SF Giants go with the top college arm with the No. 4 pick of 2026 MLB draft

The SF Giants seemingly threw everyone off the scent in the weeks leading up to the draft, when they conveyed a preference to go with a prep bat. Instead, they use the No. 4 pick of the draft to select Jackson Flora out of UC Santa Barbara. Flora was widely considered as the top college arm in the draft.

The Giants lucked into the No. 4 pick when the lottery fell in their favor. Luck will not strike twice next year, as they will not be eligible to pick within the first 10 picks.

This pick carries a slot value of just under $9 million. The Giants have the fourth-largest bonus pool at $17.3 million. They can exceed that total by five percent, pushing the maximum bonus pool up to $18.2 million. If you want all the details of the draft, we have you covered here.

The No. 4 pick represents more than half of the team's allotted bonus pool. They have four more picks today, including the No. 29 pick. That pick was acquired when the Giants sent Patrick Bailey to the Cleveland Guardians.

They also hold the No. 55, No. 90, and No. 118 picks today. The remainder of the draft will take place tomorrow and proceed at a faster pace, with each pick reduced to one minute.

SF Giants threw everyone off the scent with first-round pick

In the weeks leading up to the draft, a lot of draft experts sensed that the Giants were leaning with a pair of prep prospects in Jacob Lombard and Eric Booth Jr. Both brought something different to the table. Lombard offers above-average power with contact concerns, whereas Booth Jr. is a borderline elite runner with a swing that needs to be reworked.

That may have been a tough task for a development group that has struggled with those profiles in the past.

Instead, they go with Jackson Flora. Pitching is a weakness in the farm system, and while teams do not draft for need, the addition of Flora bolster that area.

Flora is coming off a dominant year with UC Santa Barbara. He posted a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts and 32 walks in 102 innings this year. There will be a sense of familiarity for the pitching prospect, as he was a college teammate with Zander Darby. Darby is currently playing with the Eugene Emeralds.

The right-handed pitcher throws from a three-quarters arm slot. He fills up the strike zone with all of his pitches. His pitch mix includes mid 90's four-seam fastball with a mid 80's changeup and a pair of sliders. The gyro slider sits in the mid 80's, whereas the sweeper sits in the upper 70's and can reach the low 80's.

Flora tunnels his fastball-changeup well, and there is enough velocity separation to make the offspeed pitch effective. He has a starter's pitch mix and fills up the strike zone with all of his pitches.

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