One Giants youngster is turning heads in spring training, and he's nowhere to be found on any of the team's top prospects lists.
Ismael Munguia, a 25-year-old non-roster invitee was selected for the Barney Nugent Award for his stellar performance in spring thus far, the team announced Thursday.
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The Barney Nugent Award is given annually to a Giants player whose performance impresses the most in his first big league camp. The award is voted on by players, coaches, training staff and clubhouse staff.
“They told me exactly what I did. My performance on the field, the energy that I bring in, and I could tell that I'm having a very good Spring Training myself,” Munguia said through Spanish interpreter Erwin Higueros. “It means a lot to be recognized.” (h/t MLB.com's Melanie Martinez-Lopez)
Munguia originally was signed by the Giants as a minor-league free agent in 2015, and spent the better part of eight seasons at nearly every level of the organization's farm system.
In 32 spring at-bats, Munguia is batting an eye-popping .438/.486/.719 with two home runs, 8 RBI and five stolen bases.
San Francisco Giants
“As rookies go, he’s had a fantastic camp,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Originally, I didn’t know how many at-bats he was going to get. ... He’s well-received here in camp and has earned all the reps he’s getting.”
In 84 combined games between rookie ball and Double-A Richmond last season, Munguia batted .282/.357/.394 with seven home runs, 37 RBI and 18 stolen bases.
While Munguia is unlikely to make the Giants' Opening Day roster, the journeyman certainly has made a name for himself this spring and could be an option for the major-league team at some point later this season.