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SF Giants sign Florida A&M star catcher and intriguing reliever to NDFA deals

The SF Giants signed Florida A&M C Ty Hanchey and Grand Canyon RHP Cody Tucker to nondrafted free agent contracts following the 2023 MLB Draft.
Marc Delucchi|
SF Giants sign Florida A&M star catcher and intriguing reliever to NDFA deals
SF Giants sign Florida A&M star catcher and intriguing reliever to NDFA deals

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San Francisco Giants

The SF Giants added two more prospects to their organization following the 2023 MLB Draft, signing catcher Ty Hanchey out of Florida A&M and right-handed pitcher Cody Tucker out of Grand Canyon as nondrafted free agents. The Giants have only signed one other nondrafted free agent since the draft, junior college outfielder Bo Davidson.

Tucker is a 24-year-old reliever who played at Cal State Bakersfield from 2021-2022 before transferring to Grand Canyon prior to this season. Tucker consistently struck out roughly a batter per inning during his collegiate tenure but struggled to limit damage. He surrendered 118 hits, 52 walks, and 11 home runs in 105 collegiate innings with a 6.09 ERA.

It may be surprising to see Tucker receive a professional opportunity given his collegiate struggles, but he was one of the most dominant relievers at the MLB Draft League this summer. According to Brian Recca of Prospects Live, Tucker's fastball sat in the low-to-mid 90s, reaching 97 mph, and paired well with a low-80s slider. Tucker posted a 3.65 ERA in 12.1 innings pitched but did not surrender a home run. Most notably, he struck out 23 of the 52 batters he faced while issuing just two walks.

Hanchey played at Norfolk State from 2019-2021, transferring to Florida A&M before the 2022 season. Over the past two years, Hanchey has been one of the best players in the SWAC. A Virginia Beach, Virginia native, Hanchey hit .355/.442/.565 with 25 doubles, six triples, 14 home runs, 51 walks, and just 32 strikeouts in 442 plate appearances. Hanchey has not solely played catcher in college, seeing time in the outfield as well. However, he threw out 40% of opposing base stealers this spring, suggesting he has the arm to stick behind the plate as a professional.

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Marc Delucchi
MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).

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