SEATTLE — Bo Davidson and Parks Harber were next to each other in the Scottsdale Stadium clubhouse this spring and took batting practice together every day before heading to Double-A. When the Giants made a series of promotions in the minor leagues over the past week, the two were again paired together.
Davidson and Harber debuted for Triple-A Sacramento on Friday, hitting third and fourth in the lineup. It’s a big step for two young players who now have a chance to prove they should get September cameos in the big leagues.
Davidson, the organization’s sixth-best prospect per MLB Pipeline, had a .861 OPS in Richmond with 19 homers, 11 of which came in June, when he was the Eastern League’s Player of the Month. He also stole 14 bases in 16 attempts while playing center field on an everyday basis. In his River Cats debut on Friday, the 24-year-old had three singles.
Harber, 24, was having a good spring before straining his hamstring in mid-March. His OPS in Double-A was .879 with 12 homers and 20 doubles, and he had a two-run double off the wall in the final at-bat of his Triple-A debut.
“It’ll be fun to follow those guys,” manager Tony Vitello said Friday. “Obviously, they’ve both got a ton of capability. Parks has got a track record that’s off the charts and Bo is just a great story in general.”
With the two heading to Triple-A, the Giants moved Dakota Jordan, Gavin Kilen and Trevor Cohen to Double-A. Jordan and Kilen are among their top five prospects and represented the organization in the Futures Game, while Cohen, an outfielder drafted last year, earned the promotion after batting .297 in Eugene.
It has been a good year for the farm system, and the front office hasn’t been shy about pushing players who are showing they might be ready for a new challenge. Drew Cavanaugh started the season in Double-A and caught the second half opener on Friday night, reaching base four times. Jonah Cox jumped straight from Double-A to the big leagues and Victor Bericoto has gotten a chance to show what he can do.
Davidson and Harber could be next, although this might be where their paths split. While Davidson is hoping to put himself in the mix to play center field at Oracle Park long-term, there still are some questions about where exactly Harber will fit. He came to the Giants in the Camilo Doval trade last summer as a corner infielder, but the Giants tried him in the outfield in Double-A, letting him start in all three spots. In his Triple-A debut Friday, he was back at third base.
The Giants have Matt Chapman and Casey Schmitt at the corner and Rafael Devers and Bryce Eldridge on the other side. It’s important for Harber to continue to show what he can do on the outfield grass, and Vitello said the reports were encouraging.
“He’s a get-it-done guy on defense,” Vitello said. “I don’t think you ever get a lot of flash. He’s moved all over the field his whole career and you don’t ever get a lot of flash if that’s fair to say, but to me I put him in that category of he seems to be a guy that just gets it done.”
Trainer’s Room
Vitello does not expect to get any of his injured position players back on this road trip, although Chapman (abdominal strain) started taking swings Friday and could return next weekend at home against the Los Angeles Angels. He likely will not need a rehab assignment.
The others will, although nobody seems close. Harrison Bader (plantar fasciitis) hasn’t played since May 29 and is going through a baserunning progression currently. Bericoto and Cox are limited by oblique strains.
Going With The Rookies
With Daniel Susac back from the IL, veteran Eric Haase was designated for assignment. That means all three catchers currently on the active roster are rookies, with Susac and Cavanaugh expected to split most of the upcoming starts. Jesus Rodriguez will mostly serve as a right-handed bat off the bench.
Haase had a memorable night at Dodger Stadium in May, taking Yoshinobu Yamamoto deep twice to become the first Giants catcher to hit two homers against the Dodgers since Bob Melvin in 1987. But he hit just .107 with a .438 OPS after that game and struggled defensively.
“We’ve got all three of the (young) guys that are pretty exciting, just to look at who they are now and what they can be in the future,” Vitello said.