San Francisco Giants 2024 MLB Draft Report Card

Best Pure Hitter: Outfielder James Tibbs (1) was one of the better pure hitters in the class and owned a career .338 average in three seasons with Florida State. He minimizes his strikeouts, makes lots of contact and has an instinctive ability to use the entire field.

Best Power Hitter: Outfielder Dakota Jordan (4) has titanic bat speed and raw power that rivals any hitter in the class, including top-of-the-draft sluggers like Jac Caglianone, Charlie Condon and Nick Kurtz. Jordan’s 111.4 mph 90th-percentile exit velocity was one of the better marks you’ll find, and he homered 20 times with Mississippi State in his sophomore season.

Fastest Runner: Jordan (4) is a powerful runner and gets to plus-or-better times underway, though he won’t always accelerate super quickly in short distances and is still learning how to make his speed more applicable to game situations.

Best Defensive Player: Catcher Fernando Gonzalez (20) was a two-time member of the SEC’s all-defensive team and stands out for his catch-and-throw skills. He’s a strong receiver, blocker and thrower and should be an above-average defender at the position. 

Best Fastball: Righthander Niko Mazza (8) averaged 93-94 mph and touched 96 with Southern Mississippi in 2024 in a starting role. The pitch could play up thanks to a lower-than-average release height and a flat approach angle.

Best Secondary Pitch: Rightnader Cader Vernon (10) used his mid-80s slider nearly half the time during the 2024 season with Murray State. It’s a high-spin breaking ball that features hard glove-side biting action and could be an above-average or better pitch. 

Best Pro Debut: First baseman Jeremiah Jenkins (14) played 11 games with Low-A San Jose where he slashed .296/.367/.546 with two home runs, one triple and three doubles. He’s a hulking righthanded slugger with big-time raw power, though he’ll need to manage his aggression and swing-and-miss tendencies as he gets more time in pro ball.

Best Athlete: At 6-feet, 220 pounds, Jordan (4) is an outlier athlete for a baseball player with a special blend of speed, power and physicality. He was a three-star football prospect coming out of high school and also a talented track runner.

Most Intriguing Background: Jordan’s (4) multi-sport background and gaudy toolset always made him a high-upside player on the baseball field, and he made strides with his baseball skills as a second-year player with Mississippi State this spring.

Closest To The Majors: Tibbs (1) won’t offer much defensive or baserunning value, but he has the hitting ability and power to move quickly if he’s not expected to do much as a defender. An outfield corner role might be tough for him if the Giants are determined to develop him at the position, but he’d be fine at first and has the above-average hit/power combination to profile there.

Best Day Three Pick (Or NDFA): Third baseman Zander Darby (12) is an intriguing OBP and power-projection hitter and third baseman. He walked at a solid clip throughout his college career and cut his strikeout rate significantly as a junior with UC Santa Barbara, though he had a strikeout rate near 30% in his pro debut with Low-A San Jose.