Spring Training 2026 is closer than it’s ever been … but it’s only getting closer. We won’t be done with our communal rank of the top 44 prospects in the San Francisco Giants organization by then, but we’ll be a little bit closer. We almost have a top 30!

The next name on our list is someone who burst onto the scene a bit this year: it’s right-handed pitcher Alberto Laroche, who makes his CPL debut as the No. 28 prospect in the system.

Laroche, who turned 20 last month, was a modest ($42,500) signing out of the Dominican Republic in 2024. He didn’t really get to make an impression in his debut season, as he was limited to just two appearances and three innings. But he pitched a more normal workload in the Dominican Summer League this past season, and the results were delightful: in 10 starts, he had a tidy 2.11 ERA and a 3.12 FIP. While his strikeout numbers were more decent than notable — he had 8.0 strikeouts per nine innings — his Logan Webb-esque ability to avoid free passes and induce groundballs was thrilling. Laroche walked just six batters all year, good for just 1.4 per nine innings, and he had a staggering 61.3% groundball rate. There were 82 pitchers in the Giants system who threw at least 30 innings last year, and Laroche was first (by a mile) in walks per nine, and second in groundball rate.

All of that might point to a finesse pitcher who is lacking in high-end stuff, but that doesn’t appear to be the case for Laroche. His sinker and his four-seam fastball both sit mid-90s and touch high-90s, and that came as a 19-year old … it wouldn’t be surprising if there’s a bit more gas in that tank. He also has a quality slider and a work-in-progress changeup.

For better or for worse, Laroche has a little bit of Tim Lincecum in him. He’s not a physically imposing pitcher, but he has some impressive extension that helps all of his pitches play up. He’s almost certainly headed for the states in the 2026 season, and it will be fascinating to see how he does against more advanced hitters. Laroche has the type of talent and arsenal that could make him a top-10 player on this list in a year or two. Let’s hope he can get there.

Now let’s add to the list, and a reminder that voting now takes place in the comment section, using the “rec” feature.

The list so far

Note: Clicking on the above names will link to the CPL where they were voted onto the list.

No. 29 prospect nominees

Rayner Arias — 19.8-year old OF — .173 OPS/-42 wRC+ in Low-A (30 PA); .699 OPS/87 wRC+ in ACL (178 PA)

Carlos De La Rosa — 18.1-year old LHP — 4.73 ERA/2.30 FIP in DSL (32.1 IP)

Lisbel Diaz — 20.5-year old OF — .725 OPS/96 wRC+ in Low-A (561 PA)

Trent Harris — 26.11-year old RHP — 5.44 ERA/4.69 FIP in AAA (41.1 IP); 1.69 ERA/1.73 FIP in AA (16 IP)

Diego Velasquez — 22.3-year...

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