SF Giants stock up on college pitchers in the final day of the draft

The 2023 draft is officially in the books. The SF Giants used the final day of the draft to stock up on college pitchers as well as a highly-regarded catcher.

SF Giants stock up on college pitchers in the final day of the draft

The Giants went with high upside on the first day of the draft and leaned on college middle infielders on the second day of the draft. They had a total of 21 selections. 13 of their picks were position players and nine of them were pitchers.

You might be thinking I am mathing incorrectly and you might be right, but their first-round pick was a two-way star, meaning that he appears in both categories. On the position player side, the Giants focused on premium positions as three of their picks were shortstops and three more were catchers.

The Giants have a bonus pool allotment of $9.9 million and can exceed that amount by five percent without forfeiting future picks. After round 10, they can sign draft picks for up to $150,000 without it counting against the bonus pool allotment. However, anything above that amount gets factored into the bonus pool. They will likely be in a position to exceed that amount with their first pick from Day 3:

11. C Jack Payton - Louisville University

The Giants have really liked prospects out of Louisville University in recent years. They selected both Logan Wyatt and Tyler Fitzgerald in 2019, and now, they have added a catcher in Jack Payton.

Payton had a solid 2023 campaign. He registered a .374/.472/.643 line with 12 home runs, 41 RBI, and 43 runs in 214 plate appearances. He has a nice, controlled swing from the right side. He makes a lot of contact and uses all field. There are questions about his arm and his ability to stick at catcher.

He was considered the No. 148 prospect in this year's draft class according to MLB.Com.

12. P Timmy Manning - Arizone State University

Timmy Manning spent his first two college seasons at the University of Florida, but transferred to Arizona State University for the 2023 campaign. He tallied a 7.26 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 11.1 K/9, and a 3.14 SO/W ratio in 20 appearances.

The lefty has a fastball that sits in the low-90's with movement, but he can reach the mid-90's in shorter outings. He flashes a plus curveball.

13. OF Jose Ortiz - Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico

There is not a ton of information about Jose Ortiz. He is a speedy outfielder with a good arm. He is the Giants' youngest player from this year's draft class as he turned 18 in February.

14. P Cale Lansville - San Jacinto College

Cale Lansville spent the 2022 season at Louisiana State University but transferred to San Jacinto College for 2023. He recorded a 3.62 ERA with 106 strikeouts against 29 walks in 74.2 innings this year. He flashes a fastball that touches 94 MPH with a slider that gets a lot of swinging strikes. He has a repeatable delivery and throws a healthy number of strikes.

15. P Dylan Carmouche - Tulane University

Dylan Carmouche spent his first season in college with Mississippi State University in 2021 but has been with Tulane University over the past two seasons. He produced a 5.80 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 10.2 K/9, and a 2.55 SO/W ratio in 17 outings this season.

He has a high release point from the left side, creating some downward movement on his fastball. Scouting reports in 2020 had his fastball sitting in the high-80's with a good curveball and a slider that he commands for strikes.

16. 3B Justin Wishkoski - Sam Houston State University

Justin Wishkoski has spent the last two years at Sam Houston State University. He posted a .966 OPS with 11 home runs in 296 plate appearances with nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (26).

He has a nice, simple swing from the right side. Wishkoski's swing will produce a lot of line drives, but his power is limited more to the gaps. He is a pull hitter but has no problem making contact consistently.

17. C Drew Cavanaugh - Florida Southern University

You can never have enough catchers! Drew Cavanaugh hit .316 with 12 home runs in 177 at-bats in 2023. The left-handed bat has an upright stance and pulls a lot of pitches in the air. He does not drive the ball to left field well, but he has good enough power to compensate for it. Cavanaugh moves well behind the plate and flashes a good arm with a quick release.

18. P Michael Rodriguez - North Greenville University

Michael Rodriguez is a bit on the older side for a draft prospect as he is already 23-year-old. He spent the past two seasons at North Greenville University. He worked out of the bullpen in college, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, 15.0 K/9, and a 8.38 SO/W ratio.

Rodriguez's fastball sits in the high 80's with a slider and a changeup. He has a sidearm delivery from the left side. Normally, it is tough for pitchers with that release point to consistently throw strikes, but that is not the case with Rodriguez.

19. P Tommy Kane - University of Maryland

The Giants added catcher Luke Shliger from the University of Maryland in the sixth round of this year's draft. He will have a teammate in the organization with Tommy Kane. Kane tallied a 7.31 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 9.2 K/9, and a 1.81 SO/W ratio in 17 appearances.

20. OF Nadir Lewis - Princeton University

The Giants finished the draft by adding another prospect from Princeton University. Nadir Lewis patrolled Princeton's outfield with Giants seventh-round pick Scott Bandura. Lewis posted a .412/.483/.637 line with five home runs, 34 RBI, and 21 runs in 120 plate appearances in 2023.

The 22-year-old hits from the left side. His swing does not produce a lot of power. His load and stride occur in separate steps, so it does not look like he is maximizing his ability to drive the ball. Lewis flashes good sprint speed and a good arm in center field.