SF Giants reportedly add former Tigers first base prospect on a minors pact

The SF Giants have reportedly added some organizational depth at first base. They have signed former Detroit Tigers prospect Jake Holton, per his Instagram account.

SF Giants reportedly add former Tigers first base prospect on a minors pact 

The Giants lost a handful of minor leaguers in both phases of the Rule 5 draft last week. In the minor league phase, five players were selected away, headlined by 2020 fifth-round pick Ryan Murphy. In these instances, the Giants have lost the rights to these players.

Spencer Miles and Ryan Watson were drafted away in the major league phase of the Rule 5 draft by the Toronto Blue Jays and A’s, respectively. Watson was then shipped to the Boston Red Sox. The Giants still retain the rights to these players, if they do not stick with their new club.

This is to say that the Giants have to rebuild some depth in the upper minors. It is a necessary process for every offseason.

Jake Holton was originally a 10th-round pick in 2019 by the Tigers out of Creighton University. Prior to that, he was born in San Jose, California, and attended Archbishop Mitty High School as well as Los Gatos High School, so this is a return to familiar territory. As Holton notes in his post, the Giants were his hometown team when he was growing up.

Along with many Giants minor leaguers in the 2019 draft class, Holton elected free agency in November. He has spent the offseason with Gigantes del Cibao of the Dominican Winter League, where he has posted a 1.184 OPS with two home runs and eight RBI in 51 plate appearances.

Across six minor league seasons, the right-handed bat has registered a .259/.378/.428 line with a 13.4 percent walk rate, 19.7 strikeout rate, and a .169 ISO. This includes parts of four seasons in the Eastern League, where he has excelled to an .808 OPS. 

The Eastern League has been a tough environment and a litmus test for many Giants minor leaguers in the past. Despite strong numbers in Double-A, Holton has not yet reached Triple-A.

Chris Brown of Tigers Minor League Report had Holton rated as the No. 39 prospect in Detroit’s system before 2025, saying “he’s a very good defender at first, and as a former pitcher he is also gifted with a strong arm. Holton takes walks, he hits for solid average, and he has plus raw power.”

Holton does not have a true standout tool, but he does a lot of things well. He is also limited to first base. The Tigers used him in the outfield in the past, but his last appearance out there was in 2022.