Before we get started with the individual scouting reports, I'm always amazed and dismayed at how fast false narratives get picked up and become gospel in the internet age. The current one on my radar is that somehow this Giants draft took a whole new direction and represents a clear break from Giants old management regime to the new one. I'm telling you, there is not a shred of evidence to support this notion! OK, maybe if it was John Barr's call the Giants would have made Bryson Stott their first round pick instead of Hunter Bishop. Beyond that, I'm really not seeing it. It's not like they've never taken a corner bat in rounds 2 or 3 before. It's not like they've never reached for a HS kid with tools. It's not like this draft did not contain any well rounded college bats or college closers. It's not like they've never picked a HS arm with projection before or hard throwing pitchers with control/command issues or reached for a HS kid from Puerto Rico. Yes, they took a lot of bats in the first 10 rounds and the entire draft leaned more toward bats, but that was also the makeup of this draft class. We may see a bit more gamesmanship with draft bonuses than in previous years, but the Giants bonus pool limits prevent anything too wild on that front. I like this draft, although I'm not doing cartwheels over it, but I see no evidence of any seismic shift in draft philosophy here. On with the individual scouting reports:
Round 11 #326. Trevor McDonald RHP, HS. 6'2", 180 lbs. McDonald is a serious HS pitching prospect who was ranked #183 by MLB Pipeline. He's got average height and build for pitching prospect with relatively longer arms and legs. PG called his performance in a showcase "electric" while hitting 95 MPH on the radar gun. PG also says he has "2 quality breaking balls and... potential for a plus change." He could be a challenge to sign. I'm not an expert on bonus pool rules but there's a reason why the Giants took him in the 11'th round which I understand gives them more flexibility to move pool money. Very nice pick if they can sign him. Comp is Logan Webb.
Round 12 #356. Chris Wright LHP, College(Bryant). 6'1", 205 lbs. 1-1, 2.59, 31 IP, 5.74 BB/9, 17.23 K/9, 12 Saves. Cape Cod League: 1-0, 2.31, 11.2 IP, 5 BB, 21 K. Two way player in college who took 256 PA as 1B/hitter with an .851 OPS, but the Giants drafted him as a pitcher. Numbers pretty typical for a college closer with big K's and too many walks. Fits with Farhan's obsession with lefty relievers, but again, it's not like the Giants have never drafted a lefty reliever before.
Round 13 #386. Harrison Freed OF, College(Butler). B-R, T-R. 5'11", 205 lbs. .376/.448/.683, 17 HR, 6 SB, 9.27 BB%, 14.52 K%, 248 PA. College corner OF who looks just a bit on the pudgy side, but is more athletic than he looks. Nice combo of BA and power while playing in a decent conference(Big East). Good numbers in summer leagues but did not play in the Cape Cod League.
Round 14 #416. Nick Morreale RHP, College(Georgetown). 6'5", 220 lbs. 4-5, 4.63, 68 IP, 39 BB's, 82 K's. Cape Cod League: 1-3, 2.95, 21.1 IP, 11 BB, 33 K's. Another big college pitcher with a strong K rate and too many walks. Wow! Like, we've never seen the Giants draft one of those before!
Round 15, #446. Carter Aldrete 2B, College(Arizona St). B-R, T-R. 6'2", 205 lbs. .280/.352/.460, 7 HR, 0 SB, 10.19 BB%, 25.00 K%, 216 PA. Nephew of Mike Aldrete. Kind of your average college 2B. No outstanding tools but not much of a hitter. I'll chalk this one up to minor league roster filler with a nod to a former Giants player.
Round 16, #476. Brandon Martorano C, College(North Carolina). B-R, T-R. 6'2", 198 lbs. .268/.366/.404, 5 HR, 10.05 BB%, 25.11 K%. Only catcher taken in the draft. Someone has to play the position for Salem-Keizer.
Round 17 #506. Connor Cannon 1B, College(UC Riverside). B-R, T-R. 6'5", 240 lbs. .319/.426/.660, 18 HR, 223 PA. Great baseball name. Power hitting lottery ticket. Pitched a little in college without success.
Round 18 #536. Cole Waites RHP, College(West Alabama). 6'3", 180 lbs. 3-4, 4.23, 72.1 IP, 55 BB, 118 K. Another college pitcher from a small program with impressive K rate but way too many walks. An obvious development project.
Round 19 #566. Kanoa Pagan RHP, JC. 6'2", 190 lbs. Well proportioned RHP with easy 90's heat. Couldn't find any stats.
Round 20 #596. Najee Gaskins OF, College(St Cloud St). 6'0", 185 lbs. .360/.453/.571, 6 HR, 21 SB. Speedy OF with nice numbers from an obscure college program. Again, not exactly a new concept in Giants drafting.
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Saw this on MLB Rumours >
ReplyDeleteGiants 11th-rounder Trevor McDonald says he’s preparing to put pen to paper on a pro contract, as Patrick Clay of WLOX.com reports. Precise details aren’t known, but McDonald says he decided to forego his commitment to South Alabama after securing what he calls “a great overpay deal.”
Richard in Winnipeg
Interesting data related to pitching talent on the farm system:
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/darenw/status/1136323012742012929
One has to look at in more depth before drawing conclusions (e.g., place an older guy in A+ to increase #Ks), but it is still interesting.
Yeah to say the Giants draft took a whole new direction is overblown. I would say there probably is a small change in draft philosophy in the type of players they look for because they have new people like scouting director Michael Holmes involved in it. I kinda thought you might say 2nd rd pick Logan Wyatt is a Zaidi draft pick because of his great plate disapline, but the bottom line is hopefully the system can start producing good major league players again.
ReplyDeleteAlways loved Chris Berman’s nickname/call for Mike “Enough” Aldrete
ReplyDeleteThe Giants had the 14th largest draft pool money, at $8,714,500. It just doesn't allow for much gamesmanship. Trevor McDonald is reportedly signing, that's a nice use of the 11th round pick.
ReplyDeleteChris Wright was the only lefty drafted by the Giants! I don't think it was a very strong year for lefties, but that's definitely the least amount drafted ever. Only one catcher drafted (Monterano) - well maybe that's why Zaidi does his waiver wire games!
I'd agree with you that there really isn't much material difference, just bloggers and writers looking for a narrative. But Sabean had the dumpster dive going for a long time, maybe just not as frequently. The strength of the draft was college bats and the Giants took them at the top, and 11 of their first 20 picks. Seems reasonable to me.
Carter Aldrete looks like a great scrapper utility guy to root for. Psyched for that pick.
Considering that since 2003 only three signed Giant selections after round 20 have been much of anything (Sergio Romo, Jonathan Sanchez and Brian Wilson), why wouldn't a team just make the next 20 picks to correct their most glaring weakness? Throw a lot of stuff at the wall and see what sticks.
ReplyDeleteOr, since all the late round success, for the Giants, has been pitching, and they have not had any success for starters since Bumgarner (except maybe last year), perhaps they should just pick pitchers after round 20.
It would be no worse.
For the record, Marvin Benard was picked in the 50th round in 1992 and ultimately made the team. And there are others, but very few and they haven't been Giants.