Steven Duggar

Position: CF
Level: High A
Affiliate: San Jose Giants
League: Pacific Coast League
Age: 22
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 195
B/T: Left / Right
Acquired: 6th Rd., 2015 MLB First-Year Player Draft (SFG)

Prospect Spotlight

Duggar was a sixth-round pick in the June 2015 MLB draft last season, and since then all he has done is hit and get on base.  He hit .293 with 12 doubles, and one homer, and was on base to the tune of a .390 OBP over 229 AB’s last season.  So far in 2016 all he’s done is improve upon those numbers with six HRs, 12 doubles, a .409 OBP and 29 BBs to 30 Ks.  At 22 years old, he is not young for the level, however with not even a full season of pro ball under his belt my guess is that the Giants see no reason to rush.  He is a plus athlete that is a bit raw on the defensive side, but projects well and should eventually check in as an above-average big league center fielder.

While the defensive ability is certainly a positive, what he offers with the bat is the really exciting part.  His quiet, patient approach is something he has had since his days at Clemson, where his feel for the strike zone improved markedly from his sophomore season to his junior draft year (BB/SO: 27/51, 54/49, respectively).  Seeing those numbers continue to trend in that direction in pro ball indicates that Duggar has the ability to adjust as he moves up levels; couple that with his bat speed, approach at the plate and ability to let the ball travel and it’s easy to see the ingredients for a future plus hitter showing up in San Francisco.  Steve Finley andMatt Carpenter come to mind when envisioning Duggar’s projection.

Going in the sixth round is late for this type of talent, but the Giants have delivered three World Series Championships in the past five years with their scouting and player development philosophy playing a huge role –  Duggar is just the latest example of that.  I expect that he will be on his way to Double-A later this summer with stops in the Arizona Fall League and the Giants’ 2017 big league camp after that.  He may not start 2017 with the Giants, but I imagine he’ll be in their lineup at some point next season.  -Dave DeFreitas