Giants Bring In Former Top 1B Prospect Turned Pitcher


One of baseball's top prospects as a first baseman in 2018, the now 28-year-old never lived up to the hype and is now trying his hand as a left-handed pitcher.

The San Francisco Giants have given Ronald Guzman a minor league contract. The former Texas Ranger prospect has been working on his conversion to the mound this winter. He's been hitting 94-96 mph with his fastball.  

In his debut season with the Rangers, he batted .235 with a .722 OPS and 16 HR, including a 3-HR game against the New York Yankees. But his at-bats and production slipped more and more over the next few years. The Rangers let him go after the 2021 season. 

The Yankees didn't forget, however, and gave him a shot at Triple-A in 2022, where he hit .255 with an .822 OPS along with 16 longballs. He got in six plate appearances with the big club in September, but failed to register a hit. 

Whether his attempt to convert to a pitcher is successful or not remains to be seen, but in the meantime, he'll serve as a depth piece for the Giants' organization. 

Photo: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports