SF Giants prospects: 2023 MLB Draft grades and scouting reports
The SF Giants selected 21 players in the 2023 MLB Draft and are expected to sign all of them. With nearly two dozen new prospects in the organization, the Giants Baseball Insider prospect crew (Marc Delucchi and Wrenzie Regodon) spent the past week reviewing video and talking to sources throughout the industry about the team's draft class. We have compiled all of our notes here.
Giants amateur scouting director Michael Holmes spoke about several prospects in a series of press conferences throughout the draft as well. All the quotes from Holmes are from those press conferences.
Writeups by Marc with supplemental information from Wrenzie.
For the uninitiated, we rank prospects based on future-value grades on the scouting 20-80 scale. Here’s a breakdown of what the expected peak of a player with each grade looks like. Obviously, every prospect has a huge variance of potential outcomes, so these grades are simply our attempt to estimate their value by balancing their upside and floor. You can also see which prospects already in the system have comparable grades in GBI's midseason prospect rankings.
80: Top 5 player in MLB (8+ WAR per season)
70: Top 10 player in MLB (5-8 WAR)
60: All-Star (3.5-5 WAR)
55: Above-average everyday player (2.5-3.5 WAR)
50: Everyday player (1.5-2.5 WAR)
45: Platoon player (0.5-1.5 WAR)
40: MLB backup (0.2-0.5 WAR)
35: Quad-A player (-0.2-0.2 WAR)
30: Triple-A player
25: Double-A player
20: High-A player
Round 1 (16th overall): 1B/RHP Bryce Eldridge (James Madison HS)
Folks will obviously draw comparisons between Bryce Eldridge and Giants' 2022 first-round pick Reggie Crawford, another two-way player, but Eldridge is a far more balanced two-way prospect than Crawford, who was a first-round talent as a pitcher, but more of a mid-Day 2 prospect at the plate. Eldridge, on the other hand, would likely have been a first or second-round pick as either a hitter or pitcher.
Eldridge is the latest in a growing number of towering 6'7'' athletes who have found their way to professional baseball over the past few years. As a pitcher, the righty has flashed a mid-90s sinker and good feel for both a slider and changeup. His command still has significant room for improvement, as is the case for nearly all prep pitchers, but he has always been able to throw strikes consistently.
One source raised some concerns about the effort in Eldridge's delivery but added that they "fully believe in the Giants pitching development program though." The same source was even higher on Eldridge as a hitter. "There's a ton of pop in that bat. I think he's got a solid hit tool, too. Sound approach at the dish."
At the plate, Eldridge has true 70-grade power potential, and scouts are optimistic that he can cover his massive strike zone well enough to develop an average hit tool. Eldridge's size and athleticism give him a chance to be a plus defender at first base as well, although that's obviously far less important than the development of his ability as a hitter and pitcher.
"We spent a lot of time on him. He's a really good athlete. He's obviously unique for his size, being 6-7. Really good body control. At the plate, it's a unique ability to have power, we think he controls the zone. He has a very short swing. He's very short to the baseball, very balanced stroke. On the mound, you probably didn't see some of his better velocity toward the end, he was battling a little bit of an ankle injury, but it's a guy we've seen on the mound up to 95-96 with a breaking ball... Bryce is a tremendous baseball player, tremendous instincts, tremendous individual to represent the Giants on and off the field." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 45
Wrenzie's grade: 45
Round 2 (52nd overall): SS Walker Martin (Eaton HS)
The Giants' ability to float Walker Martin to the 52nd overall pick may have been the most impressive move of the draft. Martin was a consensus first-round prospect, with few industry evaluators expecting him to fall past the Competitive Balance Round A. Granted, Martin is one of the most enigmatic prospects in the class, so the Giants probably knew they could take advantage of that alongside a couple of other risk factors to keep him on the board until their second selection.
Martin has pretty and powerful left-handed swing and flashes a potential plus hit and power tool. He has also been a consistent defender at shortstop with a decent chance to stick as a professional. If it all comes together, Martin has a chance to be one of the best players in MLB. That said, there are some red flags as well.
One source told GBI that Martin's fall was aided by a medical concern that he played through during the spring. Of course, his numbers did not seem hampered by any injury. Martin hit .633/.722/1.632 with 11 doubles, four triples, and 20 home runs in 115 plate appearances with 33 walks and six strikeouts in Colorado as a senior.
Another source was lower on Martin because of concerns about his adjustment to pro ball. The source pointed out that "he was almost 2 years older than his peers and played 3A baseball where the majority of the pitchers were 75-83 mph."
