The San Francisco Giants’ farm system is considered one of the weakest in baseball, but this summer, the organization drafted several high-caliber prospects with Major League potential.
And now, the team’s best prospect from the 2017 MLB Draft is reportedly being discussed as a potential piece in a deal for the Miami Marlins’ Giancarlo Stanton.
According to MLB.com Marlins’ reporter Joe Frisaro, the Giants’ No. 4 overall prospect Heliot Ramos could be on the move in a deal that would allow the Giants to acquire the game’s premier power hitter. Ramos was selected 19th overall in this year’s draft, and tore apart Arizona League pitching in rookie ball with the Giants’ affiliate, hitting .348 with six home runs in 35 games before suffering a season-ending concussion.
Source: Outfield prospect Heliot Ramos, #SFGiants No. 4 prospect according to @MLBPipeline is being discussed as a potential trade piece in a deal for Giancarlo Stanton. The Giants are among at least 4 teams interested in Stanton.
— Joe Frisaro (@JoeFrisaro) November 14, 2017
On Tuesday morning, a report surfaced from The Boston Herald indicating that Stanton would refuse trades to both the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, which are considered two of Stanton’s top suitors along with the Giants. If that’s the case, the Giants would become the odds-on favorite to land Stanton, because the California native has not suggested he would deny a trade to play in San Francisco.
It’s likely that for a Stanton trade to be executed, the Giants would have to take on the vast majority, if not all of the remaining money on Stanton’s contract, and that the Giants would have to part with key prospects, such as Ramos and perhaps Christian Arroyo or Chris Shaw.
For more coverage of the Giants’ interest in Stanton, check out KNBR.com’s articles on potential trade partners for San Francisco.