Giants top Draft pick Ramos eager to advance
SAN FRANCISCO -- Heliot Ramos, the Giants' first-round selection in the recent MLB Draft, toured AT&T Park on Tuesday. He expects to be back before too long.
Ramos, touted as a five-tool talent, said he hopes to reach the Major Leagues in two or three years.
"I think it's hard," said the 17-year-old Ramos, who's widely projected as a center fielder. "But that's my dream."
Ramos, who signed for a bonus of approximately $3.1 million, said he will report to the Giants' Rookie-level Arizona League team Friday or Saturday to launch his professional career. There, he intends to play the brand of ball he believes will propel him from high school (Leadership Christian Academy in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico) to the big leagues.
"My game is hustle and aggressiveness," said the 6-foot-1, 188-pound Ramos, who was accompanied by his mother, Norma, and father, Agapito. Asked to name his favorite player, Ramos cited Pittsburgh's Andrew McCutchen. "He hustles and has fun. I like that," Ramos said.
Ramos was taken for a spin through the Giants clubhouse, where he met previous first-round selections such as second baseman Joe Panik, right-hander Player Page for Matt Cain and left-hander Madison Bumgarner.
Back in the dugout, Ramos posed for photographs with Giants manager Bruce Bochy, who liked what he saw of the draftee on video.
"You see how strong he is for his age," Bochy said. "He's got a good swing. It's short but powerful and he's a guy that can play anywhere in the outfield.
"... He's got all the tools to be a Major League player. Any time you've got a young kid like this, the ceiling is so high on him. That excites you, too, because as long as he makes his progress with the tools that he has, he has a chance to be an impact type guy versus an average player. We see him as a guy that can make a huge impact."
Bochy didn't say anything about Ramos' poise. But he displayed that quality during his question-and-answer session with reporters.
"That is something new for me," Ramos said. "I thought I would be afraid. But it's not too bad."