The lack of high-level competition in his official season put a lot of pressure on Martin's limited showcase appearances over the past year. He has done incredibly well in those looks, albeit in a small sample. A source higher on Martin still expects him to "take some time" to adjust to professional pitching but believes "he will get every bit of talent out of his ability."
"He's extremely athletic. He's a three-sport star-basketball and football-and all kinds of accolades... He's a multi-time state champion in three different sports... We think his skill talent on the field is going to lead him to excel." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 40+
Wrenzie's grade: 45
Compensatory Round B (69th overall): LHP Joe Whitman (Kent State)
Eldridge and Martin will get the headlines, but Joe Whitman was arguably the best collegiate lefty in the draft class and could have easily been selected 30-40 picks earlier. Whitman transferred from Purdue to Kent State this spring and posted a 2.56 ERA with 100 strikeouts in 81 innings pitched. He also looked dominant in his only start at the Cape Cod League, throwing five shutout innings with nine strikeouts and just two hits allowed.
One source noted that Whitman's appearance at the Cape "really drove his stock up" with all three of his pitches (fastball, changeup, and slider) showing improvements. He lacks a carrying pitch like Giants' 2022 second-round pick Carson Whisenhunt, but Whitman does have some similarities with Whisenhunt, and several sources suggested he could move quickly through the lower minors.
"He is a solid three-pitch lefty with enough velo and strikes," said one source. "You can dream a little bit on the delivery, he’s pretty easy and athletic on the mound. But there isn’t a current plus pitch, and he had barely thrown in a game before 2023. So the big inning jump and lack of track record probably kept him out of the top 50 picks."
"We were really excited about Joe. To be able to have an opportunity for him for our last pick today, we were extremely excited." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 40
Wrenzie's grade: 40
Round 3 (85nd overall): INF Cole Foster (Auburn)
Cole Foster might have never made it to Auburn if not for the condensed 2020 MLB Draft. A top prep prospect out of Texas, Foster capped off a solid three-year career at Auburn this spring with his best season, hitting .336/.429/.570 with 13 home runs in 55 games.
Several sources reaffirmed one comment we received early on about Foster that described him as having "a well-rounded toolset. No big holes in his game, but no clear pluses either." Everyone we spoke with acknowledged that some evaluators believe he can stick at shortstop, but everyone we talked to projects him to end up at second or third base.
"He is a guy we saw a lot in high school. What we've seen is a progression from him where he's continued to grow his athleticism. He's gotten bigger. He's gotten stronger. In high school switch-hitting was kind of new to him, so he was able to gain three more years of switch-hitting and become comfortable with that aspect of his game. I think we've seen him grow to control the zone a little bit more. His power's really taken off... SEC shortstops with any type of performance tend to be really good players at the pro game. And I think Cole fits into that category." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 40
Wrenzie's grade: 40
Round 4 (117th overall): SS Maui Ahuna (Tennessee)
Maui Ahuna is kind of an inverse prospect of Foster. A first-round prospect coming off an excellent start to his college career at Kansas, Ahuna transferred to Tennessee this spring and hit .312/.425/.537 with 20 doubles and eight home runs in 53 games but also struggled to put the ball in play (77 strikeouts).
One source told GBI he was "one of the best SS defenders in the class with sneaky power," and all the evaluators we spoke with agreed he has a plus arm and is a potential plus defender at short. However, all of them also had major concerns about his hit tool. A different source said "he's far too aggressive and really doesn't read spin all the well. It's solid power to the gaps, but I really worry about how much contact he'll make."
"I think if you go back and watch a lot of video last season when he was at Kansas, his approach was a little different, what he was trying to do at the plate was a little different. He had a little bit more success there. I think at Tennessee he was trying to do a few things that maybe led to a little bit more swing-and-miss and the stats reflected that. I think we feel really confident that we can get him in a good place at the plate. But look, first and foremost, when it comes to Maui, he easily could have been considered the best defensive shortstop in the entire draft... We think he's an "impactful defender" and we think we can help him out on the hitting side. He's already a really good hitter. Get his approach back to maybe what it was the year before, control the zone a little bit more, and we think we got an everyday player." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 40
Wrenzie's grade: 40
Round 5 (153rd overall): 2B Quinn McDaniel (Maine)
Despite not turning 21 until September, Quinn McDaniel hit .354/.513/.688 with significantly more walks (60) than strikeouts (44) in 261 plate appearances this spring with Maine. A three-year starter, McDaniel posted a 1.011 OPS over his collegiate career and took significant strides forward each year. All of those characteristics are favorites of statistical models, with which McDaniel consistently graded highly.
