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A Look at the San Francisco Giants Last Five First Round Draft Picks

By Jake Mastroianni

Apr 24, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Christian Arroyo (22) reacts after the pitch by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning at AT&T Park. The Giants won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 24, 2017; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants shortstop Christian Arroyo (22) reacts after the pitch by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the eighth inning at AT&T Park. The Giants won 2-1. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports /
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Oct 10, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Will Smith (13) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the eleventh inning in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 10, 2016; San Francisco, CA, USA; San Francisco Giants relief pitcher Will Smith (13) pitches against the Chicago Cubs in the eleventh inning in game three of the 2016 NLDS playoff baseball series at AT&T Park. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports /

Phil Bickford 

Phil Bickford was actually selected in the first round twice. Back in 2013 the Toronto Blue Jays took him with the 10th pick in the MLB Draft out of Oaks Christian High School in Westlake, Calif.

Two years later the San Francisco Giants took him with the 18th pick in the 2015 MLB Draft out of the College of Southern Nevada.

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Bickford tossed 22.1 innings at the rookie level after being drafted in 2015 and struck out 32 batters with a 2.01 ERA.

He spent time with the Giants in A-Ball and High-A in 2016 where he threw 93 innings with a 2.71 ERA and 105 strikeouts.

The San Francisco Giants then traded him to the Milwaukee Brewers at the deadline last year for relief pitcher Will Smith.

Bickford wasn’t quite as sharp after being traded to the Brewers with a 3.67 ERA in 27 innings with 30 strikeouts at the High-A level.

Then this past offseason he was suspended 50 games for his second positive test for an abusive drug. He has yet to pitch in 2017 for the Brewers.

Some still think Bickford can become a starter at the major league level, but many think he’ll ultimately stick in the bullpen.

With that strikeout ratio, I think Bickford could be a shutdown closer for the Brewers in the future.

As for the Giants, Will Smith was great for them down the stretch last year. But an injury this spring led to him needing Tommy John surgery and missing all of 2017.

The San Francisco Giants are hopeful he’ll be back by May of next season.

Next: Possible Draft Targets for the San Francisco Giants

As you can see, the Giants have done very well with their first round picks in the past. Let’s hope that continues this year as they decide who to draft at 19 overall.

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