The 2018 Arizona Fall League came to an end one week ago. For Giants pitching prospects, there was plenty of good in the desert. For the team's hitting prospects though, hopefully this was just an ugly mirage.
Let's look back at how all seven Giants prospects performed, starting off with our top-ranked prospect before the AFL season began.
Heath Quinn, OF
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Quinn was ranked as our top Giants prospect in the Arizona Fall League for good reasoning. The 23-year-old outfielder was coming off a season in which he hit .300 with 14 home runs and an .861 OPS for the San Jose Giants. And then he went ice cold in the Arizona heat.
In 12 games played, Quinn hit just .128 with 17 strikeouts for the Scottsdale Scorpions. He failed to go deep, and all five of his hits were singles. There could be an explanation to Quinn's cold streak, though.
The past two seasons, Quinn has dealt with multiple injuries. But in 2018, he played a career-high 96 games, which were 21 more than his previous high. This could have easily been a fatigue issue, and the Giants have to be happy with his health right now.
Melvin Adon, RHP
San Francisco Giants
Adon was the Giants' breakout prospect of the Arizona Fall League. Added to the 40-man roster on Tuesday, Adon looked dominant for the Scorpions.
The 24-year-old went from the starting rotation to bullpen and the move paid off. Adon was named to the Fall Stars Game and went 0-1 with a 2.92 ERA. He only allowed four earned runs in 12.1 innings pitched, and three of those came in his final 1.2 innings pitched. The flamethrower also struck out 21 batters to only three walks.
“The thing that’s so impressive with him, it’s just so easy. It just comes out really easy. You watch him, and it looks like he’s just flippin’ it in there and it comes out at 100,” former Giants reliever Aaron Fultz said on Adon.
The Giants could go back to grooming Adon as a starter or place him on the fast track as a reliever. Either way, the potential should excite fans in San Francisco.
Garrett Williams, LHP
After a rough season in which Williams went 3-9 with a 6.06 ERA at Double-A Richmond, Williams had a big bounce back with Scottsdale. The left-hander went 3-0 with a 1.88 ERA over six starts for the Scorpions.
"I definitely think he has the potential and the ability to stay in the rotation as long as he commands the zone like he has been," Fultz said on Williams.
He still had some command issues, but overall Williams had a very promising fall and will be one to watch this spring.
C.J. Hinojosa, INF
Hinojosa led Giants hitting prospects at the plate ... but that's not saying much. In 16 games, Hinojosa hit .149 with seven hits and six RBI.
The good news with Hinojosa is despite struggling at the plate, he found ways to come through in the clutch.
Chase Johnson, RHP
Johnson's start to the fall couldn't have gone much worse. He allowed three earned in his first inning, giving his a 27.00 ERA. And then that number shot straight down.
The 26-year tossed eight straight scoreless innings to close out the AFL season. Among the Giants' roster moves on Tuesday, Johnson was outrighted to Triple-A after clearing waivers.
Matt Winn, C
Winn replaced Aramis Garcia on the Scorpions' roster and it showed why he's an afterthought. The 26-year-old hit just .122 and struck out 20 times in 17 games.
Sam Wolff, RHP
Ranking Wolff last was a big swing-and-a-miss. The same goes for opposing batters.
Wolff didn't allow a single earned run in the AFL. The 27-year-old acquired in the Giants' Matt Moore trade with the Rangers went 1-0 with three saves. He also struck out 14 in 10 innings and only issued two hits against him.