David Villar

David Alexander Villar Bio

David Alexander Villar is an American professional baseball third baseman who has played in Major League Baseball for the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets. Born on January 27, 1997, in Atlanta, Georgia, and raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida, Villar developed his baseball skills at American Heritage High School before advancing to play college baseball at the University of South Florida. The San Francisco Giants selected him in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he made his MLB debut in 2022. That same year, he earned the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award while playing for the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats.

Early Life and Background

David Alexander Villar was born in Atlanta, Georgia, but his family relocated to Pembroke Pines, Florida, where he grew up. His parents are Lazaro and Mirta, and he has a sister named Natalie. From an early age, Villar showed a strong aptitude for baseball, eventually becoming a standout student-athlete at American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida.

At American Heritage High School, Villar began playing for the varsity baseball team starting in eighth grade. As a sophomore, he posted a batting average of .346. His performance improved significantly as a junior when he batted .444, earning First Team All-County honors from both the Sun Sentinel and Miami Herald. As a senior and team captain, Villar was named a Preseason Under Armour All-American and batted .324 while again receiving First Team All-County recognition from both newspapers.

Path to Professional Baseball

Following his exceptional high school career, Villar continued his baseball journey at the University of South Florida. In his sophomore year in 2017, he established himself as a formidable hitter in the American Athletic Conference, posting a .290 batting average with a .417 on-base percentage, .449 slugging percentage, 7 home runs, and 45 RBIs in 214 at-bats while playing third base.

During the summer of 2017, Villar played for the La Crosse Loggers in the collegiate summer Northwoods League, a prestigious wooden-bat league. He demonstrated his power-hitting ability by batting .312 with 13 home runs and 49 RBIs in 231 at-bats. His junior season in 2018 proved to be his most impressive at the college level. He led the conference with 24 doubles, which set a conference record and ranked ninth-most in the country, while also leading the league with 8 sacrifice flies. He batted .374 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs, earning All-American honors from Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and College Sports Madness, as well as First Team All-American Athletic Conference recognition.

David Alexander Villar Career

Minor League Development (2018–2021)

After being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in 2018, Villar signed with a signing bonus of $125,000. He began his professional career in the rookie-level Arizona League and Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, where he combined to bat .282 with 13 home runs and 42 RBIs in 245 at-bats. His 22 doubles with Salem-Keizer ranked third in the Northwest League, and he earned MiLB Organization All-Star honors for his performance.

Villar advanced to High-A San Jose Giants in 2019, where he batted .262 with 9 home runs and 68 runs in 423 at-bats. The 2020 minor league season was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, preventing Villar from game action. He returned in 2021 with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels and had a breakthrough season, hitting .275 with 20 home runs and 58 RBIs in 385 at-bats. His 20 home runs set a single-season franchise record for Richmond and ranked seventh in the league. He earned his second MiLB Organization All-Star selection that year.

San Francisco Giants Breakthrough (2022–2025)

Villar began the 2022 season with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats, where he dominated the Pacific Coast League. At the time of his MLB call-up on July 4, 2022, he was leading the league with 21 home runs while batting .284 with 63 RBIs. The Giants selected his contract and promoted him to the major leagues on that date. His first MLB hit came immediately, a double on the first pitch of his first at-bat against Madison Bumgarner of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Four days later, on July 8, Villar hit his first career home run, a solo shot against San Diego Padres starter Blake Snell. He continued to make an impact, recording his first career multi-homer game on September 7 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, including a two-run homer off future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. Overall in 2022, Villar batted .231 with 9 home runs and 24 RBIs in 156 at-bats for the Giants while also playing first base and designated hitter. After the season, he was awarded the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award and named to the postseason PCL All-Star team.

The 2023 season saw Villar appear in 46 games for the Giants, batting .145 with 5 home runs and 12 RBIs. He experienced a memorable moment on April 3, 2023, when he hit two home runs against the Chicago White Sox, with the second being his first career grand slam off Michael Kopech. In 2024, Villar was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento to begin the season and played just 11 games with San Francisco, going 4-for-20 with one home run. The Giants designated him for assignment on March 25, 2025, and after clearing waivers, he was sent outright to Sacramento. He was added back to the active roster on April 19 but was designated for assignment again on May 19. He cleared waivers and elected free agency on May 22, 2025.

