Camilo Doval Brings Big Power From A Low Slot

Owner of a fastball that can reach 100 mph and a low arm slot, righthander Camilo Doval spent this past summer at the Giants’ alternate training site and made their taxi squad late in the season even though he has not pitched above Class A.

Though Doval did not appear in a game for the big club, the Giants displayed their faith in the 23-year-old by adding him to the 40-man roster on Nov. 20, thus protecting him from the Rule 5 draft.

The Giants signed Doval, a native of the Dominican Republic, in 2015. He has worked exclusively as a reliever since turning pro, reaching low Class A Augusta in 2018 and high Class A San Jose in 2019.

Because Doval hasn’t reached the upper levels of the minor leagues, his time at the alternate site became especially valuable.

“It was really a much-needed experience for him,” Giants farm director Kyle Haines said, “to be able to play with and against some older, more developed players.”

Listed at 6-foot-2, 180 pounds, Doval racked up 80 strikeouts in 56.1 innings in the California League in 2019, throwing that high-end fastball and an effective slider from a low, nearly sidearm arm slot.

“It’s a power arm, but it’s from a slot that you really don’t see power arms come from,” Haines said.

Though Doval’s delivery is “something that you probably wouldn’t even try to teach someone,” Haines said, the Giants haven’t tried to change that delivery into something more traditional.

“It works for him, and it’s come natural for him,” Haines said. “You just don’t want to coach the style out of the player.”

That delivery makes Doval particularly difficult against righthanded batters. In 2019, they hit just .149 against him in 141 at-bats, though lefthanded batters fared much better, hitting .313 in 64 at-bats.

Doval also issued 34 walks and hit four batters.

“There’s really only one main (concern) with him, and that’s just consistency with his command,” Haines said. “Once he does that, then he’s going to be very tough on anyone who steps in the box.”

 

GIANTICS

— The Giants added outfielder Alexander Canario to their 40-man roster even though he had surgery in November for a torn labrum in his left (non-throwing) shoulder. Canario, 20, was injured near the end of the instructional league schedule. Canario hit 16 homers in a combined 236 at-bats between Rookie ball and short-season in 2019. He was part of the Giants’ alternate camp this past summer. He is not expected to be ready for the start of spring training.

— The two other players San Francisco added to its 40-man roster were righthanders Kervin Castro and Gregory Santos.

— The Giants signed 27-year-old third baseman Jason Vosler to a big league contract on Nov. 10. A lefthanded hitter, Vosler hit .291/.367/.523 with 20 home runs for the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate in El Paso on 2019. He was at San Diego’s alternate site this past summer before qualifying for minor league free agency after the season.