Minor League pitcher and former 2007 first round draft pick (24th overall), Michael Main has been named as the other player going to the San Francisco Giants in the deal that sent Benjie Molina and two million dollars to the Texas Rangers in return for reliever Chris Ray.
Michael Main is a surprisingly cunning pick up for the Giants front office which usually seems to be on the other end of trades like these. For a fairly rundown Molina, the Giants gained a high-risk, high-reward prospect without risking anything.
Although Main has dealt with injury issues and seen his stock drop since being drafted, his athleticism is off the charts. At 21 years of age, Main is still young enough to turn his promising potential into viable major league talent and could pay off big dividends if he pans out.
The Giants organization became increasingly familiar with Main while he played for the Rangers single-A affiliate, the Bakersfield Blaze, a rival of the San Jose Giants in the Cal League .
Days before the trade, Main’s progress had earned him a promotion to the Rangers double-A team in Frisco. According to sources with the Giants, he will stay on that path and be assigned to the Giants double-A team in Richmond, Virginia.
In July of 2006, Baseball America ranked Main as the top prep school prospect on a list that also included Jason Heyward and Giants double-A second baseman, Nick Noonan.
In 2009, Baseball Prospectus ranked Main as #66 overall. Some notable names in Main’s vicinity on the list include #60 Tim Alderson, #69 Mat Latos, and #73 Elvis Andrus.
