Gregory Santos

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #23 prospect in 2021
  TRACK RECORD: Santos came to the Giants with righthander Shaun Anderson in 2017 as part of the deal that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Red Sox. He struggled with command and control over his first two seasons with his new organization, then missed most of 2019 with injuries to his shoulder and hamstring. Santos was one of the Giants' most impressive pitchers at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos has a power fastball that averages 97 mph and touches 100. While his fastball's pure velocity is excellent, Santos' next goal will be to optimize the pitch by making it spin more efficiently. Outside evaluators noticed a bit of a downtick in his stuff when he pitched out of the stretch, which is something to monitor. His slider gives him a second potential plus pitch and he also throws a changeup, but he won't need the pitch much in the bullpen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite no experience above low Class A, Santos was added to the 40-man roster based on the strength of his instructional league showing. He should start 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a one-inning power reliever.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #21 prospect in 2020
  TRACK RECORD: Santos signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 28, 2015—the exact date is important because it means he is not eligible for the Rule 5 draft until after 2020—and spent two seasons in their system. He was dealt to the Giants in 2017 along with righthander Shaun Anderson in the deal that brought shortstop Eduardo Nunez to Boston. Since then, his promising right arm has been shelved multiple times due to injuries. He missed time in 2018 after being hit in the head with a line drive, and then was limited to just eight starts in 2019 because of injuries to muscles in his shoulder and lat.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos uses an imposing frame to pump naturally cutting fastballs in the mid-toupper 90s and couples the pitch with a potentially plus slider. He has a changeup as a third pitch, but it's behind the fastball and slider. Coming into 2020, the Giants wanted to accomplish two goals with Santos: Figure out why hitters see his fastball so well despite its velocity and movement, and keep him healthy for a full season. In order to achieve the latter goal, he'll need to focus on improving his conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: Though 2019 was a lost season for Santos, there's still plenty of hope. He'll return to low Class A Augusta to work toward his ceiling at the back of a rotation.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #7 prospect in 2019
  Track Record: Santos originally signed with the Red Sox for $275,000 in 2015. He was acquired by the Giants in July 2017, when the Red Sox traded Santos and righthander Shaun Anderson in exchange for third baseman Eduardo Nunez. After pitching in the Dominican Summer League in 2016 and 2017, Santos spent 2018 in the short-season Northwest League, where he made 12 starts. Santos missed time late in 2018 after he was struck in the head by a 105 mph line drive off the bat of Blue Jays' prospect Griffin Conine. He was taken off the field in an ambulance, but returned to the mound just 18 days later and made two additional starts before the season ended.
  
  Scouting Report: Still only 19 years old, Santos may have the highest upside of any pitcher currently in the system. Regarded as a big, strong, athlete, Santos has a heavy, mid-90s fastball that he keeps down in the zone with good angle, regularly touching 98 mph. Despite his youth, Santos does an excellent job of holding his velocity, and his fastball is complemented by a plus, upper-80s slider with good tilt. Santos still needs to develop his changeup. It's a below-average pitch right now that only flashes average. He has solid mechanics, does a good job of keeping himself in-line when going toward the plate, and as a result has average control.
  
  The Future: Santos should be ready for his first taste of full-season ball at low Class A Augusta in 2019. Although he has the upside of a No. 2 starter, there is also some reliever risk with Santos, who likely remains at least three years away from the majors.
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #20 prospect in 2018
  Acquired along with righthander Shaun Anderson in the trade that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Red Sox in July 2017, Santos signed for $275,000 in 2015 and quickly impressed because of his starter's frame, low- to mid-90s velocity (he touches 97) and promising breaking ball. Santos is years from San Francisco, but he has the best combination of easy velocity, durability and repeatability of the Giants' rookie-ball pitchers. His arm works well and he generates plenty of angle with his fastball, which helps explain how he generated three ground outs for every air out in 2017. Santos' fastball and a developing curve are the building blocks of a mid-rotation starter, although at this point, it's equally likely he eventually ends up as a power reliever. Santos has a long way to go as far as developing his control, he'll have to continue sharpening his breaking ball and he needs to develop his changeup. Santos is ready to come to the U.S., but he's likely still a year away from full-season ball.

Minor League Top Prospects

• 
  Ranked Northwest League #10 prospect in 2018
  Acquired by the Giants from Boston in 2017 in the deal for Eduardo Nunez, Santos is the definition of a high-risk, high-reward, projectable power arm. After two seasons in the Dominican Summer League, Santos headed straight to the short-season Northwest League, where he proved to have one of the league’s best pure arms. Blessed with plus-plus arm strength, Santos delivers his fastball in the mid-to high 90s with plus life. It’s a loose arm, and his delivery has a longer stroke with length. Santos complements the heater with a slider that projects to be a plus offering. However, Santos gets poor direction with his front side and often misses across the body. Because of inconsistent command and lack of an effective changeup, Santos profiles better pitching out of the back end of a bullpen than as a starter. He could move quickly in that role, but there is no reason to move him out of starting just yet.

