Popular former SF Giants minor league outfielder lands deal with Yankees

Popular former SF Giants minor league outfielder lands deal with Yankees

Former SF Giants minor league outfielder Ismael Munguia was a popular player in the organization for a lot of reasons. He recently found a new home with the New York Yankees on a minor league deal according to the team’s transaction log.

 

Popular former SF Giants minor league outfielder lands deal with Yankees

The Giants originally signed Munguia as a 16-year-old prospect out of Nicaragua in 2015. He received a $17,000 signing bonus. Only bonuses above $10,000 count against the international signing bonus pool, so Munguia’s came in right above that.

The move to New York ends his tenure with the Giants. Until now, it had been Munguia’s only stop as a pro.

 

Munguia quickly made a name for himself as a prospect due to his high energy, speed, and excellent bat-to-ball skills. In his second season as a pro, the lefty bat slashed .331/.398/.458 with one home run and 19 RBI in 164 plate appearances in the Arizona League. He recorded nearly as many walks (17) as strikeouts (18) that year.

 

That set the stage for the rest of his career with San Francisco. In seven minor league seasons, he slashed .294/.359/.412 with a 7.3 percent walk rate, 9.9 percent strikeout rate, and a .118 ISO. While Munguia put up solid offensive numbers, he rarely flashed much power, never reaching 10 home runs in a season. With his speed, he did hit for a lot of extra-base hits.

The 26-year-old showed great perseverance as he endured a personal tragedy to further his playing career. His brother, Francisco Antonio, passed away in a car accident in 2023. Munguia planned on returning home to mourn, but his family convinced him to stay in camp. Shortly thereafter, he was called up to major league camp and blasted a home run in what was an emotional event for him and his family.

 

The Giants invited the young outfielder to camp in 2024 and he put together a memorable performance. He tallied 16 hits, including a home run, in 39 at-bats while taking home the Barney Nugent Award and nearly making the team out of spring training.

 

Munguia reached free agency earlier in the offseason. On the minor league market, players often pursue the best opportunity for playing time, so he now has a new home. However, there will be quite a few Giants folks who will want him to succeed wherever he goes.