Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Round 1: James Tibbs III

With their only Day One pick, the Giants took the Florida State outfielder James Tibbs. The perceptions that I saw from numerous outlets were positive. Value-wise, he is not considered a "reach" as he was ranked in the 11-15 range in most public draft boards. With the way the draft went before the Giants made their selection, no one inside the consensus top ten ended up falling for the taking that would have warranted a rather wretched response from the Giants fanbase and the national media. Overall, it was a well-received pick.

Looking at the selection itself, it made a ton of sense for the Giants. First and foremost, he is a hitter. And not just any hitter, but one of the best pure hitters in the class. Not quite Travis Bazzana but he is pretty darn close. Even though he is not my type of player as I prefer toolsier players in general, Tibbs looks the part. His lefty stroke is aesthetically pleasing and he has continuously improved in college. With the way that the Giants play, drafting hitters is the much-preferred method of bringing in impact position player talent. I mean, the Giants can turn undrafted and Indy League journeymen into legitimate big-leaguers (see: Spencer Bivens)

Second is his relative proximity to the big leagues. Tibbs is projected by plenty to move relatively quickly. That is certainly the plan as the Giants are currently taking in a massive influx of youthful talent that will carry the torch for the next five years. It might even take him just a year to move to Triple-A and potentially knock on the metaphorical big-league door and join the likes of Heliot, Lee, Matos, and company.

It is now time to look at the player himself. As I said earlier, this is a player archetype that I am usually fond of. Tibbs has to hit continuously because his other tools lag behind. He is not exactly the most athletic person in the world but he could grow a bit more muscle, or maintain his current weight while adding more muscle at the very least, once he enters the Giants strength and look conditioning program. Still, his raw power is above average at the very best. The inflated college home run and exit velocity numbers affected everyone and Tibbs is no exception. It seems though that he will most likely extract the most of his raw juice to hit 20 bombs a year.

On the other side of the ball, I have yet to see him play defense though he had one play where he ripped an absolute missile as he essentially launched himself from the middle of right field to the catcher's head with a relatively solid hang time. That should bode well for his chances of sticking in right field but his defensive grades across multiple rankings have him as high as average to as low as unplayable. I'll conservatively take his defense as something in between until I get to see him with the glove in pro ball.

If the Giants are looking for an impact bat that should fit the window of the youth movement seamlessly, Tibbs is the first guy up among all available prospects when the 13th overall selection is on the clock. However, I still think that there are a couple of adjustments that he has to make to become something special. First is his platoon splits as reports said that he crushed righties while relatively struggling against southpaws. There are a couple of outlets already having him as a platoon hitter in the big league lineup. I do not think that you draft a hitter in the first round with the plan of having his only hit against righties. That sounded pretty crazy because ideally, you want him to handle any pitcher.

The second is for him to adjust breaking balls and changeups. He absolutely pummeled fastballs this year but college and pro balls are different. In pro ball, the breaking balls are much better in terms of quality and were thrown more than ever. His opponents will know that and exploit that weakness as much as they can like a lot of the hitting prospects in the organization.

If ever Tibbs makes those adjustments, or need not because he is just a special bat through and through, then the Giants should get an everyday corner outfielder that should hit in the first half of the lineup. If the defense does not improve further and it limits him to hitting at the DH spot, then him being a platoon outfielder will be the way to go. Overall, it looks like you know what you will get out of Tibbs.

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Round 4: Dakota Jordan

With the Giants hamstrung in terms of options, one could only think that they are praying for one of the top remaining prospects to be available when they make their first pick of the second day in the fourth round. And yet, they did, scooping up the Mississippi State outfielder. Value-wise, this is considered a "steal" by folks aplenty. Most publications have Jordan as a back-end of the first-round talent so getting him about three rounds later is damn money.

