Giants final draft synopsis

I feel better about this draft after some of the later round picks.  Eleven decent prospects with a chance to stick (maybe more). The Giants plucked eight from BA's top 200 list, more than expected ( 200 / 30 teams = 6.7 expected ). Which is why the Giants staff has a real World Series ring ( some have two ) and I'm still trying to win a facsimile in a fan raffle. Hey, it's as close as I'm likely to get to one, right?

After picking two HS players a bit higher than expected, the Gigantes went back to the college ranks to find value. We already featured Arroyo, who I have heard some better things about ( maybe a HS version of Joe Panik? ) and Ryder Jones. And I did mention D.J. Snelten in my "brush with greatness" story. So onto the other picks of note.

If they can sign highly-regarded HS C John Riley ( # 148 ranked, picked #942 ) the draft becomes even more solidified than it stands currently. His sign-ability may have been considered an issue to get picked that low. He is committed to California.

Getting RHP Pat Young from Villanova ( #189 ranked , picked #402) could also be a coup if he signs. MLB.com has him at 6-7, 210. He would join Notre Dame RHP Daniel Slania, who is listed at 6-5 265 as future closer candidates.

3rd round pick RHP Chase Johnson from Cal Poly - San Luis Obispo may be more of a set-up man according to MLB.com's capsule. He threw well in the Cape Cod League over the summer but lost his team's closer role.

UCLA RHP Nick Vaner Tuig is versatile enough to be considered both a starter and bullpen candidate. He has command of four pitches with a low-90's FB and a plus change.

The other three hitting candidates are (in addition to HS'ers Arroyo, Jones and Riley):
SS Brandon Bednar 6-4, 185 from Florida Gulf Coast Univ. who is a solid, versatile IF with a strong arm. He has a quick, line drive bat and makes contact.

1B Brian Ragira 6-2, 185 from Stanford, considered a good pure hitter with some power potential demonstrated by 9 HR's in the wood-bat Cape Cod League.

LF Tyler Horan 6-2,230 from Virginia Tech who led the Cape Cod League in HR's last summer. He swings and misses a bit but generates good bat speed from the left side. Lack of foot speed leaves LF as his likely OF destination.

So, three college bats, three HS'ers and five decent pitchers. A fairly well balanced draft. I would grade it a B or a B- overall. Good luck to all the new Giants.

---

Apparently, the on-line list is more fluid than the print edition I was working with (old-school). 3rd rounder Chase Johnson apparently cracked the top 200 late as well as well as SS Johneshwy Fargas (171). 


Rockies, Red Sox, Mets, Padres and A's scored the highest using their Top 500 list in the same manner I was using the Top 200. Giants ranked 19th which is causing some angst among Giants bloggers but the good news is the Dodgers and the D-Backs ranked lower and the Padres have been drafting well for a couple of years with little result. Watch out for the Rockies.

UPDATE:
http://www.baseballamerica.com/draft/which-teams-drafted-the-most-players-from-the-ba-500/

Baseball America ranks player for each draft based on talent, assembling our BA 500 through conversations with scouts, crosscheckers, scouting directors and other evaluators. Now that the draft is over, let’s take a look at which teams drafted the most BA 500 players.

But first, a few warnings: We will caution that using this list as an evaluation of a team’s draft is impudent. Without looking closer at the information, this list could be very misleading. This is a fun way to see which team drafted the most talented players, which is how the BA 500 is compiled and not on where the players will be drafted, but signability is another matter. The Padres, for example, tied the Athletics for the most top 100 players (six). But unlike the A’s, who took five of their six top 100 players at the top of the draft and will likely sign them, the Padres are unlikely to sign three of the top 100 players, Connor Jones (34), Chris Okey (72) and Garrett Williams (66), as all three are high school players with strong commitments to top college programs.

Giants (14 total, 0 top 100, 10 top 200, average: 291)
Christian Arroyo (102), Ryder Jones (197), Chase Johnson (183), Brian Ragira (142), Dan Slania (153), Nick Vander Tuig (145), Brandon Bednar (262), Tyler Horan (293), D.J. Snelten (143), Johneshwy Fargas (171), Ty Ross (474), Pat Young (193), Jonah Arenado (312), John Riley (150).