SF Giants: What to look for on Day 2 of the MLB draft

SF Giants MLB Draft Day 2 targets

Exciting Prep Arms: Alex Santos, Jared Jones, Alejandro Rosario, Markevian Hence

All these players are considered a tier below Kelley, but this is an electric group of exciting prep arms. Santos, Jones, and Rosario are all power arms that have flashed high-90s velocity, but have had issues with control or consistency. Hence, on the other hand, is more refined with a low-90s heater that plays up because of his advanced feel for a slider, curveball, and changeup that all flash as potential plus offerings.

As with any high schooler, signability is always up in the air. Hence is young for his class (still not 18), which should help him with more analytically inclined organizations. Combining that with his advanced feel to pitch and Hence fits a highly demanded profile. With that in mind, I’d be surprised if the Arkansas commit gets to campus.

The other three tend to be actually ranked above Hence, but likely have a much larger range of rankings team by team. Jones flashes an above-average slider and is trying to develop a changeup as well, but there is some severe reliever risk. Jones is a fantastic athlete, with above-average speed and raw power, and gets rave character reviews that leave plenty of room to dream, but some teams probably won’t be considering him because of some issues holding velocity.

Rosario flashes an above-average splitter and slider that play off his 94-97mph fastball well. Rosario has a small 6-foot-1, 160-pound frame, but has a fairly easy delivery that leads scouts to believe he will be able to hold velocity without abnormal injury risk. The biggest knock on Rosario is the particulars of his fastball. Many scouts were worried that he hasn’t racked up the strikeout numbers that one might expect from a prep-pitcher of his caliber, suggesting his fastball’s movement may play below it’s velocity.

Santos is the youngest of the three and is probably the largest projection play of the group. This past year, Santos has bulked up over 210 pounds and begun consistently hitting the mid-90s with his fastball. His delivery has some reliever concern, but his three-quarters release point generates plenty of spin on his curveball and changeup that have the building blocks of a dominant reliever.