Let’s try this again!
Before we get to today’s chapter of the 2025 Willie McCovey Memorial Community Prospect List, I’d like to plug two excellent bits of content that should excite anyone who is a fan of San Francisco Giants prospects — which I assume you are, if you stumbled into this article.
Anyone who reads this space knows I’m a big fan of the work that Roger Munter does. Roger is not only the Bryce Eldridge of Giants prospect writers/podcasters, but a McCovey Chronicles alum who is one of the godfathers of the Community Prospect List. Yesterday, Roger published a piece that I look forward to every year: his annual post-signing date podcast with Joe Salermo, the Giants Senior Director of International Scouting. If you want to get excited about the team’s new class of international signees — and even get excited about future classes — then you’ve got to listen to the podcast, which you can do at this link, or through whatever app you use for podcasts.
Second, on Friday morning the esteemed Eric Longenhagen published Fangraphs’ annual list of the top Giants prospects. It’s an incredibly in-depth piece with a lot of information, and it’s always fun and fascinating and informative to see how different people view the system that we’ve been spending so much time debating. It’s worth a read for everyone, though perhaps not if you’re looking for a dose of optimism.
I’m glad I had those things to plug today, because I don’t have a lot to talk about otherwise. Normally this space is used to elaborate on whatever prospect was elected in the last chapter of the CPL, but for the first time in a few years, we have a tie!
With 63 votes apiece, Maui Ahuna and Jose Ortiz were tied atop the six-player ballot. Which means it’s time for a runoff. Instead of voting for the No. 23 prospect today, we’ll choose between those two. The winner will be awarded the title of No. 22 prospect and the loser No. 23, and on Monday we’ll get back to a larger ballot as we vote on No. 24.
Now pick your fighter! In one corner Ahuna, a soon-to-turn 23-year old shortstop taken in the fourth round of the 2023 draft, who had a .636 OPS and a 84 wRC+ in 107 plate appearances with Low-A San Jose last year, and a 1.063 OPS and 158 wRC+ in 42 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League.
In the other corner, Ortiz, a soon-to-turn 20-year old outfielder taken in the 13th round of the 2023 draft, who had a .855 OPS and 134 wRC+ in 112 plate appearances in the Arizona Complex League last year.
Vote and debate!