I think most Giants fans think the 2029 draft was a total bust. I know that has been my general impression. While the first two picks did not develop as hoped, the draft is actually looking quite strong in later rounds.
1. Hunter Bishop OF, College: Underslot- $640 K
As discussed extensively, finally had a healthy season in 2024 but needs to stay healthy and step up his game in 2025. Still has outside shot at a MLB career with the Giants.
2. Logan Wyatt 1B, College: Underslot- $442, 500
Retired 8/10/2024. Was the new "god of walks" in college. Never got traction on his pro career.
3. Grant McCray CF, HS: Overslot- $6, 200
5-tool athlete who was raw when drafted. Slow to find traction in the pros but advanced steadily over the last 3 seasons. Ended 2024 as the Giants starting CF. Probably needs a bit more seasoning but has a chance to be a plus player in all phases of the game.
4. Tyler Fitzgerald SS, College: Underslot- $$2,500
5. Garrett Frechette 1B, HS: Overslot- $425, 900
Released from A+ Eugene 7/23/2024. Bat never developed.
6. Dilan Rosario SS, HS: Overslot- $368, 200
Released from AA Richmond 7/24/2024. Bat never developed.
7. Armani Smith LF, College: Overslot- $77, 300
Waived by AA Richmond and claimed by the Twins 12/7/2022. Released from developmental ball 7/15/2023. Looked like a promising power bat at A and A+ levels in 2021 but regressed badly after that.
8. Caleb Kilian RHP, College: Overslot- $221,200
2024(Cubs): 0-1, 4.22, 10.2 IP. Traded to Cubs with Alex Canario for Kris Bryant. Had a promising 2022 minor league season but struggled in several attempts to pitch at MLB level. Missed most of 2024 with a Teres Major strain.
9. Simon Whiteman SS, College: Underslot- $132, 800
Released by AA Richmond 7/25/2023. Speedy but undersized IF from Ivy League. Currently enrolled in law school at Univ of Chicago.
10. Jeff Houghtby SS, College: Underslot- $123, 200
Played just one pro season in 2019 after the draft. Retired 5/3/2021.
11. Trevor McDonald RHP, College: Overslot- $700 K
Added to 40-man roster November 2023. pitched at 4 minor league levels in 2024 after starting season on IL. Started the final game of the season for the Giants with 3 shutout innings. Has 2 remaining options.
12. Chris Wright LHP, College: Overslot- $25 K
Has pitched well in the minors as a lefty reliever/Closer. Missed all of 2024 with an injury. Currently on the AAA Sacramento roster.
13. Harrison Freed OF, College: Slot
Released 3/27/2023.
14. Nick Morreale RHP, College: Overslot- $25 K
15. Carter Aldrete 3B, College: Overslot- $25 K
Nephew of former Giant Mike Aldrete. Released 1/10/2024. Like many other hitting prospects his bat hit the wall at AA.
16. Brandon Martorano C, College: Overslot- $25 K
Released 8/7/2024. Career minor league BA .220.
17. Connor Cannon 1B, College: Underslot- $100 K
18. Cole Waites RHP, College: Slot
Hard-throwing reliever/Closer type who got a cup of coffee in 2023 which did not go well. He then underwent Tommy John surgery and missed all of 2024. Some Giants-oriented bloggers are advocating for him to be added to the 40-man roster again to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft.
19. Kanoa Pagan RHP, College: Slot
Has pitched very sparingly due to multiple apparent injuries. Still on the A San Jose Giants roster.
20. Najee Gaskins OF, College: Underslot- $25 K
Released 8/9/2022 despite a pro career BA of .285.
21. Bryce Fehmel RHP, College: Underslot- $98 K.
Voluntarily retired 5/30/2022 after second UCL tear.
22. Javeyan Williams OF, College: Underslot- $100 K
Released 8/12/2021 after batting .209 at two levels in his first full pro season.
23. Taylor Rashi RHP, College: Underslot- $98 K
Claimed off waivers by the Reno Aces in the D'Backs organization 12/7/2022. Pitched fairly well at two levels with the D'Backs in 2024.
