SF Giants 2018 Draft Day 3 Wrap

Hello, it has been Day 3 of the MLB Draft, and this is the weird day for a lot of people. Before we talk about the picks, let’s do a quick rundown of things you should know.

• Signability is a big thing to remember. Players drafted on Day 3 pretty much get a maximum bonus of $125,000 (most will get fewer). Any money over that goes against a team’s draft pool. For high school kids, junior college players or even some college Juniors, they may choose to return to school in hopes of doing better and earning a bigger bonus.
• Be careful about looking at stats. Just like the minors, where one must consider the level of a league before getting too excited, the quality of opposition in the many different college leagues and levels, junior college levels, and high schools varies greatly. We include the stats because, well, they are fun to look at. But 12 home runs in a good college league is better than 36 junior college (For example, that total belonged to Juan Perez, who set league HR records in his junior college level before being drafted).
• Getting stats for a lot of schools is tough. There’s nothing available for the kids from Puerto Rico. Junior college stat sites vary in quality. So if you see some players who don’t have as many stats listed as some others, know that I’m not hiding anything.
• Scouting reports are rare. I’ve included summaries where I could, but not even Baseball America scouts 1,200 players (about how many were drafted).
• Video can be even crazier. The kids from Puerto Rico make clean college application videos (though without game footage). Some kids playing in California have some of the worst video ever put up on YouTube as their only videos. (No, really, check out Preston White.)

Alright, let’s dive in.

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11th (#316) David Villar, 3B, South Florida - .374/.463/.648, 219 AB, 82 H, 24 2B, 12 HR, 28 BB, 58 SO, 1 SB in 1 attempt. Led the American Athletic Conference with 24 doubles, tied for the 3rd-highest in a single season in school history, and had 12 home runs. He was second in the AAC in batting average at .374, and led the team in almost all categories. He was first team All-Conference in 2018, and third team All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and College Sports Madness.

Video - Starts at 1:31 when Villar homers.

12th (#346) Sean Roby, 3B, Arizona Western College (JC) - .356/.429/.739, 21 BB, 48 SO in 254 PA, with 22 home runs, 15 doubles and 2 triples. 15 SB in 18 attempts.

13th (#376) George Bell, CF, Connors State College (JC) - .360/.484/.512, 9 2B, 1 3B, 5 HR, 34 BB, 28 SO, 9 SB in 9 attempts. His middle name is Michael. Son of former AL MVP George Bell. His brother, also named George (Bryner) Bell, was signed by the A’s out of the DR in 2016.

14th (#406) Bryce Tucker, LHP, Central Florida - First LHP taken by the Giants. 2.02 ERA in 25 relief appearances. 26.2 IP, 17 H, 11 R, 6 ER, 16 BB, 35 SO, .179 BAA. Used as a reliever. Pitched on the USA Baseball Collegiate National Team, had a 4.50 ERA in 10 innings, with 18 strikeouts and 6 walks, 5 hits allowed. Used as a reliever in 2017. Erratic command, fringe-average control. FB is 89-93 with life. 80-82 slurvy slider that he can change shapes with.

15th (436) Matt Frisbee, RHP, UNC Greensboro - 3.45 ERA in 15 starts, 91.1 IP, 86 H, 23 BB, 116 SO, .249 BAA. Had a 4.50 ERA in 6 starts in the Cape Cod League, with 21 SO, 12 BB in 24 IP. Best start was 7 shutout innings against the then No.4 ranked South Carolina Gamecocks. Throws a 94 MPH fastball that could go 97 MPH if he goes to relief.

(Video from 2015 HS - Link for Apple News viewers)

16th (#466) Trenton Toplikar, RHP, UC Riverside - 4.07 ERA, 6-3 record in 14 starts, 84.0 IP, 85 H, 19 BB, 62 SO, .257 BAA. Missed his first two seasons for unlisted reasons. Played for UC Riverside, who won the WCL title in 2017. He earned two wins in the postseason, including in the WCLCS finale, with a 1.93 ERA in 14 innings in that postseason.

