San Francisco Giants 2021 MLB Draft Report Card

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Best Pure Hitter: The Giants aggressively targeted arms this year, so the pick for best pure hitter goes to outfielder Jared Dupere (13) who was a day three selection. Dupere hit .343/.457/.781 for Northeastern this spring and in 29 games in the Arizona Complex League he posted a .263/.346/.411 slash line.

Best Power Hitter: Dupere set the single-season home run record for Northeastern this spring, with 21 homers. He hit two with a wood bat in his pro debut this summer, and it’ll be worth seeing how many strikeouts come with that power, but it’s clear there is plenty of thump in his 5-foot-11, 200-pound frame.

Fastest Runner: Outfielder Vaun Brown (10) was the first bat the Giants selected, and he is a plus runner who stole eight bags in nine attempts (88.9%) in his pro debut this summer.

Best Defensive Player: Outfielder Donovan McIntyre (11) mostly played left field during his pro debut, but he should have the speed and athleticism to handle center in the future. 

Best Fastball: Righthanders Mason Black (3) and Ian Villers (8) are likely the lead candidates for this category. Black has run his fastball up to 97 mph while Villers has also been in up a similar 96-97 mph range. Lefthander Matt Mikulski (2) touched 98 mph from the left side and has deception in his delivery that helps the pitch play up, while prep righthander Eric Silva (4) has touched 97 mph as well.

Best Secondary Pitch: Lefthander Seth Lonsway (6) has always had extremely loud pure stuff and his curveball has routinely gotten 70-grade reviews from scouts over the last few seasons. If he can harness his control more effectively in pro ball, it should be a true wipeout offering.

Best Pro Debut: Righthander Landen Roupp (12) had a sparkling four-year career with UNC-Wilmington (2.99 ERA over 258.2 innings) and pitched well in a brief, eight-inning stint this summer between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A West. He posted a 2.25 ERA over five games—all out of the bullpen—while striking out 14 and walking just one.

Best Athlete: Brown and McIntyre are both impressive athletes who would be fitting choices for this category.

Most Intriguing Background: Lefthander Rohan Handa (6) was one of the latest pop-up players in the 2021 draft class. He didn’t pitch during the spring with Yale after the Ivy League canceled its spring season, but turned heads when he toed the rubber in the New England Collegiate League. While there, Handa showcased a fastball up to 97 and a potential plus slider in the mid 80s. That stuff was far and away better than what he had shown a year prior, when he pitched in the mid-80s with his fastball. Training with Tread Athletics in Charlotte, N.C., helped him completely overhaul his draft stock and ink a $347,500 signing bonus. 

Closest To The Majors: Righthander Will Bednar (1) won a College World Series with Mississippi State and then started four more times in pro ball between the ACL and Low-A West, where he continued to show solid pitching ability. He’s got a deep pitch mix and good usability of his slider, while Mikulski now has the stuff to profile in a bullpen if the Giants don’t want to try developing him as a starter.

Best Late-Round Pick (Or NDFA): Roupp ranked as the No. 254 prospect in the 2021 class and the Giants got him with the 356th overall selection. While it was hard to see a legitimate plus offering in his arsenal prior to the draft, he has a long track record of performance and strike throwing ability.

The One Who Got Away: The Giants failed to sign three players in this year’s draft class, all of whom came from the Carolinas. Shortstop Brooks Baldwin (15) and lefthander Julian Bosnic (16) are the collegiate players who didn’t sign, while San Francisco didn’t come to terms with prep shortstop Vance Honeycutt (20) as well.