Wrenzie's Final Giants Draft Big Board

The 52nd MLB First-Year Player Draft is just less than 24 hours away and a lot of people are anticipating for it. The top of the order is still a mess as there's no consensus 1-1 player in this year's draft class but the strength of this year's draft is the depth of it, not on the top prospects. 

For the Giants, there's a lot to like in terms of their position in the 2nd and 3rd round even though the allotted bonus pool for the organization is the 4th worst in MLB as well as having just $1,090,000 for pick 59 and $625,900 for pick 95. Picks 59 and 95 allows them to pick the first-round talents that have fallen off the draft and are ready to be plucked. They can also pick relatively unknown prospects or somewhat unexpected for them to pick because of their recent draft trends. If they are picking straight up, I can see them pick up a college performer, most probably a pitcher or an outfielder on their top 2 picks or they can sandwich in a solid infielder in replacement of a pitcher. I would love them to front-load their budget towards picking a HS outfielder as the HS OF class that surrounds their picks are exciting while having some solid floors. The college scene is not bad either.

Below are my favorite picks, most probably picks and possibly 1-2 combos for the rounds 2 and 3. I will not going to go very deep in the draft picks as the Giants have much more coverage in that than I do. Enjoy!

Akil Baddoo- The HS OF that I am in the most, Baddoo's offensive tools are very tempting to an amateur scout like me. With his strong and quick wrists producing plus bat speed and good power, his at least above-average speed plays well on the bases with the ceiling of him to be a 20-20 type player. He does look like in the same mold as Nick Plummer, one of my favorites last year. Problem I see is that he can command a good amount of cash that the Giants will pass up. 

Jameson Fisher- The best hitter of college baseball in terms of batting average, Fisher is someone I can really dig my teeth on. His on-base skills are an obvious plus, with his close to plus hit tool and a master of the zone in the college ranks. I think he can repeat that kind of strike zone awareness in the pro ranks, like Steven Duggar. There are things that are make teams shy away (his age, his injury in his junior year, lack of speed and arm) but the Giants love guys who perform very well (also batted .300 in Cape Cod) and he also fits to that plus hit-tool, not so fast runner, odds-beater and hardworker-type of prospect that the Giants did in the past.

Ryan Boldt- One of the guys that I liked since the start of this year's draft coverage, Boldt is one of the best college outfielders in this class. There are not a lot of love for him but I love him. His swing can get long and slow but he got good eye-hand coordination and he can hit for a good average with his good strike zone understanding. His frame offers good raw power but doesn't really tap it in games and his speed is slower than videos of him in HS but man, he's built like a tank! He's also an odds-beater as he overcame his pretty terrible injury before and even though he's like the shell of his former self, that shell is still very good and I love him so much that I pray that the Giants pick him up at 59.

J.B. Woodman- There's a lot of things to like about Woodman. From his sound swing and load to his good bat speed, his offensive profile can be good in pro ball, even though there are concerns in his swing and miss tendencies. He got 5 solid tools across the board and he can play in CF, something that the Giants can consider but he's a better fit at 95 than in 59 so he can be picked in between the Giants picks. 

Corbin Burnes- Touched on him in the first part of my draft coverage and said that he will probably be a reliever in the future but this season, he found consistency in his stuff and his mechanics. His fastball is still plus and and offspeed pitches have come around to compliment his fastball even though those are likely average offerings but I love his arm speed, his athleticism and some untapped ceiling for him to be a good mid-rotation starter. There's some probability that the Giants will tap on St. Mary's again like when they picked Martin Agosta and this one looks like a better version of him.

Daulton Jefferies- He may be small but I can see some traits that I see in Sonny Gray. He suffered various injuries during this season but when he's healthy, he is as good as any college pitcher and I love that. He got a good command in his repertoire and a quick arm that resembles that of Sonny Gray. If the Giants look past his injuries this year and assured that his medicals are good, they will get a pitcher that should be a starter in pro ball. 

Heath Quinn- He's one of the few muscle guys that the Giants have a good chance to pick up. He's hit 21 HRs this year and a solid eye at the plate to boot with 44 walks. He looks like a perfect fit on the corner OF in AT&T and he got solid speed even though he's a big man in the box and doesn't steal bases. The Giants love to pick power as the best tool and Quinn has power so he's a guy to consider at 59.

