Giants' first-round draft picks stealing the show

If Giants fans want to ask "what have you done for me lately?" all they need to do is look at the pair of first-round steals their club nabbed in the 2006 amateur draft.

If his first pro season, and even more notably, his first big-league Spring Training is any indication, then it won't be long before baseball fans see the designation "10th overall pick in the 2006 draft" next to right-hander Tim Lincecum's name and wonder how on earth this talent lasted until the 10th pick.

And the Giants weren't done with their first-round brilliance, as they scooped up gifted Kent State shortstop Emmanuel Burriss in the supplemental round with the 33rd overall selection. Burriss dazzled in his debut at Class A Shor-Season Salem-Keizer, helping that club cruise to the Northwest League title as he hit .307 with a league-leading 35 steals.

But the organization is more than just a two-trick pony.

With the initial wave of large-scale cuts from camp coming late, the actual makeup of their four full-season teams for 2007 was still up in the air as the Minor League front office awaited the inevitable trickle down.

Several players who would normally make this list, such as southpaw Jonathan Sanchez, relief ace Brian Wilson and second baseman Kevin Frandsen, will likely crack the big-league club on Opening Day.

But even with Opening Day rosters unsettled, the depth in the outfield was unmistakable.

So much depth, in fact, that as San Francisco's director of player development Jack Hiatt noted, "it makes it very hard for an outfielder to skip a level."

Aside from the "blue chip" prospects, the system also got some outstanding seasons from some unexpected Class A sources. Notable speedy infielder Eugenio Velez, a brilliant Minor League Rule 5 pick from Toronto, earned South Atlantic League MVP honors in leading Augusta to one of the best records in the Minors, and right-handed reliever Brian Anderson set a California League record with 37 saves in his first full season.

Climbing the Ladder

Triple-A Fresno

Fred Lewis, OF
Lewis, one of the best athletes in the organization, leads the deep list of outfield prospects. A second-round pick in 2002 out of Southern University, he is finally putting up the numbers that the club had hoped for, as evidence by his .276 average with 12 homers, 11 triples, 56 RBIs and 18 steals at Fresno last season. He also hit .445 in a very brief Major League debut. While Lewis was still an outside contender for a Major League job with a few weeks remaining in Spring Training, he's more likely to start back with the Grizzlies and will get a callup when needed.

2006 Organizational Record
LEVEL AAA AA A (Adv) A SS R	LEAGUE PCL EL CAL SAL NWL AZL	TEAM Fresno Connecticut San Jose Augusta Salem-Keizer Giants TOTAL:	W 61 64 82 92 55 33 387	L 83 77 58 47 21 22 320	PCT .424 .454 .586 .662 .724 .600 .547

Tim Lincecum, RHP
Put a big asterisk next to this one.

A few months ago, Lincecum probably would have been slated to start the year in the San Jose rotation. Now, he could actually be in San Francisco. Or he could start the year in the Connecticut rotation. Or he could start the year putting fannies in the seats every fifth night for the Grizzlies come April.

He has certainly caused the biggest buzz of anyone in camp this spring. The somewhat diminutive (5-foot-11) righty out of Washington throws a power fastball in the upper 90s. In his brief pro debut he posted a 1.71 ERA with 58 strikeouts in 31 2/3 innings between Class A Short-Season Salem-Keizer and San Jose, limiting opposing batters to a .127 average in eight starts.

Others to watch: RHP Billy Sadler, a sixth-round pick in 2003, is a legitimate contender for the back end of the Giants' bullpen down the road. In 2006 he combined for a 2.43 ERA in 51 games, including a 1.80 ERA in seven Pacific Coast League contests and a brief Major League debut, and then followed that up by posting a 1.29 ERA in the Arizona Fall League. His makeup is off the charts. ... OF Nate Schierholtz will get the opportunity to try his hand in Fresno after posting a 25-game hitting streak at Connecticut down the stretch in '06. Overall, the second-rounder from '03 hit .270 with 14 homers and 54 RBIs. A converted third baseman, he also has good power potential. ... LHP Erick Threets has been a 40-man roster staple since he was eligible, but last year was the first time he finally looked like he was ready for the bigs. Known for a fastball that has hit as high as 104, he's finally harnessed his control and posted a 2.87 in 49 games with Triple-A Fresno. He probably returns to the Fresno bullpen to open 2007 but could finally see some Major League time this season.