A source acknowledged that he's "an undersized 2B-only type from a smaller conference, but all he’s done is hit." If McDaniel can generate enough power, he has the approach and history of productivity to potentially overachieve expectations.
Marc's grade: 35+
Wrenzie's grade: 35
Round 6 (180th overall): C Luke Shliger (Maryland)
As undersized catchers, Luke Shliger and Giants prospect Brett Auerbach could be easy players to conflate for fans. However, Shliger is a better prospect than Auerbach across the board. One source said Shliger was one of their "favorite players in the draft," citing an accurate arm and quick release behind the plate alongside a "compact stroke" with "sneaky pop."
Shliger solidified his draft prospects over the past two seasons with incredible production at the plate. Despite his small 5'9'' frame, he hit .320/.480/.543 over his college career with 46 doubles and 23 home runs in the past two seasons (125 games).
Marc's grade: 35+
Wrenzie's grade: 40
Round 7 (210th overall): OF Scott Bandura (Princeton)
Scott Bandura is the best pure hitter out of the Ivy League in years. He hit .363/.454/.655 with 12 home runs and nearly as many walks (31) as strikeouts (36) in 219 plate appearances this spring. One source noted that Bandura has struggled against elite velocity and is probably limited to an outfield corner, but added that he "has solid tools and makes loud contact."
Marc's grade: 35+
Wrenzie's grade: 35
Round 8 (240th overall): RHP Josh Bostick (Grayson College)
Josh Bostick hit .297/.402/.514 in 92 plate appearances as primarily an infielder at Howard College in his first season out of high school, only making one pitching appearance. He transferred to Hillsborough Community College for the 2022 season and was a true two-way player. His offensive performance took a significant step back (.156/.269/.200 in 52 plate appearances), but he made 17 relief appearances, posting a 7.17 ERA with 18 strikeouts and 16 walks in 21.1 innings pitched.
This spring, after transferring to Grayson College, Bostick fully committed to pitching and was one of the best starters in junior college despite only throwing out of the stretch. He completed at least six innings in seven consecutive starts at one point this season, which featured five-consecutive outings with double-digit strikeouts. During his best four-start stretch, he racked up 51 strikeouts in 28 innings pitched, posting a 1.93 ERA while surrendering just 18 hits and seven walks.
Bostick solidified his status as a Day 2 prospect with four impressive starts at the Cape Cod League. He posted a 3.00 ERA with 21 strikeouts (nine walks) in 18 innings pitched.
One source highlighted Bostick's "big heater with a good feel for a breaking ball." Another said, "It's probably more of a reliever look long term, but it's a strong FB/SL combo with the ability to hold his velocity."
Player development is never linear, but Bostick has taken such massive steps forward as a pitcher during his college career that it's hard for me not to see some big upside. Most prospects like Bostick fizzle out under a pro workload or move to the bullpen to reach the majors, but every once in a while, a prospect like this turns into Jacob deGrom.
"He's got a fastball up to 98. He misses a lot of bats with his fastball. He's got a breaking ball that's got some swing-and-miss characteristics... We think there's a chance that he can go out as a starter. We're going to try and develop him that way. We're really excited about his arm talent... The sky's the limit for Bostick." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 35+
Wrenzie's grade: 35
Round 9 (270th overall): 3B Charlie Szykowny (Illinois-Chicago)
Charlie Szykowny spent the first four years of his college career at the University of Wisconsin-Stout before taking advantage of an extra year of eligibility to transfer to UIC. In the Missouri Valley Conference, Szykowny hit .335/.426/.655 with 16 home runs and just 34 strikeouts in 237 plate appearances and won the conference's Newcomer of the Year Award. Obviously old for the class (23) with a limited track record against top competition, Szykowny will have to prove he can make the adjustment. He did get the coveted "true baseball player" description from one source.
"Charlie controls the zone. He makes a lot of contact. He has power. We've seen him physically mature through the years. He is a guy that came to one of our workouts later in the year that we run in different regions... We really believe in the bat profile here. We think there's a chance to hit and when I get passion from Tom Shafer and Andrew Jefferson, our crosschecker, part of my job is to be a good listener as much as anything... These guys were really passionate about Charlie." -Holmes
Marc's grade: 30
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 10 (300th overall): RHP Ryan Vanderhei (TCU)
Ryan Vanderhei was a highly-regarded prep prospect and was drafted in the 38th round by the Arizona Diamondbacks back in 2019. However, he was never able to put it all together in college between stops at Kansas and TCU. That said, scouts still see big-league upside in his powerful arm.
