- Full name Deives Santos
- Born 02/09/1980 in
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After signing with the Giants when he was just 17, Santos spent three years playing with the team's Rookie-level Dominican Summer League club. He has hit .300 since coming to the United States, employing a solid line-drive swing and making consistent contact. He's an outstanding defensive first baseman with plus speed for the position, so the Giants tried him in left field is 2002. He proved to be better than adequate in the outfield, and he could play either position in the majors. Santos has yet to show the power that teams want in a first baseman or lefthander, however. He also doesn't draw many walks, so his offensive value doesn't extend much beyond his batting average. He'll return to Triple-A after finishing last season there. -
Though he signed in 1997, Santos had just 50 at-bats outside of the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League coming into 2001. He held his own in his first full season last year, leading Hagerstown in RBIs. The Giants signed him because he showed good swing mechanics at an early age, and that stroke continues to make Santos an above-average hitter. As he has added strength with time and American training methods, he has started to hit for more and more power, though he remains more of a gap hitter than a classic slugger. He's agile, runs well for his position and is smooth and polished around the bag at first, which hasn't been true of past San Francisco first-base prospects like Damon Minor and Sean McGowan. The organization likes Santos' work ethic but believes he'll hit for more power with a more patient approach at the plate. He finished strong, hitting .322 in his final 30 games last year and smacking two hits in each of his final five games. He's ready for high Class A.