Angel Villalona

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Angel Miguel Villalona (born August 13, 1990 in La Romana, Dominican Republic) is a third baseman in the San Francisco Giants organization, who started scouting him when he was just 13 [1]. He was signed to a franchise record $2.1 million signing bonus as an amateur free agent on August 17, 2006, becoming the second highest contract every given to an amateur free agent, the most being Wily Mo Pena, who was given 2.3 million in 1999 by the New York Yankees. Several reports said the Yankees, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets and Boston Red Sox were also heavily involved in bidding for Villalona, with the Mariners bidding $3 million [2], which would have shattered the previous record.

Villalona is listed as a third baseman, but he may have to shift to first base due to his considerable frame, which is listed at 6'3", 220 pounds.

Baseball America currently lists him as the #33 prospect in baseball, and is also the youngest among their top 100 prospects.^[1]

[edit] 2007 season

Wanting to successfully acclimate the 16 year phenom to living in the United States and playing professional baseball, the Giants assigned him to Extended Spring Training with the idea of sending him to Rookie Ball or Short-Season Ball later in the minor league season.

He was then assigned to the AZL Giants of the Rookie Arizona League as a 3rd baseman, hitting .264 and with an OPS in excess of .800 through July 30, 2007. Villalona was projected to be "an elite power hitter" by Project Prospect[3].