The San Francisco Giants are thought to be considering options to upgrade at third base. One of the more interesting players they have been linked to recently is Korean third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang.
In theory, the San Francisco Giants infield situation is mostly set. Brandon Belt, Joe Panik, and Brandon Crawford are locked in through 2020 at the very least, and with Buster Posey possibly needing to move out from behind the plate in the future, the infield could get crowded. However, with Eduardo Nunez listed as the starting third baseman, the Giants could use an upgrade.
While the market for third basemen in free agency is generally underwhelming, there are a couple of intriguing players available. One of those is 29 year old Korean third baseman Jae-gyun Hwang, a ten year veteran of the Korean Baseball Organization, who is attracting attention from the Giants.
Although he was posted last year, he failed to attract any interest from the Major Leagues. However, this season, as a free agent, teams have given Hwang a closer look. It certainly helps that he posted a career year in the KBO last year, producing a .335/.394/.570 batting line with 27 home runs, matching his power total from last year.
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Naturally, given the Korean Baseball Organization’s reputation as an offensive friendly league, those numbers are not necessarily indicative of his potential performance at the Major League level. However, he did cut down his strikeouts last year, from 122 strikeouts in 2015 to 64 in 2016. His walk rate also improved, as Hwang showed a much better batting eye.
Chances are, Hwang will not repeat those lofty numbers at the Major League level. However, even if he sees a bit of a decline, he could still be a viable option in the starting lineup. Should Hwang produce at a level similar to Jung-ho Kang, that would allow the Giants to put Nunez back into a utility position, where he is best suited.
Obviously, as we have seen from players coming over from Korea, there will be a bit of a learning curve as Hwang would get acclimated. However, with a bit of patience, he could prove to be a solid addition to the lineup, and a player that could outperform the seemingly modest expectations that would be placed upon him.
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Jae-gyun Hwang may not be a superstar, but he could be a solution for the San Francisco Giants at third base. He certainly deserves a look.