Mike Krukow likens new SF Giants outfielder to speedy NL West division rival

New SF Giants outfielder Drew Gilbert made his MLB debut in a 5-0 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. On Saturday, Mike Krukow likened Gilbert to another NL West division rival - Corbin Carroll of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Mike Krukow likens new SF Giants outfielder to speedy NL West division rival

Krukow was comparing Gilbert to Carroll from the standpoint of the tools they bring to the table relative to size. He shared his thoughts in a segment of Around the Park with Kruk and Kuip on KNBR before Saturday's game:

"He [Gilbert] is the whole package. He has a great arm. Can play center field.... Basically a five-tool guy. You don't say that a lot about 5-foot-9 guys. You saw Corbin Carroll with Arizona redefine what the small guy can do."

Mike Krukow

Gilbert did not record a hit in his MLB debut. He is relatively new to the organization. The Giants acquired him, along with Blade Tidwell and José Buttó, in a deal that sent Tyler Rogers to the New York Mets. Tidwell had an electric debut with the Sacramento River Cats last week.

Gilbert was not on the 40-man roster at the time of the deal. That said, it was only a matter of time before he was added. It is evident that he has leapfrogged several Giants outfielders on the organizational depth chart.

The left-handed bat has posted a .238/.343/.426 line across two seasons in Triple-A. This includes an 11.5 percent walk rate, 18.2 strikeout rate, and .188 ISO. He brings a low strikeout rate and excellent in-zone contact skills to the table.

The Giants have been working to improve the team's strikeout rate from the bottom up, and Gilbert is another example of that. His swing is designed for contact and line drives. While he does not have a ton of raw power, he does maximize what he has by lifting and pulling the ball in the air with regularity. This may not lead to a lot of home runs, especially at Oracle Park, but could translate to a lot of doubles and triples.

In the field, Gilbert is an average runner, but has good instincts and a strong arm. He has experience at all three outfield positions, but will likely see time in right field down the stretch. He might not be the next Corbin Carroll, but Mike Krukow sees some of Carroll in Gilbert's style of play. That is a pretty cool compliment.

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