24. Evan Lumbert RHP, College: Underslot- $98 K
Released 3/30/2022 despite a pro career ERA of 1.56
25. Richard Rodriguez SS, HS: Not signed
26. Nick Avila RHP, College: Underslot- $50 K
Got some notice when he went 14-0 with a 3.00 ERA for AAA Sacramento in 2023. A couple cups of coffee in early 2024 did not go well and he was released and signed by the Orioles then released by them 8/26/2024. Getting to the major leagues is hard. Staying there is harder. Tough business!
27. Connor Beichler SS, HS: Not signed
28. Reese Sharp RHP, HS: Not signed
29. Brooks Crawford RHP, College: Underslot- $98 K
Claimed off waivers by the Reds organization 12/7/2022. Looks like he is still in the Reds organization.
30. Justin Crump RHP, College: Underslot- $25 K
Released 8/15/2021 after recording a 5.94 ERA with the San Jose Giants.
Summary: If McCray, Fitzgerald and McDonald become MLB regulars, which looks possible, this will be one of the stronger drafts in Giants history. Bishop, Morreale and Waites still have outside shots at having MLB careers.
Is Wright in the outside shot category?
ReplyDeleteIf someone like Rashi succeeds for another organization, does that add "value" to the draft?
Wright would not be the first player to ever come back stronger than ever from TJ surgery, so sure, he has a shot.
DeleteI would say a player that is released or waived by the drafting organization then succeeds elsewhere was not a productive draft pick for the drafting organization.
DeleteThe non-tender deadline is the deadline for teams to protect prospects from the Rule 5 Draft.
ReplyDeleteIt is scheduled for this coming Tuesday at 3 pm our time.
Have you thoughts about who on the Giants list might get "unprotected"?
So many very good players at the top of the draft that year- to bad the Giants weren’t a few slots higher. It would have been hard to miss.
ReplyDeleteFansided reported on Wednesday, SF "...was dealt just the latest in a long line of free-agent indignities, failing to land so much as an in-person meeting with Juan Soto."
ReplyDeleteThey continued with "As things stand, this offseason appears to be shaping up like all the others from the Zaidi era: with a smattering of lottery tickets that, without a whole bunch of good luck, won't push San Francisco past 85 wins or so."
This was after Andrew Baggarly reported "... that dipping into the luxury tax isn't an option, leaving the team with "limited resources to spend this offseason — perhaps $30-40 million."
How many eons ago did the Giants lead MLB and set a franchise record of 107 wins?
Hard to believe it was just 4 years ago.
Soon it will be 5.
If 2025 is just another .500 +/-, isn't it time to jettison everyone who won't be around for the soonest possible contending season whether it's 2026 or more likely later?
There are several "Giants" who will make good money in 2025 but do little to help the team in 2026, starting with the 6 who will be Free Agents in 2026: why not save as much of their money now as possible? Use that $20-30 million and Baggarly's "$30-40 million" and we're talking some real money to get the biggest-badest guys that will come to SF in 2025.
Pitchers like to come here but don't keep getting the 1-year and gone guys.
Alternative reporting suggests SF will have a Soto-Session, but should SF put $600-$700MM into one player?
DeleteSoto sure checks off a lot of boxes. I can think of worse scenarios than signing Soto and standing pat everywhere else. Whether he would agree to come under that circumstance is another question.
Deletelooking at this one particular draft list (i know, SS) one might see the argument for tanking. mediocre seasons increase the chance of a mediocre draft pick, and around we go.. p.s. love your site and appreciate the work you into it. great stuff. -e
ReplyDeleteThere is a reason why MLB adopted a draft lottery: Because teams were tanking and doing it for several years in a row to stockpile high draft picks. One season of tanking to get one top 5 pick is probably not going to suddenly make your team a contender but 3 or 4 top 5 picks in a row and hit on 2-3 and now you have a serious homegrown core to build around.
DeleteThis should have been the strategy all along and here we are 6 years later and still in baseball purgatory with a 500 record. I agree that this team shouldn’t even try next year or the following and instead trade everyone and anyone that isn’t going to help us in 2027. You can stock pile draft picks or trade veterans for prospects which is likely the best strategy right now while they hope to get a few top 5 picks over the years.
DeleteThe flip side is there are teams out there that perennially draft in the top 5 or 10 and never build a core.
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