San Francisco Giants: Which stars were taken No. 13 overall in MLB draft?

With the 2019 MLB regular season now in the books, the draft order is officially set for the 2020 MLB draft. The San Francisco Giants will be picking No. 13 overall.

The San Francisco Giants will have to wait a bit longer to make their first selection in the 2020 MLB draft after holding the No. 2 overall pick in 2018 (Joey Bart) and the No. 10 overall pick in 2019 (Hunter Bishop).

After wrapping up the season with a 77-85 record, the Giants hold the No. 13 pick in the 2020 MLB draft.

While there is obviously more drama surrounding the No. 1 overall pick, the MLB draft is such a crapshoot, plenty of notable players have gone off the board with the No. 13 pick over the years.

Here’s a look at all the players who have posted at least 10.0 career WAR after going No. 13 overall in the June draft:

1. OF Manny Ramirez (1991, CLE): 69.4 WAR
2. LHP Frank Tanana (1971, CAL): 57.1 WAR
3. LHP Chris Sale (2010, CWS): 45.3 WAR
4. SS Garry Templeton (1974, STL): 27.9 WAR
5. 1B Paul Konerko (1994, LAD): 27.7 WAR
6. RHP Gary Nolan (1966, CIN): 25.9 WAR
7. 2B Aaron Hill (2003, TOR): 23.7 WAR
8. SS Trea Turner (2014, SD): 12.8 WAR
9. SS Bill Spiers (1987, MIL): 10.2 WAR

Along with Chris Sale and Trea Turner, other active MLB players chosen No. 13 overall include New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (2011) and San Diego Padres outfielder Hunter Renfroe (2013).

Could the San Francisco Giants find the next Manny Ramirez or Chris Sale in the 2020 draft?

That would be a lofty expectation for the next first-round pick to join a farm system on the rise, but history shows us that it’s possible.

In 55 years of MLB draft history, 29 of the players selected No. 13 overall have reached the majors, and there’s still a reasonable chance that Garrett Whitley (2015, TB), Josh Lowe (2016, TB), Trevor Rogers (2017, MIA), Connor Scott (2018, MIA) and Keoni Cavaco (2019, LAA) will join that group.

Even if they don’t, a success rate of nearly 60 percent on finding a future MLB player, and roughly 16 percent on finding a player who produces 10+ WAR, should be reason enough for San Francisco Giants fans to be excited about the potential that awaits at No. 13 overall.

Next June can’t come soon enough.