Double-A Connecticut

Eddy Martinez-Esteve, OF
Injuries and defensive questions have been the only thing holding Martinez-Esteve back as his bat is potent. A shoulder injury ended his season in May at Connecicut last year, but he was hitting .272 with two homers and 11 RBIs when he went down. In 2005, a healthy campaign, he hit .313 with 17 homers and 94 RBIs.

"We're all holding our breath on his health, but this spring he looks physically the best I've ever seen him," said Hiatt. "He's stronger, a little thinner and his throwing arm has drastically improved. He's been putting on a show in Major League camp with his bat."

Brian Anderson, RHP
A 14th-round pick in 2005 out of Long Beach State, Anderson led the Minors with 37 saves last season at San Jose, setting a California League record. His ERA sat at 1.86, impressive anywhere but especially in that hitters' league. And the numbers were right in tune with his pro debut when he collected 19 saves with a 1.95 ERA at Class A Short-Season Salem-Keizer. Throwing a cut fastball around 90 and a slider, he's struck out 127 batters in 56 pro innings while limiting hitters to a .176 average.

Others to watch: RHP Nick Pereira posted a 7-1 record with a 2.08 ERA at San Jose to start 2006 and then moved up to Connecticut where he was 4-3 with a 5.92. He is on the bubble between a return to the Defenders staff and a move up to Fresno. A 10th-round pick in 2005 out of San Francisco, he struck out 131 in 158 innings combined. ... 1B Travis Ishikawa is also on the bubble between Connecticut and Fresno. He made his Major League debut in 2006 but has yet to actually play at Triple-A. A 21st-round pick in 2002, he hit just .232 at Connecticut last year and could use a little more seasoning, but he did bat .292 in 12 games with the Giants.

Class A Advanced San Jose

Emmanuel Burriss, SS
The Kent State product batted .307 and hit .403 with runners in scoring position while also leading the Northwest League in steals with 35. Hiatt calls his speed "game-changing."

"Burriss can disrupt a ballgame," he said, "And his instincts are fabulous at shortstop."

Joey Martinez, RHP
A 12th-round pick out of Boston College in 2005, Martinez was one of the aces of a strong Augusta club last summer, going 15-5 with a 3.01 ERA. He walked just 26 batters in 168 innings while striking out 135 and throws a fastball, changeup and curveball.

Others to watch: Switch-hitting 2B/CF Eugenio Velez is working on both positions in camp this spring while the Giants decide what his eventual role will be. That decision will also determine where he starts 2007, but for now, allowing for the logical move up one level, let's put him here (despite the fact that the San Jose club is stacked with both middle infielders and outfielders, meaning the 25-year-old Velez could skip a level to Connecticut). The Minor League Rule 5 Draft pick from Toronto blossomed with his change of scenery, winning South Atlantic League MVP honors as he hit .315 with 64 steals and a Minor League-high 20 triples. "We put him at center field in Instructional League and he looked fabulous, and he's impressing them at second base in Major League camp," Hiatt said. "He's a tremendous athlete and we're thrilled to have him." ... While he may not be ready to start the season with the club following shoulder surgery, 2B Marcus Sanders should be there before long, or at least the Giants hope so. He has struggled with this issue, a result of a football injury, for a few years and it has forced his shift from shortstop to second. If healthy, he is a very potent offensive player with great speed. ... In the meantime, power-hitting 2B David Maroul is Burriss' more likely double-play partner. He hit .249 with 11 homers and 67 RBIs in 106 games at Augusta. He is also in a new position, moving over from third base. ... Finally, on this loaded San Jose team, look for what Hiatt calls "the trifecta" of outfield prospects who move up together from Augusta: Ben Copeland, Michael Mooney and Antoan Richardson. That trio really defines the depth Hiatt talks about. Copeland, the club's first pick in 2005 (fourth round), hit .281 with 71 RBIs for the GreenJackets in 2006, Mooney batted .287 with 74 RBIs and the speedy Richardson .292 with 66 steals and was caught just nine times.

