Inbox: Will Dubón have an everyday role in '20?
Beat reporter Maria Guardado answers questions from Giants fans
Will we see Mauricio Dubón in an everyday role next season?
--@AaronBuss9 via Twitter
Dubón emerged as one of the Giants’ most exciting late-season callups this year, so I think he definitely put himself in position to earn a starting infield job in 2020. He seems to have the tools to develop into an everyday player, as the Giants were impressed with his instincts, game awareness and pop from the right side.
I think I’m more curious to see how Dubón is deployed defensively next year. He showed that he can handle shortstop and second base, but he also started five games in center field during the 2016 Arizona Fall League, so it’ll be interesting to see if the Giants will give him some more exposure in the outfield to try to mold him into a super-utility player like the Dodgers’ Chris Taylor.
Do you have a list of top prospects the Giants have on their 40-man roster or prospects who will be protected from the Rule 5 Draft?
--@DKGooner18 via Twitter
Right-hander Logan Webb (Giants' No. 5 prospect, per MLB Pipeline), Dubón (No. 8), righty Melvin Adon (No. 15), left-hander Conner Menez (No. 17), outfielder/first baseman Chris Shaw (No. 21), catcher/first baseman Aramis Garcia (No. 23) and shortstop Abiatal Avelino (No. 27) are on the 40-man roster. The Giants opted not to add any other prospects to their 40-man roster ahead of Wednesday’s deadline to protect players from the Rule 5 Draft.
That means outfielders Sandro Fabian (No. 16) and Franklin Labour (No. 20), catcher Ricardo Genoves (No. 22) and left-hander Garrett Williams (No. 28) will be among the Giants' prospects who will be eligible to be taken by another club during the Rule 5 Draft on Dec. 12. None of them have played above Double-A, though, which probably minimizes the risk of them being poached by another club.
Obviously, the majority of Giants prospect talk centers around Joey Bart, but do you see any other prospects breaking through in 2020? Do you see the likes of Heliot Ramos, Sean Hjelle, Seth Corry (or any others) getting callups?
--Mike H., Sheffield, England
Ramos and Hjelle both finished the 2019 season at Double-A Richmond, so I could see them reaching the Majors next season if they stay healthy and productive. I think Hjelle in particular could follow a similar path as Webb and receive an extended look in the Giants’ rotation at some point in 2020.
Corry took some impressive leaps forward this year, but he hasn’t pitched above low Class A, so I think he’s a little further away than Bart, Hjelle or Ramos. 2021 might be a more realistic target date for him.
Any idea on who will round out the coaching staff?
--Larry H.
The only confirmed member of manager Gabe Kapler’s coaching staff so far is Ron Wotus, who will return as third-base coach. There figures to be a significant amount of turnover, as bullpen coach Matt Herges has already left to become the D-backs’ pitching coach and hitting coach Alonzo Powell has accepted a job with the Chunichi Dragons in Japan. Bench coach Hensley Meulens has also been offered a spot on the Marlins’ coaching staff, though he is also reportedly in the mix for the Mets’ bench coach opening.
The status of first-base coach José Alguacil, pitching coach Curt Young and assistant hitting coach Rick Schu remain unknown. I wouldn’t be surprised if Kapler tried to hire some of the coaches who worked under him during his tenure with the Phillies.