SF Giants go with a pair of high-upside picks in the second half of the MLB draft

The SF Giants drafted a familiar name in Josiah Kemp in the 12th round of the MLB draft. That is not the only high-upside pick they made to close out their selections.

They have a bonus pool of about $17.3 million. That consists of the combined slot values of the 11 picks they hold through the first 10 rounds. They can exceed that amount by five percent, pushing their maximum bonus pool to $18.2 million.

After the 10th round, teams can offer a signing bonus of up to $150,000 without it counting against the bonus pool. Any amount above that does count.

SF Giants target a pair of tough-to-sign players in the second half of the draft

Round 11 - OF Charlie Bussey III

Charlie Bussey III is one of the more athletic players the Giants selected in this year's draft class. He spent the past three seasons at Francis Marion University, which is a Division II School. He posted a 1.470 OPS with 21 home runs and 77 RBI in 308 plate appearances this season. This includes more walks (57) than strikeouts (25).

Bussey III also swiped 40 bases in 48 attempts. He recorded a .721 OPS in 39 plate appearances in the Cape Cod League this season. Good blend of power and speed.

Round 12 - OF Josiah Kemp

Kemp is the nephew of longtime division rival Matt Kemp. That is not the only player with major league bloodlines from this year's draft class.

The younger Kemp is an athletic outfielder with a good feel for contact. He has a commitment to the University of Oklahoma, so the Giants will need to sway him from that commitment. It will likely take more than $150,000 to get him to sign.

Round 13 - P Colin Fisher

Cole Fisher pitched primarily out of the rotation for the University of Arkansas. He posted a 5.59 ERA, 9.3 K/9, and a 3.41 SO/W rate in 56.1 frames in 2026.

On the mound, Fisher throws from a three-quarters arm slot from the left side. He flashes a sinker that sits in the low 90's that gets some armside run. He mixes in a low 80's slurve with a mid 80's changeup. The changeup is likely too firm to be effective, but the slurve has some promise, especially against left-handed hitters.

Round 14 - P Alex Solis

Alex Solis worked primarily out of the bullpen for the University of Houston. He tallied 5.50 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 11 walks in 37.2 innings this year.

Solis throws from a high, three-quarters arm slot. He mixes in a mid 90's fastball with a slider and changeup. The changeup looks like it could be effective in same-sided matchups.

Round 15 - 3B Drew Smith

Drew Smith saw time at a lot of positions during his run with the University of Oregon. That said, he is listed as a third baseman.

Smith has demonstrated solid raw power in the past, but that translated to the games more in 2026. He had a 1.047 OPS with 16 home runs in 272 plate appearances this year. The right-handed bat had a relatively high strikeout rate at 25 percent.

Round 16 - 3B Dalton Wentz

MLB Pipeline ranked Dalton Wentz as the No. 165 prospect in this year's class. He is a draft-eligible sophomore, so he can return to college if he does not sign. Wentz hits with power from both sides of the plate.

While he has solid raw power, his approach at the plate needs to show improvement. He chases out of the zone too often and has a fair bit of swing-and-miss. Wentz had a 1.043 OPS,18 home runs, and a 22.6 percent strikeout rate this season. He also had a 32.1 percent strikeout rate in the Cape Cod League last summer.

Round 17 - OF Tanner Mally

You want contact? You got contact! Tanner Mally was one of the best contact hitters in this year's draft class. His selection is a continuation of a trend from last year's draft. Mally recorded a 1.082 OPS with a 5.5 percent strikeout rate in 243 plate appearances at Western Michigan University this season. While he has excellent contact skills, it comes with limited power upside.

Round 18 - P Ryder Brooks

Ryber Brooks throws with a sidearm release point from the left side. Despite the funkiness, he is able to replicate that release point consistently, leading to enough pitches in the zone.

Brooks throws a low 90's fastball with a low 80's sweeper. The sweeper generates healthy whiff rates. He threw primarily out of the bullpen this season for the University of California at Irvine. The southpaw pitcher has the type of profile that tends to do well in the lower minors.

Round 19 - 3B Mikey Bell

Mikey Bell had a 1.059 OPS with nine home runs and 47 RBI at Gonzaga University in 2026. He is an aggressive hitters, but with solid raw power markers. That has not translated to the game yet.

Round 20 - P JP Robertson

JP Robertson posted a 4.34 ERA with 49 strikeouts and 21 walks in 37.1 innings at the University of Mississippi. He has a fastball that sits in the upper 90's, with a mid 80's slider. Robertson worked as a reliever in college and will likely remain in that role due to below-average control.

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