SF Giants release former Phillies, Atlanta infielder from Triple-A

The SF Giants released former Phillies and Atlanta infielder Johan Camargo from Triple-A Sacramento earlier this week.

Marc Delucchi | Sep 16, 2023

SF Giants release former Phillies, Atlanta infielder from Triple-A /

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San Francisco Giants

The SF Giants released veteran infielder Johan Camargo from the organization earlier this week. Camargo signed a minor-league deal with the Giants just over a month ago, and he received a big-league call-up less than a week later. However, he was designated for assignment once the Giants added more proven veteran infielder Paul DeJong and was outrighted back to Triple-A Sacramento. He hit just .213/.302/.340 in 53 plate appearances with San Francisco's top minor-league affiliate.

Atlanta Braves infielder Johan Camargo plays shortstop during spring training at CoolToday Park. (2021) — Johan Camargo plays defense during spring training at CoolToday Park. (2021) / Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Camargo has appeared in every big-league season from 2017-2023, spending the bulk of his career with Atlanta before joining the Philadelphia Phillies last season for their run to the World Series. Prior to joining the Giants, Camargo had hit .263/.340/.460 between the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers Triple-A affiliates.

Camargo was signed out of Panama as a teenager by Atlanta in 2010. The young infielder worked his way up the minor-league ladder over the next several years and made his big-league debut in 2017. Almost as soon as he arrived, he showed excellent promise. As a rookie, Camargo appeared in 82 games and hit .299/.321/.452 while playing all over the field defensively, including at third base and shortstop.

Camargo built upon his rookie campaign with the best season of his career in 2018. As Atlanta's primary option at the hot corner, he hit .272/.349/.457 with 27 doubles and 19 home runs in 524 plate appearances. A switch-hitter, particularly effective against left-handed pitching, Camargo's offensive prowess and defensive versatility seemed to put him in a prime position to be at least an impactful bench player.

However, in the years that followed, Camargo has never posted a slugging percentage in the majors above .384 and slowly lost his footing in Atlanta. After appearing in just 50 big-league games between 2020 and 2021, Camargo was designated for assignment and became a free agent. He inked a minor-league deal with the Phillies prior to the 2022 season and appeared in 52 games as a superutility player but hit just .237/.297/.316 in 166 plate appearances before he was designated for assignment.

Camargo was 4-for-18 with a walk and four strikeouts during his MLB stint with the SF Giants. It's been some time since Johan Camargo was an average or better MLB hitter, but the 29-year-old infielder is a versatile defender capable of playing shortstop, third base, and second base. He also has showcased solid platoon splits against left-handed pitching. All of that put together suggests he should be able to land a minor league contract next season.

Published Sep 16, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).