The San Francisco Giants welcomed the newest member of their organization on Monday evening, as the franchise selected Heliot Ramos with the 19th overall pick in the 2017 Major League Baseball Draft.
A year after the team forfeited its first round pick to sign right-handed pitcher Jeff Samardzija, San Francisco elected to pursue the 17-year-old outfielder out of the Leadership Christian Academy in Puerto Rico.
Ramos was considered the top Puerto Rican player available in this year’s draft, and is currently committed to Florida International University. The Giants will have until August 15 to reach agree to a contract with Ramos.
The 2017 Draft marks the 10th straight season San Francisco scouting director John Barr is in charge of the Giants’ draft board, and the organization will make Barr available shortly to comment on the team’s selection.
The selection of Ramos is the first time the Giants chose a high school player with their first pick in the draft since the team selected Christian Arroyo in 2013.
San Francisco is on the clock once more on Monday evening, as the team’s second round pick is the No. 58 overall selection.
In Barr’s first draft with the team 10 years ago, the Giants drafted Florida State catcher Buster Posey with the fifth overall pick, and Posey helped team with 2007 first round pick Madison Bumgarner to lead the team to three World Series titles since 2010.
Other notable Giants’ first round picks under Barr include 2011 pick Joe Panik, the franchise’s starting second baseman, Arroyo, who made his Major League debut this season, and 2014 choice Tyler Beede, a right-handed pitcher considered the top prospect in the organization.
The Major League Baseball draft will continue with rounds three through 10 on Tuesday, and rounds 11 through 40 will take place on Wednesday.