David Villar Bio
David Alexander Villar is an American professional baseball third baseman who is currently a free agent. Born on January 27, 1997, in Atlanta, Georgia, he grew up in Pembroke Pines, Florida, and developed into a power-hitting corner infielder. He played college baseball at the University of South Florida and was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft. Villar made his Major League Baseball debut in 2022 and was awarded the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award the same year. His MLB career has included stints with the Giants and the Mets, and he has also played in the Mexican League for the Caliente de Durango.
Early Life and Background
David Alexander Villar was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on January 27, 1997, and was raised in Pembroke Pines, Florida. His parents are Lazaro and Mirta, and he has a sister, Natalie. Growing up in South Florida gave him year-round exposure to baseball and helped shape his path toward a professional career.
Villar attended American Heritage High School in Plantation, Florida, where he played for the school baseball team beginning in eighth grade. As a sophomore, he batted .346, and as a junior he hit .444, earning First Team All-County honors from both the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald. In his senior year, as team captain, he was named a Preseason Under Armour All-American, batted .324, and once again received First Team All-County recognition from the Sun Sentinel and the Miami Herald.
Path to Baseball
After high school, Villar took his game to the University of South Florida, where he played college baseball and quickly established himself as a middle-of-the-order hitter. In his sophomore season in 2017, he batted .290 with 7 home runs and 45 RBIs while drawing 41 walks, earning national attention for his plate discipline and power. That summer, he played for the La Crosse Loggers in the collegiate Northwoods League, where he batted .312 with 13 home runs and led the league in intentional walks, further sharpening his offensive approach against premium pitching.
As a junior in 2018, Villar led the American Athletic Conference in doubles and sacrifice flies while batting .374 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs. He was named an All-American by Collegiate Baseball Newspaper and College Sports Madness, and was selected to the 2018 All-American Athletic Conference First Team. His strong junior campaign set the stage for the San Francisco Giants to select him in the 11th round of the 2018 MLB Draft.
David Villar Career
Early Career (2018–2021)
After being drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 11th round with the 316th overall pick, Villar signed for a $125,000 bonus and began his professional career that summer. He split his debut season between the rookie-level Arizona League Giants and the Low-A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes, batting a combined .282 with 13 home runs in 245 at-bats. With Salem-Keizer, he ranked among the Northwest League leaders in doubles, home runs, RBIs, and slugging percentage, and was named a 2018 MiLB Organization All-Star.
Villar spent 2019 with the High-A San Jose Giants, batting .262 with 68 runs scored in 423 at-bats while playing 97 games at third base. He did not appear in a game in 2020 because the minor league season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, he moved up to the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels, where he batted .275 with 20 home runs, setting a single-season franchise record, and earned another MiLB Organization All-Star selection.
San Francisco Giants Breakthrough (2022–2025)
Villar began 2022 with the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats and quickly emerged as one of the most dangerous hitters in the Pacific Coast League. At the time of his July 4 call-up, he was leading the league with 21 home runs. The Giants selected his contract that day, and he delivered a first-pitch double against Madison Bumgarner of the Arizona Diamondbacks in his first MLB at-bat. On July 8, 2022, he hit his first career home run off San Diego Padres starter Blake Snell, and on September 7 he recorded his first multi-homer game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, taking Clayton Kershaw deep.
With Sacramento in 2022, Villar batted .275 with 27 home runs and 82 RBIs, earning the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award and a spot on the postseason PCL All-Star team at third base. In his first MLB cup of coffee that year, he batted .231 with nine home runs and 24 RBIs while playing multiple positions. The 2023 season was more difficult, as he batted .145 with five home runs in 46 games before being optioned to begin 2024 at Triple-A Sacramento, where he returned to San Francisco briefly and slashed .257 with one home run.
New York Mets Era (2025)
On March 25, 2025, the Giants designated Villar for assignment, and after clearing waivers he was sent outright to Triple-A Sacramento. The Giants re-selected his contract on April 19, 2025, and he appeared in 9 games, going 4-for-20 with one RBI. He was designated for assignment again on May 19, 2025, cleared waivers, and elected free agency on May 22. On May 27, 2025, he signed a minor league contract with the New York Mets, where he played for the Triple-A Syracuse Mets and batted .196 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in 45 appearances. The Mets released him on August 11, 2025.
Caliente de Durango (2026)
On March 19, 2026, Villar signed with the Caliente de Durango of the Mexican League, continuing his professional career abroad. The move gave him an opportunity to play every day and rebuild his offensive numbers outside of affiliated baseball.
Notable Events and Milestones
Villar’s first-pitch double on debut in 2022 immediately announced his arrival in the major leagues, and his two-homer game against the Dodgers later that season showed his ability to impact a game quickly. On April 3, 2023, he hit his first career grand slam off Michael Kopech of the Chicago White Sox, a milestone that highlighted his rare power for a young third baseman. His 2022 Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award remains the centerpiece of his list of achievements.
David Villar Career Wins
Across the minors and majors, David Villar has built his reputation primarily as a run producer rather than a stolen-base threat, with power serving as his main offensive tool. His most decorated season came in 2022, when he led the Pacific Coast League in home runs and RBIs and was named the league’s Most Valuable Player.
Minor League Highlights
Villar’s 2018 professional debut in the Arizona League and at Salem-Keizer established him as a power-hitting prospect, while his 2021 campaign with the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels produced a franchise-record 20 home runs. His 2022 season at Triple-A Sacramento, capped by the Pacific Coast League Most Valuable Player Award, was the high point of his minor league career.
Major League Highlights
With the San Francisco Giants, Villar made an immediate impact in 2022 with a double in his first at-bat and a home run within his first week in the majors. He later added a multi-homer game against the Dodgers and a grand slam against the White Sox, giving him several signature MLB moments.
David Villar Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
David Alexander Villar was raised by his father Lazaro and his mother Mirta, and he has a sister named Natalie. His family provided a stable upbringing in South Florida that allowed him to focus on baseball from a young age.
Personal Life
Public details about Villar’s personal life are limited, and he has kept much of his private life away from the spotlight. He is known to come from a close-knit family that has supported his baseball career from his early days in Pembroke Pines, Florida, through his professional journey in the United States and Mexico.
2025 Season Performance
David Villar’s 2025 season was defined by roster movement rather than steady playing time at the major league level. The San Francisco Giants designated him for assignment in late March, and after a brief return in April, he was designated again in mid-May and elected free agency. He joined the New York Mets organization on a minor league deal later that month, splitting the rest of the year at Triple-A Syracuse.
At the plate in 2025, Villar was unable to find sustained offensive rhythm, batting around .200 across his limited major league appearances and .196 in Triple-A Syracuse. The lack of consistent playing time made it difficult for him to build momentum, and he was released by the Mets in August, ending his MLB-affiliated season.
Heading into the rest of 2025 and beyond, Villar was a free agent looking for a new opportunity to showcase his power-hitting profile. His eventual signing with the Caliente de Durango of the Mexican League in March 2026 signaled a fresh chapter abroad, where he could play regularly and attempt to work his way back toward affiliated baseball.