San Francisco Giants' David Villar is congratulated after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fourth inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 5, 2022, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/John McCoy)
LOS ANGELES — Speculating last week about possible September call-ups, one name quickly came to mind for Giants manager Gabe Kapler. Speaking Monday before the Giants’ series-opening win here over the Dodgers about giving players “runway” to uncover their “treasure chest,” that same name dominated the conversation.
It was 25-year-old infielder David Villar.
“We want to see as much of David as possible,” Kapler said of the Giants’ September plans.
It didn’t take long for Villar to show why, slugging one of the Giants’ five home runs Monday night in a 7-4 win over the Dodgers in a 2-for-2 performance at the plate. However, the homer was only Villar’s second in 72 at-bats between two call-ups with the Giants this season, after hitting one every 11 at-bats at Triple-A.
“It was good to connect, whether it was a home run to left or right,” Villar said afterward. “Just knowing that I was on time and put a good swing on a pitch, it was a feeling I haven’t had in a while.”
Plucked out of South Florida as one of 30 relatively anonymous 11th-round selections in the 2018 amateur draft, Villar built his pedigree as a prospect from the ground floor by hitting at every level of professional baseball.
In Triple-A this season, Villar led the Pacific Coast League in home runs (27) and OPS (1.022).
That earned him his first call-up to the majors.
But when that success didn’t translate against big-league pitching — a .175/.338/.286 batting line over 23 games during his first stint — Villar was demoted, prompting some self-reflection.
“I was waiting for that call back,” Villar said. “I learned a lot about myself as a player, offensively and defensively … trusting myself, trusting my abilities, knowing the player I am and I don’t have to be anything more or be something that I’m not.”
When Villar was first called up in July, the Giants were still in the thick of a playoff chase. It wasn’t an ideal setting for a rookie to work through his struggles.
Now, despite a four-game winning streak, the Giants’ focus this September has shifted to 2023. Villar, possibly, could be a piece of that puzzle, especially with a decision looming on whether to pick up third baseman Evan Longoria’s $13 million club option and infielder Wilmer Flores set to hit free agency.
A natural third baseman, Villar has also appeared at second base and on Monday started his second game at first. It’s possible he makes a cameo in left field, too, before the season is over, Kapler suggested.
“We have this body of work at the minor league level and you’re looking for it to translate,” Kapler said. “We want these guys to take control of these sort of chances. … September is a really good time to give these guys opportunity to fail. You only get to the treasure chest if you give these guys the opportunity.”
Villar has the Giants’ metal detectors chirping.
It would be a disservice to call his 2022 campaign at Triple-A a breakout, after he posted an .881 OPS with Double-A Richmond in 2021, a .755 OPS with High-A San Jose in 2019 and an .877 OPS between rookie ball and High-A in his first professional season.
“David for two consecutive years has been the best offensive player at his level,” Kapler said. “He has earned this chance. We want to make sure that we give it to him. This doesn’t mean that he capitalizes on it. It just means that we have made the determination that he’s earned this chance and we have to support him through that. That means giving him as many looks as possible.”
The Giants are also using September to see if they can crack the potential inside Lewis Brinson, a toolsy outfielder who was once considered a top prospect, and to see what they’ve got in Bryce Johnson, an excellent defender and speedy switch-hitter who stole 29 bases with a .771 OPS this season at Triple-A.
With Alex Wood’s rotation spot currently vacant, they could also give a start to Triple-A starters Sean Hjelle or Tristan Beck.
“But it’s not the same thing,” Kapler said. “David has dominated the Triple-A level. We don’t have a pitcher that’s done that.”
Asked about the opportunity in front of him this month, Villar said, “It means a lot, especially with how the first month went. … Just great to get those two swings off today. This has been a really fun past four games, especially for me, personally.”
Originally published at Evan Webeck