Of course, there is a reason why a player like Jordan fell. However, let's talk about the tools for now because boy, there are plenty. If we are talking about just pure raw power, Jordan rivals anyone in the class, Charlie Condon included. It is not because Jordan has a large frame like Condon but because Jordan has as much physicality and explosive ability as anyone. He is built like a physical wideout a la Deebo Samuel. Jordan entered Mississippi State as both a baseball and football player but only chose to play the former.

In the batter's box, Jordan might only be six-foot but he can launch balls with an estimated distance north of 470 feet because of his lightning-quick wrists. The wrist speed greatly reminds me of Javier Báez and Gary Sheffield and there is also a good amount of hip mobility for maximum energy transfer. In the Tibbs write-up, I have mentioned the inflated home run numbers in general this year. It seems like there should be no problems at all with Jordan in that department.

Aside from gargantuan raw power, Jordan also has crazy raw speed. Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs noted that Jordan could run in the 4.1-4.2 seconds range from home to first at 220 pounds which is pretty insane. That gives him enough range to patrol the outfield with relative ease.

With everything mentioned, it is now time to talk about the reasons why Jordan likely fell to the Giants' lap. At the forefront are the strikeouts. Typically, if a hitter already strikes out a lot in college, he will also strike out a lot in pro ball. That is the concern that surrounds Jordan. The reports also mentioned how he tends to chase pitches out of the zone and completely misses breaking balls. The reports have also added how badly he needs to fix his swing to generate more contact. On the other side of the ball, he has yet to translate his insane raw speed to base-stealing production. Also, while he has a relatively average arm strength, he has yet to turn into a decent defender which is a bit disappointing considering his fleet of foot.

It seems, at least to me, that Jordan is a relatively raw prospect due to his splitting time between football and baseball. Granted that he has not enjoyed a quantum leap immediately after he dropped the pads for the bat, but it feels that Jordan is far from a finished product. There is a world where he would shatter the relatively low bar that people have set on his hit tool. It might take him two or three years to fully understand, but it looks like the raw tools won't go away. There is also a possibility that he is more of an athlete disguised as a baseball player, lacking the instincts necessary to play the game. That's where several people stand.

Overall, Jordan has a higher ceiling than Tibbs because of his raw tools but has a much lower floor due to the extremely volatile hit tool projection. Expect Jordan to sign over-slot given that he is a draft-eligible sophomore and someone who was ranked quite highly which gives him plenty of leverage.

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Round 5: Jakob Christian

With their fifth-round pick, the Giants selected the right-handed outfielder from the University of San Diego. He transferred to UCSD this year after playing his early college career at Division II Point Loma Nazarene. Value-wise, Christian is ranked lower than where he was selected based on several publications. You can hypothesize that this move will help save the Giants a bit of cash to pay for Jordan.

Based on the first two selections, it seems that the Giants are looking for mashers at the plate so far with Jordan and Christian. Christian is a large dude, like Charlie Condon large though without the accolades of Condon. Christian did win WCC Player of the Year this season so props to him for that. It gives him plenty of raw strength to tap into. Not quite Dakota Jordan but at least plus nonetheless.

There were questions about his plate discipline, performance versus spin, and lack of track record against better competition. He was great when he faced WCC and Division II competition but struggled to perform against better competition and with wooden bats in the Northwoods and the Cap Cod League. Perhaps he has yet to get a full grip on swinging the lumber. There are reports though that he tested well in the MLB Draft Combine before the draft. And if there are questions about his offensive value, it is not because he has a broken swing, which in my opinion is not the case.

Jakob's swing looks clean with a solid toe tap and his torso rotates cleanly. He can get to fastballs with a great track record and has one of the best average bat speed that was recorded by Blast Baseball, a bat tracking company. The ease in generating the explosion of the swing allows Christian to produce plenty of hard contact. His swing can get long at times though any swing would get long if susceptible to chasing breaking balls out of the zone.

On defense, he is a better fielder than your usual rumbler. He is fringe-average as a runner but the kind of athlete that he is shown on the field, with him tracking balls quite well and being willing to lay his body on the line in doing diving catches. He looks though that he will become a solid defensive first baseman in the long term but if the Giants see improvement in Victor Bericoto defensively, there is a possibility that Christian can be pretty good beyond the infield dirt.