(Video from 2014 HS - Link for Apple News viewers)

17th (#496) Ryan Olenek, RHP, Ole Miss - 0.00 ERA, 1 G, 0.2 IP, 0 H, 1 BB, 0 SO… but hit .350/.388/.464 with 18 doubles and three home runs as an outfielder, primarily center field. Not a great base stealer with 9 in 16 attempts. He also played in the infield, with games at third and shortstop. MLB says he profiles as a second baseman at the pro level, and says his bat hasn’t been very productive. Kiley McDaniel said in his Day 3 chat that Olenek was a favorite of his, if signable, which he assumes Olenek is not.

Interview video:

18th (#526) Bryan Hernandez, OF, Miguel Such Vocational School (HS) - Comes from Miguel Such Vocational School in San Juan, PR.

19th (#556) Randy Norris, CF, Winston-Salem State University - .437/.475/.574 line, 197 AB, 5 2B, 5 3B, 4 HR, 11 BB, 21 SO, 34 SB in 38 attempts. All-time hits leader in Division-II Winston-Salem State University history with 231 hits over three seasons. Coach says his speed and knowledge of the game is tremendous. First WSSU player drafted since Ray Chadwick, 16th round of 1985 (when they didn’t have a baseball program.

20th (#586) Jett Manning, SS, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa - .251/.330/.302, 6 2B, 0 3B, 1 HR, 3 SB in 5 attempts. 16 errors and a .934 fielding percentage. Played his freshman and sophomore seasons at Frederick Community College. He originally went to WCU, but left the program there after the coaching staff tried to convert him to a submarine pitcher,

21st (#616) Angel Guzman, C, Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy (HS) - Out of the Carlos Beltran Baseball Academy. Plays good defense behind the plate, and has experience at shortstop as well. A very good runner for a catcher, with a 6.70 in the sixty. Hits to all fields, and is a very good student.

22nd (#646) Clay Helvey, RHP, University of Tampa - 3.34 ERA, 5-2 record in 17 games, 12 starts. 70 IP, 58 H, 30 BB, 56 K.

23rd (#676) Ben Strahm, RHP, Northeastern State University - 4.16 ERA, 2-5 record in 13 games, 10 starts. 62.2 IP, 50 H, 22 BB, 64 SO, .223 BAA. Brother of current San Diego Padre reliever Matt Strahm.

24th (#706) Preston White, OF, The Master’s College - .326/.404/.484, 190 AB, 15 2B, 3 3B, 3 HR, 12 SB in 15 attempts. Also had a 3.45 ERA, 4-8 record in 26 appearances, 3 Starts. 44.1 IP, 45 H, 14 BB, 40 SO. Was listed by the Giants as an OF, so that’s going to be what the Giants try to do with him. Previously drafted by the Dodgers in the 38th round. Pounds the strike zone and became a “team leader” in his first season at The Master’s University.

Some of the worst video ever:

25th (#736) Fabian Pena, C, Manhattan College - .255/.365/.411, 192 AB, 12 2B, 0 3B, 6 HR, 2 SB in 3 attempts. Was placed three times on the Johnny Bench Watch List. He was the MAAC rookie of the year in 2016. Had a down year after batting .350 his freshman year and .330 in his sophomore year. Baseball America named him the top pro prospect in the MAAC.

Interview:

26th (#766) Jacob Lopez, LHP, College of the Canyons (JC) - 1.62 ERA in 14 starts, 88.2 IP, 70 H, 26 BB, 128 K. 86-90 4-seam fastball with life and command. 84-88 2-seam fastball. 68-73 MPH curve needs work, 74-77 slider. A scout indicates he could be either a starter or situational lefty in the future. Here’s the best Scouting Report of any of these draftees.

27th (#796) Dylan Dusek, LHP, Texas Tech University - 2.22 ERA, 3-0 Record in 17 games, 3 starts, 28.1 IP, 25 H, 10 BB, 30 SO, .236 BAA. Had a 1.94 ERA as a starter his freshman year, including not allowing a run during the NCAA tournament. Had Tommy John surgery his sophomore year and came back primarily as a reliever. Survivor of leukemia at age 6.

28th (#826) Travis Perry, RHP, Indian River State College (JC) - 4.02 ERA in 19 appearance, all relief. 31.1 IP, 34H, 14 BB, 32 SO.

