David Villar, Third Baseman
DOB: 1/27/1997
BATS: R / THROWS: R
ACQUIRED: Drafted 2018, 11th Round
LAST LEVEL: Double-A
VOLATILITY: Mild
STATS
GiantFutures 2022 Ranks: #2 Third Baseman, #25 Overall
Performance: David Villar has had a quietly steady path up the Majors. After being drafted, he spent most of the short season in Short-A, and then 2019 in High-A San Jose. That path continued to Double-A in Richmond at 24, and he added some power to his consistent profile. Villar’s stuck around his career .272 batting average, and had above average power until 2021.
What changed in 2021 was that Villar added some serious power, hitting 20 home runs after hitting just 13 in both 2019 and 2018. He also added 29 doubles for a strong extra-base profile, and cut slightly down on his strikeouts (112 in 385 at-bats after striking out 144 times in 423 at-bats in 2019). He also upped his walks (46 in 446 plate appearances, compared to 40 in 479 plate appearances), which bumped his on-base percentage 40 points.
Villar spent most of his season at third, but also got in 13 games at first base. Villar’s defensive profile is solid, but he did have 19 errors in 92 games at third.
Strengths and Weaknesses: David Villar’s profile has been relatively consistent from season to season, grading out as average across the board, but the way he’s pushed his power and plate discipline has raised some eyebrows. Having above-average power puts him on the prospect radar.
Villar’s biggest weakness is the lack of true standout tools. He has the ability to swing to first base as well, giving him some versatility if a team needs.
2022 Outlook: Villar will head up to Sacramento, and fight for playing time at the corners. If he can prove that the power increase is real, he could be on the radar if the team needs some help at the corners.
Future Profile: While he probably won’t be an offensive powerhouse, Villar could be a solid swingman at the corners in the infield, and enough pop to be an interesting bench bat as well.
Recent Comments