New York Mets Stint (2025)

On May 27, 2025, Villar signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets organization. He reported to the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, where he appeared in 45 games, batting .196 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. His time with the Mets organization ended when he was released on August 11, 2025. Following his release, Villar became a free agent.

Driving Style and Strengths

Villar has established himself as a power-hitting third baseman with the ability to drive the ball out of the park to all fields. His approach at the plate features patience and discipline, evidenced by his strong walk rates throughout his minor league career. He has shown the versatility to play multiple positions defensively, including third base, first base, second base, and designated hitter, which provides roster flexibility. His power stroke plays particularly well in hitter-friendly ballparks, and he has demonstrated the ability to hit home runs off both left-handed and right-handed pitchers.

Notable Events and Milestones

Villar achieved several notable milestones during his time with the San Francisco Giants. His MLB debut on July 4, 2022, resulted in an immediate first hit, a double. His first career home run against Blake Snell and his first multi-homer game against Clayton Kershaw represent significant moments in his early MLB career. Perhaps most memorably, his first career grand slam on April 3, 2023, against Michael Kopech showcased his ability to deliver in key situations. His 2022 Pacific Coast League MVP Award, earned while with Sacramento, stands as his most significant professional honor to date.

David Alexander Villar Career Wins

Throughout his professional career spanning from 2018 to 2025, David Alexander Villar has accumulated impressive statistics across multiple levels of minor league baseball while also contributing at the major league level. His most productive season came in 2022 with Triple-A Sacramento, where he hit 27 home runs and drove in 82 runs, earning Pacific Coast League MVP honors.

Pacific Coast League Highlights

Villar’s most decorated season came in 2022 with the Sacramento River Cats. He led the Pacific Coast League with 21 home runs at the time of his MLB call-up and finished the Triple-A season with 27 home runs and 82 RBIs in 298 at-bats. His performance earned him the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award, making him one of the top prospects in the Giants organization. He was also named to the postseason PCL All-Star team as the league’s top third baseman.

Other Highlights and Performances

Prior to his MVP season, Villar set a Richmond Flying Squirrels franchise record with 20 home runs in 2021, earning MiLB Organization All-Star honors. His 2018 professional debut showed promise with 13 home runs between two minor league affiliates, and he maintained consistent power numbers throughout his minor league career, including 9 home runs with San Jose in 2019.

Family

Family Background

David Alexander Villar was born to Lazaro and Mirta Villar in Atlanta, Georgia. His family later moved to Pembroke Pines, Florida, where he grew up alongside his sister Natalie. His father Lazaro and mother Mirta supported his baseball aspirations throughout his youth career, which ultimately led to his professional baseball career.

Personal Life

Villar has maintained strong ties to his Florida roots, having attended high school and college in the state. He was recognized as a team captain during his senior year at American Heritage High School, demonstrating leadership qualities that translated to his professional career. His commitment to baseball was evident from an early age, starting on the varsity team in eighth grade and continuing through his collegiate career at the University of South Florida.

2025 Season Performance

The 2025 season represented a challenging year for David Alexander Villar. After being designated for assignment by the San Francisco Giants in late March, he cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento. He was briefly recalled to the majors in April but struggled in limited action, going 4-for-20 with one RBI in nine games. Following his second designation for assignment in May, he elected free agency and signed with the New York Mets organization later that month.

With the Triple-A Syracuse Mets, Villar appeared in 45 games and batted .196 with 6 home runs and 18 RBIs. The production marked a significant decline from his 2022 Triple-A numbers when he earned Pacific Coast League MVP honors. His performance did not earn him a return to the major league roster, and he was released by the Mets in August 2025. Following his release, Villar entered free agency with the goal of earning another MLB opportunity.