Ruddy Giron
| AB | 1841 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .242 |
| OBP | .291 |
| SLG | .347 |
| HR | 25 |
- Full name Ruddy Giron
- Born 01/04/1997 in Santo Domingo Centro, Dominican Republic
- Profile Ht.: 6'0" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Padres signed Giron for $600,000 as an international free agent in 2013 and he impressed quickly, reaching low Class A Fort Wayne as an 18-year old and excelling in a partial season there. Sent back to Fort Wayne to begin 2016, Giron suffered a groin strain early that threw off his lower-half mechanics and timing at the plate. The result was a swing that got too long with no power, and at the end of June he was hitting .189 with no home runs. Giron earned plaudits for staying mentally strong through his slump and finally broke out of it in July. hitting .305 with 24 extra-base hits the rest of the season. When right, Giron is an above-average hitter, though he struggles with good breaking pitches, and his power potential remains fringe-average. Defensively, he is a question mark at shortstop, with rigid movements and inconsistent glove work, which overshadows his plus arm. Giron's defensive shortcomings limit his upside, but his bat can carry him if he stays mechanically sound. He will begin 2017 at high class A Lake Elsinore. -
The Padres signed Giron for $600,000 on the 2013 international free agent market. He began 2015 in extended spring but went 6-for-6 in his May 18 debut at low Class A Fort Wayne. The youngest player in the Midwest League in 2015 until teammate Luis Urias arrived in July, Giron shows an uncommon plate approach for a player his age. He takes a short path to the ball with a tick below-average power. He projects to be an above-average hitter with a swing geared for line drives, which will keep his homers in the 10-15 range until he learns to put air under the ball. Giron has the strength and physicality to drive the ball, but his mature frame lacks projection. He is an above-average runner underway who needs to improve his leads and first-step quickness to steal bases more efficiently. He has soft hands and a plus throwing arm, though his movements and actions can be rigid, and his fielding percentage (.938) ranked toward the middle of the pack in the MWL. Giron should be able to remain at shortstop for now, but even if he fills out, a move to second base is probable. With his maturity and leadership--he tutored international players during instructional league--he should begin 2016 at high Class A Lake Elsinore.
Minor League Top Prospects
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The Padres held Giron behind in extended spring training for the first six weeks of the season, but once he joined Fort Wayne he went 6-for-6 in his MWL debut. Giron never stopped hitting after that. In a league brimming with talented shortstop prospects, his combination of bat speed and present strength make him one of the easier prospects to project as an above-average hitter, especially in light of his short, direct bat path. Giron has some present pull power and should wind up hitting 10-12 home runs a year, but his swing is geared more for hitting line drives. What impressed scouts the most was Giron's advanced internal clock. He has an above-average arm but rarely has to use it because he has an excellent understanding of just how much time he has to throw out a fast, average or slow runner.
