The Giants aren't afraid to buck the consensus in the Draft. They weren't scared off by Timothy Lincecum's smaller frame and unorthodox delivery, focusing instead on his unhittable stuff when they took him 10th overall in 2006. They didn't care that most clubs hung third-round grades on Joe Panik, believing enough in his bat and his makeup to select him 29th overall in 2011.
In 2013, San Francisco grew enamored of Hernando High (Brooksville, Fla.) shortstop Christian Arroyo's hitting ability. Other clubs questioned where he would play and whether he had another standout tool, and few, if any, saw him as a first-round talent. The Giants did, signing him for $1,866,500 with the No. 25 choice.
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Arroyo has produced everywhere he has gone since turning pro. He has been one of the hottest hitters in the Minor Leagues to begin 2017, and with San Francisco off to the worst start in the National League, it summoned him on Monday in hopes he can help spark a moribund offense. He'll play regularly at third base with Eduardo Nunez shifting to left field, where the club got very little from Jarrett Parker (who is out until June with a broken clavicle) and Christian Marrero (demoted to Triple-A).
Thanks to his uncanny hand-eye coordination, Arroyo seemingly barrels balls at will and delivers hard line drives to all fields. A career .300 hitter in the Minors, he makes contact almost too easily because he rarely walks. While he has never hit more than nine homers in a pro season, he could provide at least average power if he became more selective and looked to drive the ball more frequently.
Though he was one of the Pacific Coast League's youngest players (age 21), Arroyo was leading the Triple-A circuit in hitting at .446/.478/.692 and already had matched his 2016 total with three home runs in 16 games. He put up the worst numbers of his career last year -- yet still hit .274 and ranked third in the Double-A Eastern League with 36 doubles as its second-youngest regular.
Arroyo spent most of his first three pro seasons at shortstop before splitting time between there, third base and second base in 2016 and again this April. He has good hands and a strong arm, but is best suited for the hot corner because his range and quickness are subpar for shortstop. He was always destined for third base in San Francisco with Brandon Crawford and Panik locking down the middle of the infield.
While he won't post monster numbers as a rookie at AT&T Park, Arroyo is capable of providing a steady bat and glove in the bottom half of the Giants lineup. He hit sixth in his big league debut Monday night against the Dodgers and has the talent to record a .275/.320/.425 line with regular playing time. That would be more than acceptable for someone who's currently the youngest everyday player in the Majors.