Projecting the 2015 Roster — Who could return?
By Joe Ritzo
The bulk of the 2015 San Jose Giants opening day roster should be filled with new faces as players make the jump from Augusta and Salem-Keizer to the California League. However, there are also always a handful of returnees each year. Here are some players who suited up for San Jose in 2014 that could be back at Municipal Stadium this spring:
Martin Agosta, RHP
Agosta entered last year with high expectations after his 2013 All-Star campaign in Augusta. Unfortunately, the former second round pick never got on track with San Jose in 2014 posting a 9.23 ERA over 11 starts with more walks (34) than strikeouts (25). He spent over two months on the disabled list during the middle portion of the season in attempt to straighten out his mechanics, add velocity to his fastball and regain the bite to his offspeed stuff, but was only slightly improved upon his return late in the year. Agosta enters 2015 with a lot to prove. Given his draft status and what he showed in the South Atlantic League two years ago (2.06 ERA in 18 starts), he almost certainly will get the opportunity to demonstrate that 2014 was a fluke.
Brandon Bednar, INF
Bednar was a key member of San Jose’s team over the final two months last season. After batting a solid .275 in 74 games for Augusta, Bednar was promoted to the Giants in early-July. He showed his versatility making starts at all four infield positions while in San Jose (shortstop — 24 games, second base — 10 games, first base — six games, third base — six games) while often batting in the middle of the order. Bednar, a former seventh round draft pick, got off to a strong start in the California League batting .300 during the month of July, but a difficult August (.175 AVG) will likely result in his return to San Jose this spring. Bednar has some pop (five home runs in 48 games with the Giants) and his ability to play all over the infield could make him an invaluable part of the 2015 San Jose squad.
Joan Gregorio, RHP
Despite an up-and-down 2014, Gregorio was added to San Francisco’s 40-man roster this offseason and remains one of the top starting pitching prospects in the system. The 6'7" right-hander burst out of the gates in the San Jose rotation last spring registering 22 strikeouts in 14 1/3 innings to go with a 1.88 ERA over his first three starts, but things went downhill fast. After yielding 13 runs over his next two outings, Gregorio landed on the DL to work on his mechanics. He returned three weeks later, but made just one appearance before a back injury put him on the disabled list again. Once healthy, Gregorio was sent down to Augusta, where he finished the season. His numbers in the South Atlantic League were solid (3.57 ERA in 12 starts, 65 K’s in 68 IP) and all signs point towards the 23-year old getting another crack at the San Jose rotation when the 2015 season begins.
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Chuckie Jones, OF
Jones served as San Jose’s everyday right fielder last season playing in a team-high tying 131 games. As has been the case throughout his professional career, Jones struggled early in the season with the bat. He was hitting only .222 with little power on June 1 before gradually turning his season around with a steady effort over the final three months. For the year, the slugging outfielder managed a .256 batting average to go with 19 doubles, 15 home runs, 66 RBI’s and 17 stolen bases. Despite having already spent five seasons in pro ball, Jones was actually the youngest position player on San Jose’s team for most of last year (turned 22 last July). Jones has always featured intriguing potential of power and speed while he’s frequently been one of the youngest players on his team, but high strikeout totals (he led SJ with 150 K’s) and pedestrian batting averages have prevented a quick rise through the system. His slightly improved second half last season could be enough to push Jones up to Double-A this spring, but with the expected glut of outfielders on the Richmond roster and the up-and-down nature of his year in San Jose, it would not be a surprise if he returns to the California League.
Others: Other potential returning starting pitchers this year could include Joe Biagini, Nick Vander Tuig and Pat Young. Of the trio, Biagini would figure to have the best chance to move up to Richmond as the right-hander led the San Jose staff with 10 wins in 2014 to go with a 4.01 ERA over 23 starts. The trade of Kendry Flores to the Marlins last month along with Adalberto Mejia’s 50-game suspension to begin the year also likely opens a couple of spots in the Flying Squirrels rotation for perhaps Biagini.
Vander Tuig joined the Giants in early-August and had some nice moments in the rotation to close out the year. In his six starts, the former UCLA star logged a 5.06 ERA with five walks and 19 strikeouts in 32 innings. A sixth round pick in 2013, Vander Tuig is a strong candidate to return to San Jose. Meanwhile, Young spent the entire 2014 campaign in the Giants rotation, but struggled with his consistency (9–6, 6.13 ERA in 23 starts). After a terrific July that saw him post a 4–0 record with a 3.04 ERA over five starts, Young struggled to close the year logging a 10.53 ERA in his five August starts. He’ll very likely be back with the Giants in 2015.
Hard-throwing reliever Ray Black was promoted from Augusta for the final week and a half of 2014 and made quite an impact. Showcasing an upper 90’s fastball (that topped out at 101 MPH), Black struck out seven and gave up just one hit in four innings out of the Giants bullpen. This was after he struck out an incredible 64 batters in just 31 1/3 innings with Augusta (3.73 ERA). Clearly San Francisco took notice as Black was placed on the 40-man roster this offseason. 2015 could be a fast-track year through the system for Black, but a return to San Jose to open the campaign is a possibility. Fellow hard-thrower Jeff Soptic improved his ERA in the Cal League from 6.26 in 2013 to 4.60 in 2014, but walked a batter per inning last season. Ian Gardeck can also bring it into the upper 90’s, but had a 9.38 ERA over 17 appearances in an injury-plagued year with the Giants. Mason McVay was a solid contributor out of the San Jose bullpen much of 2014 amassing 83 strikeouts in 72 innings to go with a 4.38 ERA, but competition for spots in the Richmond bullpen this spring will be fierce.
Catcher Trevor Brown was a key member of San Jose’s playoff run in 2013, but often struggled with the bat last year as he hit just .215 with two home runs in 54 games. Brown can also play first and second base and is a candidate to return to San Jose. Middle infielder Rando Moreno was on the Giants opening day roster last April, but managed just a .218 batting average in 27 games before a demotion to Augusta. His struggles offensively continued in the South Atlantic League, but the switch-hitter has tremendous speed (26 steals in ’14) and could find his way back to San Jose.
Outfielder Jesus Galindo may have done enough to warrant a promotion to Richmond, but depending on how the outfield depth chart shakes out in the upper levels of the system, could end up returning to the Cal League. Galindo hit .268 in 101 games for the Giants and led the team with 31 stolen bases from the leadoff spot in the lineup. The oft-injured center fielder missed the last month of the season with a knee issue. First baseman Brian Ragira led the Giants in home runs (20) and RBI’s (82) last year and thus is probably more likely to go to Double-A than come back to San Jose, but a few factors could result in a return. Notably, Ragira did struggle with the bat in the first half (.224 AVG, 5 HR), struck out a lot (second on the team with 127) and committed 16 errors at first base. 2014 was Ragira’s first full pro season and the organization may want to see him refine some aspects of his game before taking a shot at the tough Eastern League. Then again, a .297 batting average and 15 home runs after the All-Star break could easily be enough to push Ragira to Richmond this April.
Finally, don’t discount the possibility of Mac Williamson starting a third straight season in San Jose. Williamson was the Giants’ co-MVP in 2013 when he blasted 25 homers, drove in 89 runs and hit .292. The top prospect returned to the Giants for the start of 2014 as he nursed an elbow injury that prevented him from playing in the field. While he continued to succeed at the plate, the elbow didn’t respond and ultimately required season-ending Tommy John surgery. Williamson is unquestionably ready for the Double-A test, but after missing almost the entire 2014 season, it’s possible the organization could ease him back into action with a brief stint in San Jose before moving him up the ladder.
