What the SF Giants are getting in new multi-positional catching prospect

Last week, the SF Giants acquired catching prospect Jancel Villarroel from the Houston Astros in exchange for Kai-Wei Teng. What are they getting with their new catching prospect?

What the SF Giants are getting in new multi-positional catching prospect

The Giants also added international bonus pool money in the deal. They signed three prospects, headlined by middle infielder Luis Hernández, when the international signing period opened up in January. This marks the second trade they have made to add bonus pool money, with the expectation that they still have a few more signings to finalize.

Prior to the trade, MLB Pipeline ranked Villarroeal as the No. 13 prospect in Houston's system. He now comes in at No. 27 with the Giants.

The Astros signed the right-handed bat for $10,000 out of Venezuela during the 2022 international signing period. Since then, he has put up a .785 OPS with an 11.6 percent walk rate, 19.0 percent strikeout rate, and .138 ISO.

This includes a solid 2025 campaign, where he slashed .259/.351/.388 (118 wRC+) with eight home runs, 54 RBI, and 53 runs in 433 plate appearances. Villarroel earned a late-season promotion to High-A, where he was relatively young for that level and put up a respectable .699 OPS in 61 plate appearances.

Villarroel is an aggressive hitter, and that was on display during his brief stint in the South Atlantic League. His walk rate plummeted to 4.9 percent, as he swung at over 50 percent of the pitches he saw. This includes a good bit of chasing out of the strike zone. He will need to show improvement in his swing decisions.

The 21-year-old hitter has a pull-heavy approach and has a knack for barreling up pitches in and out of the zone. He has not hit for much power yet as a pro, but he generates solid exit velocities that should translate to more game power over time.

Some of that power will depend on his ability to lift the ball in the air with more regularity. Villarroel hits a lot of line drives, but he also had a high ground ball rate at 41.8 percent in 2025. Getting the ball in the air more will allow his raw power to play up.

In the field, Villarroel has experience at catcher, second base, and in the outfield. MLB Pipeline views him as raw defensively, noting that "He [Villarroel] has solid arm strength but will need time to polish his receiving, blocking and throwing." That is likely why he continues to see time at other positions, and possibly a sign that the Astros did not view him as a full-time catcher.