29th (#856) Marcos Campos, SS, Siena College - .322/.355/.402, 239 AB, 17 2B, 1 3B, 0 HR, 6 BB, 26 SO, 9 SB in 9 attempts. Lists himself as a Dodger fan on his college bio, and would like to have a Panda as a pet. No comment from Pablo Sandoval.

30th (#886) Kwan Adkins, OF, Northwestern State University - .321/.396/.404, 240 AB, 7 2B, 2 3B, 3 HR, 23 BB, 64 strikeouts 7 SB in 11 attempts. Has played baseball for his entire collegiate career, and played his first season of college football in the fall of 2017 as wide receiver. (He played both in high school).

31st (#916) Ryan Walker, RHP, Washington State University - 5.24 ERA, 4-4 record in 23 relief appearances, 46.1 IP, 44 H, 25 BB, 47 SO, .257 BAA. His fastball hits 92-94.

32nd (#946) Braden Frankfort, C, Fresno Pacific University - .347/.410/.528, 176 AB, 10 2B, 2 3B, 6 HR, 15 BB, 31 SO, 0 SB in 0 attempts. Played his first two years at Santa Clara before transferring to Fresno Pacific. College bio lists him as a Dodgers fan.

33rd (#976) Austin Edgette, CF, Bloomsburg University - .436/.530/.685, 165 AB, 16 2B, 2 3B, 7 HR, 30 BB, 31 SO, 24 SB in 25 attempts. Very little news about him baseball-wise, but here’s a nice story about a friendship of his.

34th (#1006) Lucas Krull, LHP, Jefferson College (JC) - 10.26 ERA, 16.2 IP, 10 H, 38 BB, 27 SO. A LHP with a 96 MPH fastball and reportedly crazy spin rate. However, the big news the past few days is that Krull is giving up baseball to focus on football as a TE, and is heavily scouted by Kansas State and Florida, among others. Insiders suggest that the only thing holding Krull back would be “Life-changing money” from the MLB draft.

35th (#1036) Chris Roberts, RHP, San Jacinto College North (JC) - 6.86 ERA, 19.2 IP, 22 SO. Gave up a walkoff grand slam in the Juco World Series semifinal. Has a 92-94 MPH fastball, with an 82 MPH slider and command. Called a “Slow development project” by his college, where he is a third year player at JC (which is very rare).

36th (#1066) Bryan Hoeing, RHP, Louisville - 2.88 ERA, 7-2 record in 24 appearances, 5 starts, 68.2 IP, 63 H, 25 BB, 51 SO, .240 BAA. FB gets up to 95 with a plus changeup and a slurvy breaking ball. Drafted out of high school in the 32nd round by the Diamondbacks.

37th (#1096) Ryan McDonald, RHP, College of Southern Nevada (JC) - 1.62 ERA, 5-1 record in 10 appearances, 8 starts, 1 SV, 39 IP, 22 H, 21 BB, 45 SO, .164 BAA. Skipped his final year of high school baseball to focus on one of the more specialized summer leagues to fit his needs before heading to JC.

38th (#1126) Brett Hansen, LHP, Foothill HS - 1.59 ERA, 8-1 record in 14 appearances, 57.1 IP, 47 H, 18 BB, 71 SO. MLB.com had him ranked #94 overall, BA has him at #71. Throws a fastball 88-92 with room to grow. He has two different curveballs, one could be converted into a slider. Committed to Vanderbilt. Also, Hansen is a Mormon and has a potential mission looming, which has opened a lot of signing questions.

Here is some unembeddable video from his junior year.

39th (#1156) Trevor Horn, RHP, UNLV - 5.96 ERA, 5-5 record in 15 starts, 77 IP, 106 H, 25 BB, 43 SO, .324 BAA. Went to Scottsdale CC and graduated from Horizon HS, a commonly scouted school by the Giants.

40th (#1186) Abdiel Layer, SS, Miami Dade CC South (JC) - .265/.335/.434, 196 AB, 52 H, 9 2B, 0 3B, 8 HR, 20 BB, 45 K, 6 SB in 11 Attempts. Brother of current Giant Jose Layer. Was drafted in the 13th round by the Brewers in 2017.

Video from 2017 pre-draft as a high school player (Link for Apple News Viewers)