Two SF Giants minor league teams including San Jose Giants win championships
The San Jose Giants won their first championship since 2010.
DENVER — On the same night the Giants secured their 100th win, two of the franchise’s minor league affiliates hoisted championship trophies.
Shortly after the Giants wrapped up a 7-2 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field on Friday to become the fourth team in the franchise’s San Francisco era to reach the 100-win threshold, the Low-A San Jose Giants and High-A Eugene Emeralds each won their league championships.
Champions! pic.twitter.com/haFNhJtSbH
— Joe Ritzo (@JoeRitzo) September 25, 2021
The Emeralds, who became the Giants’ High-A affiliate prior to the start of the 2021 season, defeated the Spokane Indians 5-0 in Game 4 of a best-of-five series behind five strong innings from one of the franchise’s top pitching prospects, Ryan Murphy, and a towering home run from the organization’s No. 1 overall prospect, Marco Luciano, to secure the High-A West title.
A new era of Minor League Baseball in the Northwest starts with the Ems on top.
The Eugene Emeralds are the High-A West Champions!#GoEms x #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/dSp1c7tl8n
— Eugene Emeralds (@EugeneEmeralds) September 25, 2021
The San Jose Giants became the Low-A West champions, with a 7-2 win over the Fresno Grizzlies, a former Giants affiliate that is now the Low-A affiliate of the Rockies. Top outfield prospect and San Jose Giants 2021 team MVP Luis Matos launched a home run while 2020 first round draft pick Patrick Bailey also delivered a RBI single in the win.
Neither the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats nor the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels are vying for a championship this year, but it’s a strong sign for the organization’s future that two of its affiliates were able to win titles in 2021.
The San Jose Giants, which was the organization’s High-A affiliate prior to 2021, won four titles in a six-year span from 2005-2010 including back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010. Developing successful homegrown prospects played a significant role in the Giants winning World Series titles in 2010, 2012 and 2014.