It's already obvious who SF Giants should pick in Round 1 of 2027 MLB Draft

For SF Giants fans who watched Friday night’s game against the Los Angeles Angels, they got to see fan-favorite Hunter Pence in attendance cheering the team on and even going shirtless in extra innings. Fans might have also got a glimpse at the team’s ace of the future. 

Pence attended the game with his wife Lexi and his nephew Striker, who just so happens to be an absolute flamethrower and is projected to go in the first round of the 2027 MLB Draft. There Striker was, decked out in Giants gear.

The 17-year-old Pence already throws over 100 miles per hour and is 6-foot-6 and weighs 215 pounds. He’s technically a two-way prospect at this point but it wouldn’t be surprising if he decided to commit fully to pitching at some point.

Because the Giants got the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 draft through the lottery, the earliest they can pick in next year’s draft is No. 10 overall. That is unfortunate, but it may not be the worst thing if they can end up landing Pence who is projected to go No. 19 overall in a recent mock draft.

It would definitely be risky to draft such a young pitcher in the first round, but the Giants would absolutely have to take that risk if Pence is on the board. Even if he flamed out and never made it to the big leagues, that would be less disappointing than passing on him and watching him do great things with another team.

The Giants already drafted the nephew of Barry Bonds earlier this month so why not add another nephew of a franchise legend into the mix?

Giants could draft Pence to add to young pitching talent

San Francisco went heavy on pitching in the 2026 MLB Draft. They landed Jackson Flora, who many analysts considered the best college arm in the draft, and Carson Bolemon, who was considered the top high school pitcher.

If their plan is to focus on beefing up the farm system on the pitching side then Pence would fit right into that strategy. That’s probably the only way the Giants will restore the “pitching and defense” model in the big leagues since it’s clear they’re unwilling to spend on pitching.

While all prospects develop differently and there are no sure things, it’s hard not to get excited at the prospect of a Giants rotation in 2030 featuring Flora and Pence. That’s a long way from being a reality, but if Pence is available to the Giants in the first round next season then it may be too good an opportunity to pass up.

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