Giants Send First Set of Draft Picks to Salem-Keizer
Published on June 24, 2016 under Northwest League (NWL1)
Salem-Keizer Volcanoes News Release
KEIZER, Oregon - The San Francisco Giants transferred the first set of 2016 Draft picks from the Arizona League to Salem-Keizer on Thursday, activating the trio for Friday's game vs. Tri-City in Keizer. The three draft picks joining the Volcanoes are Heath Quinn (3rd Round, Samford), Ryan Howard (5th Round, Missouri) and Ryan Kirby (12th Round, San Diego).
Heath Quinn, out of Samford University, was drafted in the 3rd round of the 2016 MLB Draft with the 95th overall pick. Quinn was the second highest drafted player out of Samford in its 112-year history. Quinn ranked second in the nation in home runs (21), RBIs (77) and total bases (165). Quinn competed in the Southern Conference and was the Collegiate Baseball Louisville Slugger National Player of the Week in February. Quinn hit .343 for the Bulldogs with 21 homeruns and 77 RBIs. Quinn majored in sports administration and played football and basketball in high school to go along with baseball. Quinn, and two other teammates drafted this year, tallied 19 total Bulldogs drafted to date.
Ryan Howard was drafted by the Giants in the 5th round of the 2016 draft. Howard grew up a St. Louis Cardinals fan and lived roughly 25 miles from Busch Stadium when he was a kid. The Giants drafted Howard after his sophomore season in the 31st round of the 2015 draft, but he elected to stay at Missouri for another year. Howard signed with the Giants for $335,400. Ray Howard is Ryan's father and high school baseball coach. Howard spent all three years at Missouri as a starter and he hit .308 as a sophomore. During the summer of 2015 he hit .310 for the Collegiate National Team.
Ryan Kirby is a 6-foot-2 junior from Livermore, Calif., by way of the University of San Diego. He was one of four USD players selected in the 2016 draft. He was taken by the Giants in the 12th round. Kirby hit .344 with 44 hits, 10 doubles, six home runs and had 32 RBI for the Toreros in 2016, despite missing 21 games with an injury. After missing playing time, he returned to hit a walk-off home run in USD's win over Arizona State and also set a school record with nine RBIs in a game.
2015 Draft picks made noise on the Salem-Keizer squad a year ago, with Chris Shaw (1st Round) and Jose Vizcaino Jr. (7th Round) making the Northwest League All-Star team. Shaw led the league in slugging and was a key part of a Volcanoes squad that set a franchise record with 60 home runs on the season.
Northwest League Stories from June 24, 2016
- Giants Send First Set of Draft Picks to Salem-Keizer - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hops Clobber C's 12-2 in Vancouver - Hillsboro Hops
- Hillsboro Hands Canadians 12-2 Loss On Friday Afternoon - Vancouver Canadians
- Emeralds Take a Swing at Pediatric Cancer - Eugene Emeralds
- Mariners Pitcher Rehabs Tonight - Everett AquaSox
- Compton Drives in Four in Game 1 Loss - Salem-Keizer Volcanoes
- Hops' O Woes Continue in B.C. - Hillsboro Hops
- Canadians Back To Winning Ways As Hops Come To Town - Vancouver Canadians
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