SAN DIEGO — The Giants hope this Rule 5 selection from the Blue Jays will work out better than the last one.
For a second straight season, San Francisco swiped from Toronto’s system, selecting righty reliever Dany Jimenez with the 13th pick in Thursday’s draft.
Jimenez, turning 26 this month and from the Dominican Republic, reached Double-A last season and, in 45 games and 59 innings, he posted a 2.59 ERA with 93 strikeouts and 21 walks — appealing peripherals.
“We’re excited about him. We were hoping that he would fall to us,” GM Scott Harris said as the Winter Meetings were closing. “Righty, touches the upper-90s. Downward slider. Huge performance on both pitches.
“As we’ve talked about all week, we’re trying to find talent wherever we can find it.”
Adding Jimenez fills the Giants’ 40-man roster, which now also includes starter Kevin Gausman and infielder Zack Cozart, whom the Giants brought in this week. In eating Cozart’s contract, they also scored a 15th-overall pick this year in middle infielder Will Wilson from the Angels.
Last year the Giants were active in the Rule 5 Draft, picking Toronto reliever Travis Bergen and Astros outfielder Drew Ferguson — both of whom were eventually returned to their respective teams.
For Jimenez to last as a Giant, he would have to survive all of 2020 on the 26-man roster; if he does that, he’s fully Giants property. The Giants cannot option him to the minors; if Jimenez is moved, he would be offered back to the Blue Jays. It is somewhat rare for a Rule 5 pick to last, but the Giants will take the chance.
The Giants did not protect any prospects leading up to the major league portion of the draft and were wise to do so, as none were taken.
In the minor league section of the Rule 5 draft, the Giants added Bryan Torres, a lefty-hitting catcher (who also has seen time in the corner infield and outfield).
San Francisco lost pitcher Adam Oller to the Mets, infielder Manuel Geraldo to the Nationals and pitcher Miguel Figueroa to the Reds.