Former Giants outfielder Steven Duggar becomes a free agent

The Giants drafted Duggar in the sixth round of the 2015 MLB draft out of Clemson, and he quickly emerged as one of the best prospects in their farm system. Duggar showed an excellent approach and some solid pop in the minors. Immediately one of the best defensive outfielders in the system, he quickly earned his first big-league callup in 2015.

From there, a combination of injuries and struggles at the plate prevented Duggar from ever solidifying an everyday job with the Giants. He bounced between Triple-A and the majors and had a well below-average career .236/.281/.349 triple-slash heading into 2021.

However, Duggar emerged as a key contributor last season. He combined his excellent defense in all three outfield spots with the best offensive numbers of his career, playing almost exclusively against right-handed pitching. Duggar received 207 plate appearances across 107 games last season, hitting 14 doubles, 5 triples, and 8 homers alongside a .258/.330/.437 triple-slash.

As has been the case for many SF Giants who had breakout seasons in 2021, Duggar regressed quite a bit this year. Prior to the trade to the Rangers, he had well below-average numbers with the Giants and their Triple-A affiliate in Sacramento.

It's worth pointing out that Steven Duggar has only received 220 plate appearances this season between Triple-A and the majors. Moving between different organizations and affiliates is never easy for players and could be at least partly responsible for his struggles. Regardless, several teams will surely offer Duggar minor league contracts, hoping they can recapture his offensive magic in 2021 to take advantage of his fantastic defensive abilities.