There used to be a time when draftniks would predict the Giants would take pitchers in the draft, and everyone around here would groan. Ugh, we need hitters, you fools! Hitters! And when the Giants would actually take a pitcher, well, hoo boy. It was ugly. The Madison Bumgarner draft thread never gets old.
Now, though? Please, more pitching. The entire infield is homegrown because apparently the Giants have finally figured out how to develop hitters. Some complementary outfielders would be nice, but the pitching idea is grand, too. ESPN and FanGraphs have some mock drafts for the 2015 MLB Draft up, and they have the Giants going for right-handed pitching.
Seriously, you don't have to do that every ... but, yeah, it's not exactly surprising. It's supposedly a thin draft, but it's moderately stocked with right-handed pitchers, which the Giants often draft with some success. First up, we have Keith Law, who's guessing ...
Mike Nikorak, RHP, Stroudsburg (Pa.) High School
Law brings up similarities to Matt Cain in the mock, and gives a scouting report elsewhere on the site:
Nikorak typically attacks the strike zone with all three of his pitches, and he repeats his athletic delivery on a consistent basis with no real red flags in his high three-quarter arm slot action.
A polished high-school arm with a plus fastball? Okay. I can play the waiting game. Some video:
Law had the Giants taking Missouri State right-hander Jon Harris in his last mock, so he's been consistent with the pitching picks.
FanGraphs' Kiley McDaniel also has the Giants taking Nikorak, though he says the Giants are unpredictable and all over the place, considering righties, lefties, and high school outfielders. But he settles on Nikorak, which means more video!
Having officially retired from pretending that I know what I'm talking about with the draft, I'm okay with this. Because I would be okay with anyone. Imagine if the Giants took a college shortstop with a career .594 OPS and zero home runs who might not stick at the position with their first-round pick in 2012. Fire! Anarchy! Cannibalism! This place would have exploded. And yet Matt Duffy really did turn out better than the actual first-round pick.
So, whatever, Giants. Pick someone talented, give him a good old spit-polish, and get him up quick. Or take your time! Just worry about the talented part.