3 Reasons David Villar is SF Giants Third Baseman of the Future

One of the main bright spots in an otherwise mediocre season for the 2022 SF Giants was the emergence of infielder David Villar. Could his impressive rookie season foreshadow him being the third baseman of the future for the San Francisco Giants? This article will examine three reasons why Villar could be a constant going forward.

3 Reasons David Villar is SF Giants Third Baseman of the Future

Going into the 2022 season, probably few SF Giants fans would have thought that David Villar would be a big time contributor by the end of the season. He put up solid numbers in 2021 in double-A Richmond, slashing .275/.374/.507 with 20 home runs and 58 RBI. 

Yet, not until he started tearing it up in Sacramento did it seem like a real possibility that he would find his way onto the big league roster. He was putting up impressive power numbers in Triple A, hitting 27 homers and sporting a .617 slugging percentage. His MLB debut gave Giants fans even more reason to be excited as his first hit was an impressive opposite field double against Madison Bumgarner.

It seemed Villar was off to the races, but he had a lengthy slump following his debut that resulted in him getting sent down. But when he came back up to the MLB team, we got to see the power he had displayed in triple A. 

He hit several home runs in a Septembers series against the Dodgers, one of which came against Clayton Kershaw. Whenever a young Giant goes deep against Kershaw, you know fans are going to take notice.

What specifically should make fans believe that Villar could be a presence in the lineup going forward? The following slides examine why we should believe the hype.

3 Reasons David Villar is SF Giants Third Baseman of the Future

Reason #2: Versatility

If there is one thing we have learned with Farhan Zaidi at the helm, it is that he likes guys who can play all over the diamond. While we mostly saw Villar at the corner infield spots at first and third, we also saw him play a little bit of second base. That makes him a more versatile option that Evan Longoria, who is a very solid third baseman but is limited to that position.

Should the Giants move on from Longoria this offseason and do not go out to get a replacement, we will likely see a lot of Villar at third next year. He had some struggles at third base in 2022, recording five errors there.

But if Villar continues to hit the ball out of the ballpark, the team will likely be able to stomach a few errors no matter where he is playing.

3 Reasons David Villar is SF Giants Third Baseman of the Future

Reason #3: Youth

It is no secret that the Giants are trying to get younger as a team. It is quite likely that after 2023 there will be no more players remaining on the roster from the championship years. Both from a branding and from an on-the-field performance standpoint, the team will want a new, young core of players that fans can get behind.

With Joey Bart showing promise, and young players like Marco Luciano and Kyle Harrison possibly making their debuts in the next few years, David Villar could fit nicely into the next crop of young Giants talent going forward.

Of course, there is still a long way to go before Villar is anointed as a starter going forward. Even if the team moves on from Longoria, Villar will still have to prove himself next spring and throughout the season if he is to get significant playing time.

Without question, Villar is one of the more exciting young players that the Giants have. 2022 gave us a taste of what he is capable of, and in 2023 he can prove that it was more than just a hot month or two.