By Chris Estrada (@estradadotc ):
Minor league baseball has returned to Municipal Stadium as the San Jose Giants are home for the first time this season with a four-game series beginning Thursday.
The Giants have begun the season with a 4-3 record, which includes a four-game split against the 66ers, and besting the Lancaster JetHawks in two of three.
The roster this year is filled with three top prospects and 11 familiar faces from last season’s squad.
California League All-Star pitchers Conner Menez and Dylan Rheault return for their second stint.
Menez led the squad in wins last year with seven, while Rheault was the team leader in saves with 21.
Outfielders Heath Quinn, the 12th top prospect of the San Francisco Giants, according to mlb.com, is back after missing the first half of last season with a broken hamate bone.
Last year’s team leader in home runs, Gio Brusa, makes his return as the new first baseman.
The outfielder made the transition to first and is already off to a hot start with two dingers this year.
Second baseman Jalen Miller returns for a second season and catchers Jeff Arnold and Matt Winn will split time behind the dish. Winn hit six home runs in 71 games last year.
New faces to pay attention to are pitcher Melvin Adon and outfielder Sandro Fabian, who are both top 30 prospects for their major league partner.
Adon has been rated as having the best fastball in the organization and he showed it on opening night, striking out seven hitters in three innings of work.
Fabian is the Giants’ sixth best prospect. The 20 year-old Dominican is a free swinger who rarely walks. So far this season he is hitting .280 with one home run.
New pitchers Mac Marshall, Logan Webb and Raffi Vizcaino will finish out the rotation with Adon and Menez. Marshall, a former 4th round pick in the 2015 Draft pitched only one inning in 2017 because of injury.
Webb had a 2.89 ERA out of the bullpen last year pitching for Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, but has been used as a starter early on this year.
He has allowed one run in four innings of work. Vizcaino threw five-scoreless innings on Monday on his way to his first win on the year.
After a short one year stint with the Richmond Flying Squirrels in 2017, Lipso Nava returns to San Jose as the manager. He was the manager previously in 2016 as well as the hitting coach for the Giants from 2013-2015.
THREE KEYS TO A WINNING SEASON
1. WIN AT HOME
Last season, home field advantage was not a factor with a 29-42 record. After winning the first two home games of the season, the Giants did not win back-to-back games at home until late July.
2. QUALITY OUT OF TOP PROSPECTS
In the minor leagues, it is always fun to watch the future. You never know who will be the future stars in the majors. Quinn, Adon and Fabian are top prospects to keep an eye on. Many Giants fans have heard of Heliot Ramos, the number one prospect in the organization. Even though he is starting the season with the lower-level Augusta GreenJackets, it wouldn’t be surprising to see the 18 year-old outfielder in San Jose at some point this season.
3. PITCH BETTER
The pitching staff last season gave up 533 walks, which was 59 more than the next closest team. Giving away free bases was a big problem that the Giants will look to improve on this season. Fans will want to make it out to Municipal Stadium this weekend as there will be a couple rehab appearances. Lefty reliever Will Smith will pitch an inning on Thursday. Then starter Jeff Samardzija is slated to pitch on Saturday.
