Giants' Day 2 Draft plan? Load up on hitters
Four shortstops, two outfielders added during Rounds 3-10
After taking Arizona State outfielder Hunter Bishop and Louisville first baseman Logan Wyatt on Monday with their top two selections of the 2019 MLB Draft, the Giants continued to prioritize bats Tuesday on Day 2.
The Giants took position players with seven of their eight picks Day 2 picks and have now selected just one pitcher (Texas Tech right-hander Caleb Kithian) through the first 10 rounds. Four of San Francisco's draftees thus far have been shortstops, addressing the organization's relative lack of depth at the position behind starter Brandon Crawford.
The Draft concludes on Wednesday, with exclusive coverage of Rounds 11-40 on MLB.com beginning at noon ET.
Here's a roundup of all eight of the Giants' selections on Day 2 of the Draft:
Round 3, 87th overall: Grant McCray, CF, Lakewood Ranch High School (Bradenton, Fla.)
McCray is a toolsy 18-year-old outfielder who is viewed as a high-risk, high-reward high school pick. A left-handed hitter, McCray will have to add strength to his 6-foot-2, 170-pound frame to reach his ceiling offensively, but he is a plus runner who can stick in center field. He is committed to Florida State.
Scouting report from MLB Pipeline Draft expert Jonathan Mayo: "Grant McCray is kind of raw and toolsy. This is a bit of a projection pick. If you saw him on a good day, he'll flash above-average to plus tools kind of across the board, but it's inconsistent. It's probably going to take some time with the bat, but he can run, he can play the outfield. The speed works on both sides of the ball."
McCray's father, Rodney, played in 67 Major League games over parts of three seasons with the White Sox and Mets, but he is best remembered for crashing through a left-field wall while playing in a Minor League game on May 27, 1991, a play that made him a fixture on the blooper reels.
Round 4, 116th overall: Tyler Fitzgerald, SS, Louisville
The first right-handed bat taken by the Giants this year, Fitzgerald is batting .321 with 14 doubles, three triples and seven home runs in 60 games for Louisville, where he is a teammate of Wyatt. Fitzgerald, 21, has average range at shortstop, but he has good instincts with reliable hands and an accurate arm, skills that could ultimately help him develop into a super-utility type player. His father, Mike, played professionally and appeared in 13 games as a first baseman for the Cardinals in 1988.
Scouting report from MLB Pipeline Draft expert Jim Callis: "Scouts loved him out of high school and thought he'd have a chance to be a very good pick after three years at Louisville. That's exactly what happened. It's not loud tools, but he's a very steady player. He's gotten better offensively every year. It's contact to all fields. He's starting to drive the ball a little bit more."
Round 5, 146th overall: Garrett Frechette, 1B, Orange Lutheran High School (Orange, Calif.)
Frechette missed a month of the season after developing mono, but he continued to flash his pure hit tool after returning from the illness this spring. A left-handed hitter, the 18-year-old is viewed as an above-average athlete who can play the corner outfield spots, in addition to first base. He is committed to San Diego State.
Scouting report from Mayo: "If everything clicks, it's a Freddie Freeman-type profile. I'm not saying he's Freddie Freeman, but that's in there. I really like the left-handed swing."
Round 6, 176th overall: Dilan Rosario, SS, Colegio Marista High School (Puerto Rico)
Rosario, who will turn 18 on June 16, is considered the best defensive shortstop to come out of Puerto Rico this year. He possesses good hands and range, an above-average arm and the instincts to stick at the position long-term. Rosario is committed to USC.
Scouting report from Mayo: "He's going to have to add some strength if he's going to hit. There's some good hand-eye coordination. He makes a lot of contact, but he just doesn't impact the ball as consistently because of lack of strength. If he can add some, he has a chance to be pretty good."
Round 7, 206th overall: Armani Smith, LF, UC Santa Barbara
Smith, 20, batted .323 with 18 doubles, eight triples and 11 home runs over 56 games this season. He is a solid outfielder with a lot of raw power, but he will need to make more consistent contact in order to tap into that power in the professional ranks. A Bay Area native, Smith attended De La Salle High School in Concord, Calif., and grew up a Giants fan.
Round 8, 236th overall: Caleb Kilian, RHP, Texas Tech
Kilian was a 20th-round pick of the Orioles last year as a Draft-eligible sophomore, but he chose to return to Texas Tech for his junior season and posted a 3.89 ERA in 15 appearances in 2019. He walked 18 and struck out 72 over 83 1/3 innings. The 22-year-old starter has a four-pitch mix that features a fastball that sits in the low-90s and can top out at 95, a solid slider, an average changeup and a curveball.
Scouting report from Callis: "He has polish and athleticism. He doesn't blow hitters away. He's kind of a pitchability right-hander."
Round 9, 266th overall: Simon Whiteman, SS, Yale
Whiteman, 22, batted .337 and stole 34 bases over 41 games in his senior season at Yale. He began his collegiate career as a second baseman before making the transition to shortstop. A chemical engineering major, Whiteman is a First Team Academic All-American and was a Rhodes Scholar candidate.
Scouting report from Mayo: "He's a solid college performer. Sort of the prototype of the senior sign. He probably doesn't stay at shortstop long-term."
Round 10, 296th overall: Jeff Houghtby, SS, University of San Diego
Houghtby, 22, hit .341 with 12 doubles, one triple and five home runs over 48 games in his senior season at the University of San Diego.