• March, 2021 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santos came to the Giants with righthander Shaun Anderson in 2017 as part of the deal that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Red Sox. He struggled with command and control over his first two seasons with his new organization, then missed most of 2019 with injuries to his shoulder and hamstring. Santos was one of the Giants' most impressive pitchers at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos has a power fastball that averages 97 mph and touches 100. While his fastball's pure velocity is excellent, Santos' next goal will be to optimize the pitch by making it spin more efficiently. Outside evaluators noticed a bit of a downtick in his stuff when he pitched out of the stretch, which is something to monitor. His slider gives him a second potential plus pitch and he also throws a changeup, but he won't need the pitch much in the bullpen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite no experience above low Class A, Santos was added to the 40-man roster based on the strength of his instructional league showing. He should start 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a one-inning power reliever.
• December, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santos came to the Giants with righthander Shaun Anderson in 2017 as part of the deal that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Red Sox. He struggled with command and control over his first two seasons with his new organization, then missed most of 2019 with injuries to his shoulder and hamstring. Santos was one of the Giants' most impressive pitchers at instructional league.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos has a power fastball that averages 97 mph and touches 100. While his fastball's pure velocity is excellent, Santos' next goal will be to optimize the pitch by making it spin more efficiently. Outside evaluators noticed a bit of a downtick in his stuff when he pitched out of the stretch, which is something to monitor. His slider gives him a second potential plus pitch and he also throws a changeup, but he won't need the pitch much in the bullpen.
  
  THE FUTURE: Despite no experience above low Class A, Santos was added to the 40-man roster based on the strength of his instructional league showing. He should start 2021 at high Class A and could move quickly as a one-inning power reliever.
• July, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santos signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 28, 2015—the exact date is important because it means he is not eligible for the Rule 5 draft until after 2020—and spent two seasons in their system. He was dealt to the Giants in 2017 along with righthander Shaun Anderson in the deal that brought shortstop Eduardo Nunez to Boston. Since then, his promising right arm has been shelved multiple times due to injuries. He missed time in 2018 after being hit in the head with a line drive, and then was limited to just eight starts in 2019 because of injuries to muscles in his shoulder and lat.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos uses an imposing frame to pump naturally cutting fastballs in the mid-toupper 90s and couples the pitch with a potentially plus slider. He has a changeup as a third pitch, but it’s behind the fastball and slider. Coming into 2020, the Giants wanted to accomplish two goals with Santos: Figure out why hitters see his fastball so well despite its velocity and movement, and keep him healthy for a full season. In order to achieve the latter goal, he’ll need to focus on improving his conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: Though 2019 was a lost season for Santos, there’s still plenty of hope. He’ll return to low Class A Augusta to work toward his ceiling at the back of a rotation.
• February, 2020 Scouting Report
  TRACK RECORD: Santos signed with the Red Sox on Aug. 28, 2015—the exact date is important because it means he is not eligible for the Rule 5 draft until after 2020—and spent two seasons in their system. He was dealt to the Giants in 2017 along with righthander Shaun Anderson in the deal that brought shortstop Eduardo Nunez to Boston. Since then, his promising right arm has been shelved multiple times due to injuries. He missed time in 2018 after being hit in the head with a line drive, and then was limited to just eight starts in 2019 because of injuries to muscles in his shoulder and lat.
  
  SCOUTING REPORT: Santos uses an imposing frame to pump naturally cutting fastballs in the mid-toupper 90s and couples the pitch with a potentially plus slider. He has a changeup as a third pitch, but it's behind the fastball and slider. Coming into 2020, the Giants wanted to accomplish two goals with Santos: Figure out why hitters see his fastball so well despite its velocity and movement, and keep him healthy for a full season. In order to achieve the latter goal, he'll need to focus on improving his conditioning.
  
  THE FUTURE: Though 2019 was a lost season for Santos, there's still plenty of hope. He'll return to low Class A Augusta to work toward his ceiling at the back of a rotation.
• July, 2018 Scouting Report
  Acquired with Anderson last year in the trade that sent Eduardo Nunez to the Red Sox, Santos is the highest-ceiling starting pitching prospect in the Giants system. He’s years away from San Francisco, but it’s easy to get excited about a physical 6-foot-7 righthander with advanced control for his age, a 93-95 mph fastball that touches 98 and a hard breaking ball (it’s on the borderline between a curve and a slider) that could be plus. He’s still figuring out his command, having allowed more than a hit per inning at short-season.