Vanderhei primarily relies on a sinker that has reached 97 mph and a slider that has flashed plus. He has used a solid changeup that probably will only be a factor if he is developed as a starter. One scout said he "should get a ton of groundballs" and another noted his "lack of strikes and consistency leads you to believe he will wind up a reliever. Has upside and projection to frame with present weapons."
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 11 (330th overall): C Jack Payton (Louisville)
Louisville catcher Jack Payton was expected to be a mid-Day 2 pick and fell to the Giants on Day 3. Payton is more comparable to Auerbach defensively, with questions about his defensive future and the athleticism to be a viable outfielder. However, he has a more potent bat. He hit .374/.472/.643 with 12 home runs this spring as a junior in the ACC.
One source was high on Payton's combination of defense behind the plate and power potential, seeing a potential power-first backup catcher with some limited versatility. However, they wondered if Payton could unlock another level of offensive production if he moved to the outfield.
Marc's grade: 35+
Wrenzie's grade: 40
Round 12 (360th overall): LHP Timmy Manning (Arizona State)
Like Vanderhei, Tim Manning was a premium high school prospect who never lived up to expectations in college. He spent his first two collegiate seasons at Florida before transferring to Arizona State for this spring. He flashes a well-rounded three-pitch arsenal (fastball, changeup, and curveball), but lacks control. He posted a 6.53 ERA in 91 college innings (38 games) with 108 strikeouts and 48 walks. Given his struggles, he could be a candidate to move to the pen, add some fastball velo, lean heavily on his best secondary (a high spin-rate curve), and end up in a big-league bullpen.
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 13 (390th overall): OF Jose Ortiz (Leadership Christian Academy)
One source described Jose Ortiz as a "really toolsy young outfielder. Plus runner. Plus arm. Good defender. Contact-over-power right now and just needs to add some strength." Ortiz was committed to the University of Houston but has already posted on Instagram that he signed with the Giants.
Ortiz has a limited track record, but starred on the showcase circuit, flashing 70-grade speed (6.44 60-yard dash) and arm strength (97 mph outfield velocity and 92 mph infield velocity). Ortiz's swing has a substantial leg kick to help get the most power out of his teenage frame, but he will likely be limited to gap power.
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 14 (420th overall): RHP Cale Lansville (San Jacinto JC)
Cale Lansville was another top high school prospect whose stock plummeted in college. He made five appearances as a true freshman at LSU before transferring to San Jacinto, Brandon Belt's alma mater. Lansville recorded a 3.62 ERA with 106 strikeouts (29 walks) in 74.2 innings pitched (15 appearances) this spring and made a pair of appearances at the MLB Draft League this summer. Lansville leans on a fastball that sits in the low-to-mid 90s and a pair of off-speed pitches. His slider is currently his best secondary offering.
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 15 (450th overall): LHP Dylan Carmouche (Tulane)
Another former SEC arm, Dylan Carmouche was a solid reliever with Mississippi but transferred to Tulane for a shot in the rotation. He's recorded 200 strikeouts (187.2 innings) during his college career but has also been hit fairly hard and has a 4.99 ERA. He relies on a deceptive arm slot, which helps his fringey high-80s fastball a bit, but his changeup is what got him drafted. Carmouche could be an innings eater in the lower minors, but he will need to add velocity (perhaps after a move back to the bullpen) to become a big-league prospect.
Marc's grade: 25+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 16 (480th overall): 3B Justin Wishkoski (Sam Houston State)
A junior college transfer to Sam Houston State in 2021, Justin Wishkoski has hit .350/.434/.534 with 35 doubles, five triples, 14 home runs, and as many walks as strikeouts (46) in 563 plate appearances over his two seasons in the WAC. A senior without much defensive upside, Wishkoski will have to hit his way to prospecthood.
A pair of sources liked Wishkoski's hit tool but had concerns about his upside because he is limited to an infield corner and has not shown consistent power. He did begin flashing better exit velocities during the WAC tournament, and there's a path to a 55/45 hit/power combo if he adds some strength.
Marc's grade: 30
Wrenzie's grade: 35
Round 17 (510th overall): C Drew Cavanaugh (Florida Southern)
A junior college transfer to Vaun Brown's alma mater, Cavanaugh hit .316/.441/.588 with 12 home runs in 46 games this spring. Unlike Brown, Cavanaugh has been drafted by the Giants at just 21 years old. Cavanaugh threw out 32.8% of opposing base stealers this spring and was voted the best defensive catcher in his conference in each of the past two seasons. One source highlighted his strong arm and quick release behind the plate as truly elite. A left-handed hitter, if Cavanaugh's bat can handle the jump to pro ball, he has the tools to be a big-league backup catcher for a long time.