With a pretty swing and massive power potential, I think Christian will perform well once he gets to the low-Minors where he will face better competition for the first time since the Cape. He has a decent shot of outperforming the rather crude expectations. Performance against full-season level breaking balls is definitely a critical thing to assess with Jakob once the pro video becomes available.

Round 6: Robert Hipwell

Note: Hipwell signed with the Giants for $345,700.

The Giants selected the third baseman Hipwell in the sixth round out of Santa Clara. He seems to be a local kid who grew up as a Giants fan. He was drafted about a round below where he was ranked by publications so getting drafted in the sixth round is not too shabby.

Melissa Lockard of The Athletic already wrote an exceptional pre-draft piece (subscription required) about Hipwell and I recommend checking it out as I'll do the best I can to supplement what she already wrote.

Hipwell seems to be a quintessential Giant through and through. He grew up in Northern California, was a big Giants fan, went to the same college as Randy Winn, a dude who does not chase, walks often, plays a bunch of positions on defense but is fringy at best in all positions, makes good swing decisions, and has served a suspension due to taking PEDs off supplements that he bought over the counter. Kudos to him though for manning up and owning his mistake to move forward as a better consumer and person in general.

It should be understandable that his return from his suspension was far from ideal due to the lack of preparation and that is why his numbers are down this season compared to his sensational sophomore season last year. He partook in the MLB Draft Combine and played in the MLB Draft League to get more reps and build his stock back up. While his Combine numbers seem to be solid, his performance in the Draft league raised a bit more questions.

A lefty hitter, Hipwell's left hand dictates the swing path with a slight uphill chop. The bat travels the zone well and the uphill in his swing does not inhibit him from hitting high fastballs or low breaking balls. There seems to be a solid raw power that he taps on quite well as he posted exit velocities in college.

Hipwell probably will put this season in the gutter and show what he is fully capable of with a full offseason behind him in 2025. There are plenty of good things that Hipwell does on the field, but if the 2024 version is the one who shows up next season, his defensive versatility (but not quality) will help him stay afloat and work on his deficiencies in the next couple of years.

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Greg Farone

Note: Farone asigned with the Giants for $204,150.

In the seventh round, the Giants selected the tall lefty from the University of Alabama. As a college senior, he should sign for below slot which will help in signing Dakota Jordan and other prospects on the third day of the draft. Farone is quite a journeyman in his four-year college career. Originally from New York, he initially went to Herkimer County Community College before heading to Louisville in his junior season and finished his college career with the Crimson Tide.

When drafting a prospect, one does not just look at the numbers. Sure, the numbers do matter, especially up top. But in the middle to late rounds, stats essentially do not matter much as the raw tools and coachability take more preference. Farone's numbers with both Louisville and Alabama would not have anyone pound the table for him, but the raw tools are there.

Of course, I am not the best guy to ask about the MLB draft, let alone the 2024 Giants draft class. To help me cover the lower-round selection, I elicited the help of senior draft evaluator at Prospects Live and a friend of the site, Brian Recca.

According to Brian, he expects Farone to be thrust in the rotation right away as his big six-foot, six inches frame, and 240-pound weight should help him with the rigors of pro ball. He enjoyed an uptick with the Tide from averaging 89-91 to 90-93 mph with his heater that tops out at 95 mph. He has good extension on the mound as well as a high release point, giving his fastball above-average life up in the zone. His mid-80s slider behaves like a cutter at times but commands it well like his fastball. He also has a curveball and a changeup that look fringy for the most part but are quite usable. There are good strike-throwing traits with how easily he throws the baseball but he currently lacks a true strikeout pitch.

Round 8: Niko Mazza

Note: Mazza signed with the Giants for $202,500.

