SF Giants select power-hitting outfielder in latest mock draft

The MLB draft is right around the corner with the latest mock draft connecting the SF Giants to an interesting prep outfielder

SF Giants: Intriguing Outfielder Selected in Latest Mock Draft

In his latest mock draft, Jonathan Mayo of MLB Pipeline speculates that the Giants will draft outfield prospect Joshua Baez out of Dexter Southfield High School in Brookline, Massachusetts. This might be the first mock draft that connects San Francisco with Baez.

Most have had them taking outfielder Colton Cowser out of Sam Houston State University or left-handed hurler Jordan Wicks out of Kansas State University.

Mayo believes that Baez could be a nice find for the Giants with the 14th overall pick:

“This might be a reach for the high-risk, high-reward prep outfielder, but the tools are undeniable, along with the makeup and could be the choice if Montgomery isn’t available.”

San Francisco does not have much recent history drafting prep position players. In fact, Christian Arroyo (2013) and Heliot Ramos (2017) are the only position players drafted out of high school since 2008.

With a high school pick, there is considerably more development that is needed before he can make an impact on the major league club. Furthermore, the current front office has demonstrated a trend in preferring college bats over high school bats.

In 2020, the Giants selected three position players in Patrick Bailey, Casey Schmitt, and Jimmy Glowenke. All three were drafted out of college.

In 2019, they were more willing to draft position players out of high school as three of their first ten picks were prep position players.  With all that being said, the Baez pick seems like a long-term project and the front office might be okay with that.

The outfield prospect has some of the best raw power in the draft as he has consistently posted exit velocities over 100 MPH. He generates plenty of bat speed, but that might be at the risk of swinging and missing a little too often. The video below shows just how quickly his bat moves through the zone.

Defensively, the right-handed bat has spent plenty of time in center field. His foot speed and instincts are strong in a way that could allow him to stick in center field. However, he flashes a plus arm that could enable him to move to right field with ease.

There is risk in Baez’s profile, but his power is intriguing. The Giants would need to be patient as his hit tool needs further development, but it is a pick that could pay dividends down the road. With the MLB draft only six weeks away, mock drafts will come out more frequently, connecting teams to various names. San Francisco had not been tied to Baez previously, so this is an interesting take from a well-connected source.