SF Giants take 2 of the remaining top college bats in Day 3 of MLB draft

Day 3 of the MLB draft is officially in the books. The SF Giants made a pair of intriguing selections by adding two of the top remaining college bats in Zander Darby and Jeremiah Jenkins in the 12th round and 14th round, respectively.

SF Giants take 2 of the remaining top college bats in Day 3 of MLB draft

On the first day of the draft, the Giants selected James Tibbs III out of Florida State University. They followed this up by adding a trio of power-hitting position players on Monday.

After the 10th round, there are no slot values associated with each pick. Teams can sign each player to a bonus of up to $150,000 without it counting against the team's bonus pool. Anything above that number does get factored in. You will normally see some overslot players drafted early and some high school players added later in case one of the team's top 10 picks does not sign. However, high school players selected after the 10th round will pursue college more often than not.

If there was a theme with this year's draft, it is that the Giants targeted players with power and who made good swing decisions. Teams do not draft for need in baseball, but it is hard to ignore that power is one of the qualities where the farm system is lacking. They added a handful of power bats this year.

No. 328 - OF Andy Polanco

Andy Polanco attended Central Pointe Christian Academy in Kissimmee, Florida. He has a commitment to the College of Central Florida, so the Giants will need to sway him from that commitment.

The right-handed bat has a 6-foot-4, 185-pound frame. He is an above-average runner with good contact skills. Polanco sprays line drives all over the field but has the potential to add more power as he matures.

No. 358 - 3B Zander Darby

Zander Darby was one of the more interesting selections of the day. Darby missed some time earlier in the spring, but slashed .275/.347/.420 with six home runs, 33 RBI, and 37 runs in 223 plate appearances with UC Santa Barbara. He did post an .812 OPS with three homers in 137 plate appearances in the Cape Cod League last summer.

Darby has made some nice adjustments over the past 12 months to limit some of his pre-pitch movement. And, his leg kick looks better timed than it did in 2023. The left-handed has a good idea of the strike zone and he should be able to stick at third base. Darby was rated as the No. 151 prospect in this year's class according to MLB Pipeline.

No. 388 - P Drake George

The Giants selected pitcher pitcher Drake George out of Lewis-Clark State. George had a 4.91 ERA with 74 strikeouts against 21 walks in 66 frames this year. He posted a 4.22 ERA in 3 outings in the Cape Cod League earlier this summer.

No. 418 - 1B Jeremiah Jenkins

This was another notable selection by the Giants. First baseman Jeremiah Jenkins is coming off of a strong 2024 season in which he posted a 1.213 OPS with 22 home runs and 50 RBI in 225 plate appearances for the University of Maine.

Jenkins is an imposing presence in the batter's box with a 6-foot-4, 240-pound frame. Previously, he had an upright stance with a low set up from from the left side and would take a long stride to the ball. There was a lot of movement to get to the point of contact. However, he added a slight crouch and a higher set up with his hands, leading to a better bat path through the zone and a higher finish on his follow through.

Jenkins' profile leans heavily in terms of power. He plays first base and is a below-average baserunner, but his power is a standout tool. He was rated as the No. 199 prospect accoding to MLB Pipeline.

No. 448 - P Evan Gray

The Giants picked pitcher Evan Gray out of St. Louis University. He had a 3.41 ERA with 33 strikeouts against nine walks in 29 innings out of the bullpen. Gray has a fastball-curveball combo.