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 35
Round 18 (540th overall): LHP Michael Rodriguez (North Greenville University)
Nicknamed "The Nightmare," Michael Rodriguez is a powerful 6'6'' left-handed reliever who began flashing upper 90s velocity this spring in the back of Division-II powerhouse North Greenville's bullpen. He posted a 2.45 ERA with 67 strikeouts and just eight walks in 40.1 innings pitched (24 appearances) this spring.
Marc's grade: 30
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 19 (570th overall): LHP Tommy Kane (Maryland)
Another juco transfer, Kane began his career at Rowan College of South Jersey-Gloucester before joining Shliger at Maryland this season. Strictly a reliever, Kane posted a 7.31 ERA with 29 strikeouts and 17 walks in 28.1 innings pitched (17 games) this spring. Despite his struggles, Kane has reached 97 mph with his fastball and flashed a potential above-average breaking ball.
Marc's grade: 30
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Round 20 (600th overall): OF Nadir Lewis (Princeton)
The second Giants venture into the Ivy League this draft, specifically Princeton led to the selection of outfielder Nadir Lewis. Injuries limited him to just four games this spring, but he has posted an OPS north of 1.000 with 15 home runs and 19 stolen bases in 307 plate appearances between his 2022 Princeton season and the Coastal Plain League this summer. Lewis has flashed an above-average combination of speed and power but will have to show he can stay on the field.
Marc's grade: 30+
Wrenzie's grade: 30
Overall 2023 SF Giants draft class grade
Marc: A+
I cannot exaggerate how much this draft class aligns with my personal preferences with prospects. I like targeting top high school talents early before attempting to balance the risk with college talent later on. The Giants did exactly that and mixed in upside plays like Ahuna, Bostic, and Ortiz for some icing on the cake.
Of course, it's about evaluating the value the Giants got from the picks, not just how they align with my personal tendencies. They did that too. Even with Ahuna and Martin's flaws, both players were expected to go at least a round earlier than they did. Sources in other organizations loved higher-floor picks like Foster, Shliger, and Payton as well. This draft class really has something for everyone.
It's also easier to have faith in the SF Giants' lesser-known late selections because few teams have done a better job finding great value with unheralded prospects late in the draft (Cole Waites, Vaun Brown, Landen Roupp, Wade Meckler). Given their recent scouting track record, I would not be surprised if someone like Charlie Szykowny, Ryan Vanderhei, Jose Ortiz, Drew Cavanaugh, Michael Rodriguez, or Nadir Lewis quickly establishes themself as an overachiever.
Wrenzie: A
Personally, I have given up on trying to predict what the Giants will do in the draft under Zaidi and Holmes because they come up with a different plan every single year. However, those plans don't always come to plan, no pun intended. *looks at the 2019 and 2021 draft classes* With that said, I personally like their approach this year just like Marc.
I am not really a value guy in terms of evaluating draft classes as I am more of a "what tools do you have and how does it fit with the player development team" guy, and I must say that Eldridge's tools on both sides of the ball are as loud as anyone in this draft class. I also think that health permitting, Martin's skillset is also highly promising.
Those two have the potential to become legitimate top prospects in the sport under the SF Giants' player development. Also, the college prospects that they drafted can take steps forward with a couple of tweaks such as Ahuna and McDaniel's swings, Foster's strength, and Payton's defensive fundamentals.
It's easy to compare this class to 2017, the last time the Giants took prep prospects with their first two picks (Heliot Ramos and Jacob Gonzalez), but unlike 2017 when Gonzalez was considered a reach by public outlets, both Eldridge and Martin are considered true first-round talents and are definitely sensible selections in the first two rounds. Add in a college haul of Whitman, Ahuna, Foster, and Payton, and you got yourself a great class with a good blend of floor and ceiling.
It is hard for me to give any draft class an A+ because the draft is a crapshoot. However, I can give this class a true "A" grade because they added a group of highly exciting players who easily improved the organization's surging farm system. The middle infield haul of Foster, Ahuna, and McDaniel makes the group a relative strength while also adding much-needed depth. Shliger and Payton continue the age-old saying "You can never have too many catchers". Lastly, the pitching class led by Whitman might lack in depth, but there are still a couple of intriguing arms.
