Heliot Ramos hasn’t performed to his ability this year, but he’ll get another chance to make a difference at the big-league level.
The Giants recalled both Ramos and Sean Hjelle Saturday, optioning reliever Luis Ortiz and designated hitter Willie Calhoun. Hjelle will likely pitch multiple innings in Saturday’s bullpen game against the Dodgers, which John Brebbia is set to open.
San Francisco had high hopes for Ramos, currently the 18th-ranked prospect in the system. He was the first player recalled of the season, making his MLB debut the first week of the year.
In his first game with the Giants, Ramos went 2-for-3 with a run in a win against the Marlins. But those hits are the only he’s mustered in 14 big-league plate appearances in 2022.
Ramos is hitting .154 with a .368 OPS in seven games for the Giants. He played four games in that April stint, one on May 31 and two in mid-July.
The 23-year-old outfielder has similarly struggled at Triple-A, despite the hitter-friendly environment. He owns a .223 batting average and .637 OPS for the River Cats. For most of his professional career, he’s faced older, more experienced competition.
Ramos joined the Giants in 2017, when SF selected him in the first round. Scouting reports have pointed to his combination of power and speed.
The Giants have used September to see how various prospects fare in the majors. San Francisco has used 62 different players this season, two shy of the franchise record set in 2019.
- The High-A Eugene Emeralds captured their fourth Northwest League title in the past six seasons. Many of San Francisco’s most exciting prospects, including Marco Luciano, Luis Matos and Grant McCray, contributed to this year’s championship
- Friday night’s 5-0 loss to the Dodgers brought the Giants to 4-13 against their rivals on the year. San Francisco has never lost more than 14 games to Los Angeles in a single season. Two more matchups await.
