The two events that get the most media attention in baseball’s regular season: the June draft and trade deadline, are here to be discussed. And yet it would hardly do to jump in without explanation. Baseball fans know how exceedingly different the two are. The draft is when you bring players into your system to develop for the future. The trade deadline is that too, but mostly for non-contending teams. And at this point, the San Francisco Giants are 100% contenders. Based on this last fact, our interest in the draft might not naturally be at its peak, since we are focused on what is right in front of us. And yet, if we take a deeper look, the Giants’ selection of amateur players may have some bearing on their present status. How this year’s draft plays out could impact the Giants’ trade deadline moves.
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Quality Out of Quantity
The Giants have had a long history of trying to bring quality out of quantity. This is not always a bad thing. But it seems to have had an effect in keeping top-level players off the Giants roster. Indeed, were it not for the resurgence of veteran players in 2021, they would not have had the great year that they did.
But it goes deeper than that. Historically, the Giants have prioritized depth in the draft as well. They like to pick solid players all the way through. Again, this can be great. But it has likely made them miss out on some of the players that everybody craves. Many of their top prospects have struggled at critical times in the majors, and some never came through at all. While it’s not like this strategy has been perpetually incapable of producing solid players, it probably is no real stimulus to the harvesting of superstars.
Now to dig deeper. The Giants’ organizational prospects have appeared extremely valuable at every trade deadline. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have done such an unglamorous job every time of building their roster for contention. Not that the acquisition of J.D. Davis wasn’t a big hit. But they didn’t make the playoffs in 2022. If they have exceptional organizational depth, can they not afford to spare some when it comes to trades? They might be able to make it happen without giving up a future superstar. Or, would the number of prospects desired for a big-name player simply be too many?
JD Davis has been great for the San Francisco Giants this season. He has the 15th-highest average exit velocity in baseball and is getting on base at a .366 clip.
Davis was acquired from the Mets at the trade deadline last season in the Darin Ruf trade, along with 3 prospects. pic.twitter.com/c2cAeahwqd
— MLB Deadline News (@MLBDeadlineNews) June 11, 2023
The Present Impact of the Draft on the Giants’ Trade Deadline Moves
These are good questions to ask, but there’s no way to arrive at a complete answer to them. We must focus on the point, which is the relationship between the draft and the trade deadline. I can’t really go about this by giving a list of amateur player names. When you’re talking about big leaguers, that’s easy. But when you’re dealing with amateur prospects, only the scouts really know what they’re talking about (In case you’re wondering, I don’t have time to drive to all the places and scout all the players). So this must just be dealt with from a matter of principle.
For any contending team, amateur scouting and player development can’t just be pursuits aimed at the future. Without a powerful pool of prospects, the team won’t have to offer what the non-contenders are asking for their superstars and well-above-average players. So a prospect who never appears in a major league game for a given team can still count as significant capital put toward a championship.
But all of this is even more specific when it comes to the Giants. They need the incentive to push forward at the trade deadline. They need to know that they’re not giving up too much. Already, President of Baseball Operations Farhan Zaidi has expressed his willingness to be aggressive. But these days, we don’t know what that means until the time comes. Let us hope that the Giants do well in the draft.
Photo Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports
Players Mentioned: J.D. Davis
