim (RHP)

*Note that Luis Hernandez and Peyton Bonds are currently on the IL

 

Eugene (78-51)

Eugene will be playing a best-of-five series against Vancouver, again starting on the road for two games with the final three at home (if necessary for Games 4-5). Again, Eugene is by far the best team in the league as to record and run differential, but they trail Vancouver by half a game as to their second-half records. Vancouver is actually under .500 for the season but clinched the second playoff spot with their strong second half. The Emeralds may also win the second half, but they clearly played better overall in the first half. They should still be the favorites in the NWL championship series.

Top Prospects to Watch*: Jhonny Level, Henry Lalane, Kaeden Kent

Sleepers to Watch: Jordan Gottesman (RHP), Cam Maldonado (OF)

*Ramon Marquez is on the IL

 

Richmond (73-55)

Compared to the two lower-level affiliates, the Flying Squirrels are stumbling into the postseason. They won their division in the first half easily but are only .500 (30-30) for the second half going into today’s play. They still have another week of regular season play before starting their playoff series on September 15–making it conceivable that a player(s) from Eugene could be promoted once their playoff series is completed.

Top Prospects to Watch*: Jacob Bresnahan, Miguel Mendez, Dakota Jordan, Trevor Cohen, Lisbel Diaz

Sleepers to Watch: none yet (unless there’s a late promotion from Eugene)

*Gavin Kilen is on the IL

 

A note about the Sacramento River Cats (75-58). They still have two-plus weeks to go in their regular season, but unless they get some help, they will miss the playoffs. They currently trail both Oklahoma City and Sugar Land for the best second-half record by four games. It’s not surprising that they’ve had a so-so second half (33-28), given that their best players are all on the Giants now.  Still, it should be fun to continue following top prospects like Bo Davidson and Parks Harber, along with “sleeper” picks like Scott Bandura and Joe Whitman (who actually is in the top 30).

 

Bright Prospects

Along with the affiliates all doing well, we should highlight the progress of a few top prospects.

  • Bo Davidson (OF, AAA, Giants #8 prospect): Davidson was named PCL Player of the Month for August and has now hit 27 homers for the year after this bomb last night.

 

  • Jacob Bresnahan (LHP, AA. Giants #9 prospect): Bresnahan, who was just promoted to AA this past week, won the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month Award for August. Still just 21 years old, Bresnahan has had an excellent 2026 season.

 

  • Jackson Flora (RHP, A, Giants #3 prospect): Flora, the Giants’ first-round (4th overall) pick this year who just made his much-anticipated pro debut last night in Fresno, is a bit of an honorable mention here. He threw one inning, struck out two, walked one, and give up an iffy double that a more competent 1B should have fielded. Flora is expected to contribute in San Jose’s upcoming playoff series.

 

  • Josuar Gonzalez (SS, A, Giants #1 prospect): Saved the best for last. The Giants’ 18-year-old top prospect is living up to the billing. Since his promotion from the Arizona Complex League at the beginning of August, Gonzalez is hitting .357/.443/.548/.991 with 11 extra-base hits and 8 stolen bases, while playing a stellar, snazzy shortstop. This was his game-winning hit from last night.

 

OK, the Giants

Just a few words. The Giants are still mostly losing (except when they play the Braves), mainly because their pitching remains lousy. However, Rafael Devers is putting on quite a show. I’m now openly rooting for him to win the Willie Mac Award if only because it would make the Red Sox fans and media insane. Bryce Eldridge continues to have a fine rookie season, including a game-winning double in Pittsburgh in front of his 93-year-old grandmother, who was seeing him play in the majors for the first time. And unheralded rookies Turner Hill and Jonah Cox provide some entertainment as well. Logan Webb is beginning to worry me.

 

Today’s Game

Giants at Mets, 1:10 p.m. at Citi Field

Anthony Molina (2-0, 3.77 ERA) vs. Zac Thornton (3-4, 2.93 ERA) 

Oh, just a hint to those of you who keep asking “Why is [name of underqualified pitcher] on the Giants/making starts/making relief appearances?”—Psssst. It’s because a cajillion players were traded and/or are injured. The Giants now have 15 players on the 60-day IL, which you won’t be surprised to hear leads the majors by a good margin. You’re not wrong that [fill in name] probably shouldn’t be doing what he’s doing. But unless they’re going to start suiting up hot dog vendors, this is what we have as we limp to the end of the year.

QUEST FOR FIVE*, baby! Let’s do this!  Lefty out.

*five more wins still needed to avoid 100 losses