The Giants had to wait four hours into the MLB Draft to make their first pick, a product of signing Jeff Samardzija this off-season and losing their first-round pick, but nabbed switch-hitting outfielder Bryan Reynolds with 59th overall draft selection.
“We were very happy he was available for us in the second round,” said John Barr, the head of the Giants’ scouting operations, “and I must say we were a little surprised he was getting to us.”
Reynolds is a 6-foot-4, switch-hitting center field from Vanderbilt, a player Barr said he projects hitting in the upper-third of the lineup. The Giants executive also added his belief that Reynolds can stay in center field, a compliment to Reynold’s athleticism in a situation when players often have to switch positions.
The former Vanderbilt junior started all 62 games for the Commodores this year, hitting .330, collecting 52 RBI and a team-leading 13 home runs along the way. His Vanderbilt team bio said the 21-year-old is a fan of the Braves, despite growing up in Brentwood, Tennessee.
“He’s a competitor,” Barr said. “He’s a winner who really tries to get the most out of his ability. That’s something we look for in the players that we select.”
Two years ago the Giants also used their first pick on a Vanderbilt product, selecting right-handed pitcher Tyler Beede. Barr said the Giants have been watching Reynolds since he attended Brentwood High School (Tennessee), but got a greater look at him while also scouting Beede.
YES!!!! @Bryan_Reynolds8 so happy for you man!! Welcome to greatest Organization in baseball! #teammatesAgain #Neat https://t.co/OEUHPBkEm4
— Beedah (@tylerbeede) June 10, 2016
“Bryan could virtually play any position on the field but has transformed himself into an accomplished center fielder,” Vanderbilt head coach Tim Corbin said through a statement on Reynold’s online bio. “He can impact the game from an offensive and defensive standpoint. In the short amount of time that he has been at Vanderbilt, he has developed as much as anyone as a player. He certainly has ‘special player’ abilities.”
In accordance with the Giants’ draft slot this year, they have a pool of $1,090,000 to sign Reynolds.