Predicting 2nd and 3rd rounds of the MLB draft is insane. There so many players that might get over drafted, or who might slip, or who have some non-public information clouding their status that most people aren’t aware of.
But, heck, it’s still worth looking.
These 11 names are my guesses for the types of the players who the Giants will be looking at for their picks in the second and third round, but I have no intelligence on whether they are actually scouting these players. Still, I definitely would not be surprised to see one or two of these names announced Monday afternoon.
2nd Round – #50 Pick
Ky Bush, LHP, St. Mary’s
Bush is a big-bodied lefty pitcher that has shown excellent control this season and growing velocity. He currently throws in the low-90’s and uses his slider as a strikeout. At 6’6”, one might expect more velocity, but at just under 22 years old, it’s possible it’s still there to unlock. Bush doesn’t have a lot of track record to go off of, which could keep him slipping a bit farther than his potential might offer, and he will be a guy who will need help watching his weight throughout his career. But he would offer some promise.
Gage Jump, LHP, JSerra Catholic HS
Forgive me for the obvious pun, but Gage ticked up on his fastball this season and that started him jumping up the draft rankings. He’s ranked 58 by Baseball America, but up to 43 on the MLB Pipeline rankings. His fastball has a lot of deception, which really makes him an interesting prospect with a lot of upside, but also has a strong curveball and slider. There are health concerns, and he has a tendency to get wild, but he’s got as much upside as you might get in the mid-2nd round of the draft.
Maxwell Muncy, SS, Thousand Oaks HS
Okay, yes, a big reason I’d want to see this would be to troll the Dodgers and their frustrating Giant-Killer star of the almost same name. But even so, Muncy offers a well-rounded talent with plus tools around the board. He hits using all sides of the field, and has the potential of double-digit power. Defensively, he has the potential of staying at short, but the ability to move to third or second. He’s also the kind of hard working baseball player the Giants have always liked. Truthfully, he’d be an ideal Giants pick if he makes it to #50, even aside from trolling the Dodgers. But that’s a nice bonus.
Tyler Whitaker, OF, Bishop Gorman HS
Whitaker brings an intriguing set of tools with a rise throughout his 2021 season. Even the main scouting sites split a bit on his tools. His hit tools are the more questionable and riskier tools, particularly his hit tool, but there’s a lot of raw power that could be unlocked with good coaching, but he’s got at least plus speed and a strong arm that could play at any spot. There’s a lot of potential, but his floor as a speedy outfielder isn’t a bad thing.
Connor Norby, 2B, East Carolina
Norby has spent the last two years hitting over .400 in college, and that hitting skill is his calling card, with average tools the rest of the way. There are not a lot of college hitters that fit well in the mid-second round, but Norby will be around this area, and he is one that comes with a clear plus tool, with perhaps double-digit power. But he might be stuck at second base, with sub-par arm strength for the left side, which might scare off the Giants braintrust.
Chase Burns, RHP, Tennessee
Speaking of players with excellent tools, Burns has that on the pitching side. Burns has a consistently upper-90’s fastball that is his calling card. He pairs that with a solid curveball and a strong slider. Burns does bring all the downsides of a common high velocity pitcher, with control issues as well as less developed breaking pitches, and of course the risk of him becoming a reliever. But sometimes, you have to swing at the big fastball.
3rd Round-#85 Pick
Brendan Beck, RHP, Stanford
The younger brother of Tristan Beck, Brendan followed his brother’s path to Stanford, and there’d be an interesting chance for them to team up in the Giants system. Beck doesn’t have any standout pitches, but he has a low-90’s fastball and four solid pitches with good control, and his ability to work with all his pitches to play up his ability. With polish from the Stanford baseball program, Beck could find his way up the baseball ladder.
Aaron Zavala, OF, Oregon
Zavala has been relatively undervalued as a player since his first season in Oregon, where all he has done is hit. The left-handed batter shines with an above average hit tool and excellent plate discipline, though he doesn’t have ideal power for a corner outfielder. He plays with otherwise average tools across the board otherwise. A tea could take the chance on his hitting ability and his baseball rat mentality to succeed.
Braylon Bishop, OF, Arkansas High School
Stop me if you’ve heard this before: a guy named Bishop with a power and speed combo. Bishop has long showed a lot of athletic tools, but there’s serious concern about his ability to make contact. If a team that drafts him can unlock that skill, he has plus power and speed, with center field defense to play with.
Joe Rock, LHP, Ohio
At 6’6”, Rock is one of those pitchers who has a lot of room for projection, with a fastball that sits in the low’90’s but could easily become a mid-90’s pitch. He comes from a low-3/4s pitching angle, which helps his slider sweep across the strike zone. Rock has a changeup that needs to improve for him to stick as a starter, and he will need some adjustments to reach his potential, but he brings a unique look and approach that could work.
Tyler McDonough, OF, North Carolina State
McDonough has Giants written all over him. Aside from being from North Carolina State, where the new Giants braintrust has picked up several players (Patrick Bailey, Will Wilson, Nick Swiney), McDonough is a baseball grinder utility-style player that has the defensive chops to play center field, and yet can also handle the infield at second and third, and was a catcher in high school until he got to NC State and moved since Bailey was there. McDonough has solid all-around tools, but plays them up with his makeup, and that sounds exactly like what the Giants would draft. Also, he’s a Wolfpack guy.
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