Matt Krook- Yeah, he had Tommy John and yeah, his command of his pitches is still off but when Matt Krook is on, he's an elite-level prospect. The Giants have a pretty good reputation around building and fixing pitchers and Krook is certainly another prospect to consider if they want another project but I think if he falls down the draft, he'll likely stay in school and improve on it in Oregon to get bigger money.

Thomas Jones- A tall and projectable OF, Jones got a potential to be a star if developed right. His projectable body can allow him to have at most above-average power in the long run, his wheels are definite plus and should stay in CF. I can see Dexter Fowler in him in terms of his style of baseball. I think the Giants will not give him good considerations as HS tend to ask big bucks and the Giants doesn't have the big bucks.

Bryson Brigman- He got the feel and look of a prototypical Giants pick in the draft, a middle infield prospect with no plus tools but will grind and play hard on the diamond. The problem that I can see is that the Giants will probably not touch on him in the draft as there's better needs to fill and he might as for bigger money.

Sheldon Neuse- Another prototypical Giants pick, Neuse has a better chance to be picked by Giants than Brigman and can be added to the bunch of players that the Giants got that are similar to Neuse, a solid, all-around infield prospect.

Stephen Wrenn- Great performer at the Cape but he suffered a facial injury early this season and affected his numbers. He got great speed and he can be a threat to run once he gets on base. I would the Giants to grab him in the later rounds, probably in the rounds 5-7 where they struck gold in Steven Duggar and I see him like a Billy Burns-type of player.

Austin Hays- An outfielder with solid all around tools, the Giants probably will take a shot at him at his tools and his ceiling.

C.J. Chatham- A taller version of Brigman and Neuse, Chatham is a college performer this year and is very impressive in college. I think he'll be like a Jed Lowrie-type of player where he's a tall infielder on the left side with a solid bat. I am more comfortable with him being picked up the Giants in 95 than 59 as he doesn't offer a high ceiling but I love his numbers and his play.

Anfernee Grier- The best athlete that the Giants will probably pick, he got a set of fantastic set of tools and will play in the OF. Cove Chatter loves him and I love him too but I'm worried that he will not be on the running at pick 59 but we'll never know.

Jake Fraley- He is similar to Ryan Boldt but come on a thinner package and from what I see, he's similar to Joe McCarthy, the Virginia OF in last year's draft, and he's got the look of being a surefire everyday outfielder in the Majors and Giants love solid picks so he can come into play.

The Wild Cards

Kyle Cody- The Giants might want to take a shot at him if they are confident that they can harness his stuff better and give him a chance to start.

Logan Ice- A catcher, yes, a catcher. Of course, the Giants loves their catchers and Ice can be a solid pick with his solid tools and he can defend behind the dish.

Jake Rogers- Speaking of defending the dish, he's the best defensive catcher that I have recently seen. If the Giants want to take a shot at him, I can see him being a Bengie Molina-type of player.

Mike Shawaryn- I'm lower to him than other guys that I know because of his profile as a probable reliever and his inconsistencies but if the Giants take a shot at him in the later rounds, he can be a Sam Coonrod-type of steal.

Mikey York- I am starting to like Mikey York as a likely helium guy and he went to Bickford's old grounds but scouts probably haven't seen him because he had Tommy John so they probably inquired about him but on the videos that I have seen, I am impressed with the stuff with ceiling. I hope the Giants hear me out and pick him up.

With the names that I have presented to you, here are some combinations that I would like the Giants to go this year:

Burnes-Fisher: This is the combo that I like the most as well as the most probable that the Giants will pull off. Burnes with his fastball and his repertoire and Fisher with his hitting can really make the Giants system as one of the solid systems, if not a solid system already. Not a lot of risks but offers considerable upside and depth.

Quinn/Burnes-Woodman/Chatham: This is also a solid combination if Fisher is off the board.

Grier-Krook: This is the ceiling college combo, with both Krook and Grier offering first-round upside but the Giants will definitely front-load their budget with this one so this will not be a realistic option.

Jones-York: This is an option viable if the Giants will draft Jones and is willing to take on a project. I can see York taking less money here in the 3rd round to make this work to help front-load that Jones deal if ever. This is will be the option with the most risk to offer but with one of the highest rewards in the possible combination.

Jefferies-Fisher: I think Jefferies has a higher ceiling than Burnes and Fisher is just so nice.

The Giants have their work cut out for them with limited resources. I will not be surprised if the front office pulled out like a 2013-levels of surprise and creativity in the 2016 draft. Nonetheless, if the club turned in an impressive draft return, I will be very happy for the organization. Expect them to buck the consensus again.