SAN FRANCISCO - The Giants tend to send top draft picks straight to their Arizona facility after they sign. If Joey Bart and Sean Hjelle arrive together, it won't be the No. 2 overall selection who opens eyes.
Hjelle, a right-handed pitcher from Kentucky, is listed at 6-foot-11 and will tower over everyone in the clubhouse if he makes it to the big leagues. The Giants believe he has the four-pitch mix and competitiveness to be a strong member of a future rotation. Scouting director John Barr cautioned not to get caught up in Hjelle's height.
"We love the way he's handled himself. He doesn't move like he's a 6-foot-11 pitcher," Barr said. "You expect him to be gawky but he moves his feet. When he walks past you or you shake his hand, you realize how tall he is. When he's on the mound he controls his body. He really controls his body well, which shows his athleticism. He's a good athlete."
Hjelle (pronounced Jelly) was the SEC Pitcher of the Year in 2017. He had a 3.44 ERA in 2018, striking out 91 in 99 1/3 innings. Barr said Hjelle stuck out as a workhorse type. He pitched 108 2/3 innings the year before, posting a 3.89 ERA and striking out 102. The Giants took him 45th overall.
"It was a waiting game to see if he would make it to us," Barr said.