The Giants selected the Southern Mississippi right-handed pitcher with their eighth-round pick. He ultimately went unranked in a lot of publications though Prospects Live does like him with him ranked inside the top 250, which considering where the Giants selected him, is right on the money in terms of value.

Mazza does not have a lot of info though Brian likes the growth that Mazza enjoyed this season. He is 5'11", and that sub-six-foot height helps give his fastball a low release point even though he throws from an over-the-top slot. He sits 92-95 mph with his heater, touching 96 mph at best, but with just average movement. If the Giants pitching lab can tweak the heater and perhaps add more life, it might become an above-average pitch. His secondaries flashed swing-and-miss potential according to Brian, with the mid-80s cutter being the best. He also has a low-80s sweeper that he throws against righties as a chase pitch and the mid-80s changeup is thrown against lefties.

One knock against Mazza is his age, he is already 22 years old as a college junior. However, the improvement in the control of his repertoire this season has been promising, according to Brian. There should be a world where Mazza progresses as a starter in pro ball with the depth of his repertoire and who knows, maybe an improvement in a couple of pitches to make him a truly noteworthy prospect.

Round 9: Zane Zielinski

Note: Zielinski signed with the Giants for $17,500.

The Giants drafted the shortstop out of University of Illinois at Chicago with their ninth-round selection. Zielinski hails from the same university as last year's ninth-rounder Charlie Szykowny. As a matter of fact, Charlie looks elated with the selection. It seems like the Giants have already built a UIC pipeline of sorts, something that can't be done without good ol' scouting.

Zielinski is a soon-to-be 23-year-old but has shown improvement in his game this season. It looked like he experienced an uptick in his overall strength as his exit velocities improved this season according to Brian and in turn, an uptick in home runs. He has shown more intent to his swing though he still has a wiry frame and likely not expect much in terms of the power department. He seems pretty slick in the dirt but his throws look like does not have much carry based on videos. There is a chance that he is more of a second baseman as opposed to a true shortstop in pro ball.

Round 10: Cade Vernon

Note: Vernon signed with the Giants for $17,500.

With their final pick on the second day, the Giants drafted the Murray State right-handed pitcher. The Giants typically hedge a couple of seniors with their final picks on the second day of the draft to save bonus pool money. Again, the value lies in what the Giants could do with the money. However, banking on a pitcher to make this kind of thing work is certainly the way to go.

There is very little information about Vernon so what to make of him for now is based on the written reports. He seems to be a strike-thrower, akin to Giants pitching prospect Wil Jensen. Nothing special but gets the job done. His low-90s fastball has bad shape though he can spin a low-80s slider and a high-70s curveball quite well. I can't wait to catch his footage in the backfields.

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Round 11: Andy Polanco

Note: Polanco signed with the Giants for $150,000.

The Giants drafted Polanco as they began their third day of drafting. This is quite an interesting background because one way of signing into pro ball is like George Valera of the Guardians who was born and raised in the US but went to his home country of the Dominican Republic to get signed as an international amateur free agent. Polanco is the opposite. He was born in the Dominican Republic but transferred to the US at some point, played in showcases, and had himself get drafted. I think it is an interesting way of getting into pro ball. Usually, Latino players who do not sign with clubs in the IFA cycle see their baseball dreams fade quickly. However, I think this is a way for them to showcase their talents because predicting someone to become awesome at age 12 is like Shaquille O'Neal at the free-throw line. I think that this road is only likely for the families who have the cash or the connections to make it happen.

Polanco looks kind of raw but the tools are there. It is a lean but projectable body with the potential to grow into at least above-average or better power. He might lose a step as a result but he is a mover on the field. With how his swing goes, it looks like he will be a good lowball hitter with a pretty extended right arm throughout his swing. I want to see how he fares against high fastballs all in all, but he looks very intriguing. There are not many clips on defense so it is currently tough to predict how he is as an outfielder.

Round 12: Zander Darby

Note: Darby signed with the Giants for $150,000.

