Four down, three to go.
Before the Giants (and the rest of baseball) try to do the improbable — play through a pandemic — the front office is trying to do the merely difficult, signing all seven draft picks while allotting a big payout to high school lefty Kyle Harrison.
The Giants signed second-round pick Casey Schmitt, 68th-overall selection Jimmy Glowenke and fifth-rounder Ryan Murphy on Wednesday, a day after officially sealing the deal with first-rounder Patrick Bailey.
Still unannounced are pacts for Harrison, a third-round pick, lefty Nick Swiney, who went No. 67 overall, and fourth-round righty R.J. Dabovich. The Giants reportedly agreed to a pact with Harrison for about $2.5 million, whose slot value was $710,700. It took nearly $1.8 million to keep the De La Salle star away from a UCLA commitment, meaning the Giants need to save funds on just about every other pick if they are to get each one signed.
The Giants have been confident they would be able to do so. Bailey signed for $3.8 million, about $400,000 less than the slot value. The deals for Schmitt, Glowenke and Murphy are unclear.
Schmitt was a two-way star at San Diego State, a powerful righty bat who also closed games. The Giants view him as a talented hitter and standout defender at third base, though they have not ruled out his taking the mound.
Glowenke was a sure-fielding Dallas Baptist shortstop with plate-discipline skills the Giants value. It’s expected that he will have to move to second base, though.
Murphy, out of Le Moyne in New York, impressed the Giants in last year’s New England Collegiate Baseball League. He is not a hard thrower but is well-regarded for his pitchability and is “only scratching the surface with his potential,” amateur scouting director Michael Holmes said.