Class A Augusta

Mike McBryde, OF
The center fielder was taken in the fifth round last spring out of Florida Atlantic and hit .276 with three homers, 34 RBIs and 16 steals at Salem-Keizer after what was virtually a lost college season due to a hamstring pull. He has a plus arm and good speed.

Clayton Tanner, LHP
The Giants' third-round pick last spring out of high school will be just 19 this season. The southpaw had a 3.46 ERA at Salem-Keizer, limiting Northwest League hitters to a .183 average and striking out 25 while walking eight in 26 innings. He turned down a scholarship to Pepperdine to sign with the Giants.

Others to watch: LHP Ben Snyder, the club's fourth-round pick out of Ball State, could land at Augusta as well. The younger brother of Cleveland prospect Brad Snyder, he had a 3.66 ERA in 15 games at Salem-Keizer and struck out 58 in 66 1/3 innings. ... With the trickle-down effect inevitable, some of the top prospects listed at San Jose may wind up back at Augusta simply due to the numbers game.

Under the Radar

Brian Horwitz, OF
Signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2004, Horwitz has no power or speed but he is one heck of a hitter. He's combined for a .297 average over three pro seasons, hitting .324 at San Jose last year and then .286 in a move up to Connecticut. He could start the year back with the Defenders or crack the Fresno lineup.

Adam Cowart, RHP
No one had a better pro debut than this 2006 35th-rounder who sits between the two Class A rotations with a few weeks before spring camp breaks. He was 10-1 with a 1.08 ERA at Salem-Keizer, walking just eight in 83 1/3 innings while striking out 55 and limiting hitters to a .178 average.

Osiris Matos, RHP
Matos has started and relieved in his career, throwing a mid-90s fastball and slider. In 2006 he was 7-3 with a 1.76 ERA and 13 saves at Augusta, striking out 81 in 61 innings while walking 12, and he is likely to skip past San Jose and head right to Connecticut this spring. He's made a very good impression in camp.

2006 Draft Recap

RHP Tim Lincecum (1) may be one of the fastest movers in the draft this year, regardless of where he starts. ... SS Emmanuel Burriss (2) was taken in the supplemental first round and showed a clutch bat. He did commit 15 errors but his defense is still considered a strong suit. ... OF Mike McBryde (5) was slowed by hamstring issues in 2006, but could be back at full speed this year. He has a very strong arm as well. ... OF Tyler Graham (19) may rival Burriss among the Giants' draft class when it comes to sheer speed. He swiped 14 and was caught four times with Salem-Keizer in his debut.

Predictions

Organization Player of the Year: SS Emmanuel Burriss
Give this savvy speedster a full season in the hitter-happy California League and there is no telling what he'll do.

Organizational Pitcher of the Year: RHP Tim Lincecum
With the caveat that he has to last long enough in the Minors to win this honor and there is absolutely no guarantee of that. However, if he does head to the Minors, he should be one of the most dominant pitchers around.

Quotable

"Obviously at this point in time he's considered a starter. However, as time passes, whatever the big club needs, he could do that for us. ... His stuff is excellent, but he needs a little room for error and as a starter you have that room. Coming in from the bullpen there is no room for error. You have to be perfect and on the button. So right now we're looking at him as a starter but the future is to be determined." Hiatt on the speculation that Lincecum could be converted to a closer down the line.