With their 12th-round selection, the Giants drafted the UC Santa Barbara infielder. UCSB is more known for their pitchers, namely Shane Bieber and Dillon Tate, but Darby could have been picked a day earlier had he stayed healthy this year. Unfortunately, injuries got in the way and the Giants pounced on the big value as many major publications have Darby as someone who could have gone on the second day. If the Giants did sign him, it looks like it is going to be a high-value pick.

There are plenty of similarities between Darby and sixth-rounder Robert Hipwell. Both are infielders who missed time throughout this year (though for different reasons) with a solid offensive profile. Like Hipwell, Darby also has a dominant left hand in his lefty swing but the bat path looks a bit better for making contact with a more compact finish while Hipwell has more uppercut. Darby has a good frame to build more strength. He also has a sound knowledge of the strike zone but his not being banged up this season likely put a dent in that department. One department that Darby has Hipwell beat is with the wheels. Darby is quicker and is a better baserunner.

Overall, Brian likes Darby more than Hipwell though with the finest of margins. Darby will likely play at third base at the onset of his pro career but I would not be surprised if he gets moved around. He is not exactly a strong defender at the hot corner but he should be pretty dependable.

Round 13: Drake George

This is the first guy that even Brian does not have much notes on. It seems like the 13th-round selection is a true scout's find or that the tools that he's shown in the Cape this season are enough to convince the Giants to add him to their pitching lab. It seems that he has a nice looking low-80s but that is pretty much it for him. I guess we'll know what he truly has in the backfields next year.

Round 14: Jeremiah Jenkins

Note: Jenkins

It seems like the Giants have done it again. With their fourteenth-round selection, the Giants selected the hulking first baseman out of the University of Maine. It looks like the Giants have an inside track with the Maine guys as they have drafted three players in that program over the previous four drafts. The pipeline started with Nick Sinacola in the seventh round of the 2021 draft and Quinn McDaniel with the fifth-round selection last year. However, it looks like Jenkins is the best out of the trio with him having a ranking that is well worthy of a day two selection.

The first thing that you'll notice about Jenkins is that he is a large man. A very large man. All 238 pounds of muscle in that 6'4" frame. He looks absolutely jacked with biceps as big as probably my face. He looks much thicker this year compared to last year though it looks like it is mostly functional strength. I hope he and Reggie Crawford can take a photo together. I bet they'll be best buds in the weight room right away.

Jenkins' country-strong frame gives him a lot of raw power to tap into. Now, towards how he taps into that raw juice. The swing is not safe for work. It resembles a swing that you will see in the 1920s, not the 2020s. Jenkins has an upright stance in the box. He is quite literally standing straight with the bat having a slight wiggle as he holds it around chest level with a good distance away from his body. The way he loads is also a sight to behold, as he closes his front side before swinging. It truly looks like a throwback swing.

That kind of swing does not work for everyone but Jenkins made it work, mashing at least 20 homers in back-to-back seasons. I really like how he swings angrily, with the intent of crushing baseballs left over the plate. He has massive torque generation and produces plenty of bat speed with a left-hand-dominant swing. The approach at the plate is also not too shabby with hints of hitting for contact.

On defense, Jenkins should get more credit than what he deserves as he's shown to be quite solid at first base, making some diving stops and solid enough footwork. The more I looked into Jenkins, the more I realized that I had already written way too much on him. Perhaps I like him as a prospect. I mean, it tickles my typical draft crush: lefty, athletic first baseman with big power.

Examining how the SF Giants actually got really good value in 2024 MLB Draft

Round 15: Evan Gray

Note: Gray signed with the Giants for $25,000.

Looks like I found my guy in this draft class. The Giants spent their 15th-round pick on the St. Louis University product. I really love funky relievers like Ryan Walker, Randy Rodriguez, Patrick Ruotolo, and William Kempner among others. Last year, I did not have that guy. Maybe Ryan Vanderhei, last year's tenth-rounder. He's pretty funky once there is footage of him available out of the backfields.

There is one knock against Gray, and it is that he is already 23 years old. However, we now know that age is just a number for pitchers. Anyone can cook, and Gray has the potential to carve some pine meat even if the tools are a bit old out of the gate.

Gray drives hard on his back leg, generating great extension and a lower-than-usual release height even though his release point is more of a true 3/4 slot. The way he loads on the mound reminds me of Cole Waites but with a slower tempo as Gray is more deliberate while Waites is more uptempo. He keeps his fingers on top of the ball, generating good life up in the zone with his low-90s fastball that touches 96 mph in his best days. His low-80s slider flashed plus this season according to Brian. He is a strike-thrower and a good enough athlete to think that it should continue in his late 20s.

Round 16: Tyler Switalski

The Giants selected the big West Virginia lefty with their 16th-round pick. Brian liked the prospect coming out of the draft. He is quite young as he just turned 21 last month and armed with a low-90s sinker in a starter's role but can get to 96-97 mph in shorter bursts. It does what a sinker usually does: not a true bat-misser but generates a good amount of groundballs. His changeup is his best secondary pitch where it can be nasty at times. I like how he taps the glove at the top of his leg kick to get himself into the rhythm as he drives forward on the mound. That gives him a natural and quite effortless motion. One issue about him is that he struggles to spin a breaking ball as his upper-70s slider does not bode much confidence.

Round 17: Hunter Dryden

Note: Dryden signed with the Giants for $50,000.

The Giants once again tapped into the D3 market and nabbed the Whitworth University pitcher with their 17th-round pick. He's had a good college career and has played in the MLB Draft League. For the prospects hailing from rather unheralded schools, the MLB Draft League is huge for their chances of getting drafted.

What he's shown in the Draft League is pretty interesting. He throws from an over-the-top slot with a motion that is similar to Mark Melancon. It is an iteration of his old pitching motion as he was throwing from a 3/4 slot with not much torso tilt. It will be interesting what the Kinatrax that the Giants facility has would say about Dryden's best mechanics moving forward. There is not much on his stuff so we'll learn about what he throws as a pro.

Round 18: Ryan Slater

Note: Slater signed with the Giants for $125,000.

Slater is drafted in the 18th round by the Giants and it looks like another good ball of clay to develop. Yes, the stats in the SEC do not look great, but he is a good mover and a strong strike-thrower with the potential to develop. Brian noted that his low-90s fastball has a bad shape and that might be the reason that his numbers all went to crap. He, however, can throw a mid-to-high-80s slider very well. It looks like it is a gyro slider with late but sharp dive, kind of like a good old Matt Cain slider. There is also a changeup in the mix but it kind of floats when it is heading towards the mitt. It seems like it is an opportunity for the Giants coaches to tweak his pitch mix with him throwing the slider more often to maximize his value.

Round 19: Ryan Ure

Out of all players drafted by the Giants this year, Ure is the pick to be the most likely to return to college. He's made plenty of noise when he popped 103* mph (it is actually in the 97 mph range). He missed the entire 2023 season after he underwent Tommy John surgery and he's still not in his best game shape this year. There is a chance that with a clean offseason, he's going to really take off next year. The pros of his signing are that a team like the Giants and their rehab facility will be better than what he will likely receive in college.

Taking a look at his numbers in the Cape Cod League this year, Ure predominantly throws a fastball that tops out at 97 mph, parking at 94 mph. He has a clean arm circle and throws from a true 3/4 arm slot. He throws his changeup a bit harder than his slider, sitting in the 85 mph range, while his slider is in the 83-85 mph range. He drives well on the mound giving his heater an extra tick of perceived velocity.

Round 20: Fernando Gonzalez

With their final selection, the Giants finally drafted a catcher. I thought that they would miss out on adding even more depth to the position. Brian noted that the Panamanian Georgia product has a shot of becoming a solid defensive backup who shall stick at the position with a solid all-around game in the squat. The offensive value will likely not amount to a lot in pro ball but having another body in the organization is only a good thing.