The three biggest breakout seasons from the SF Giants farm system in 2026

Overall, the SF Giants farm system had a strong year. That was helped by a trio of breakout seasons, including Jonah Cox, Drew Cavanaugh, and Turner Hill.

The three biggest breakout seasons from the SF Giants farm system in 2026

1. Jonah Cox

Heading into this season, Cox was not viewed as highly of a prospect. He had good speed and was a quality defender in the outfield, but there were concerns about how his bat would perform against more advanced competition.

The right-handed bat immediately hit the ground running for the Richmond Flying Squirrels. He slashed .400/.453/.644 (187 wRC+) with six home runs, 35 RBI, and 31 runs in 183 plate appearances at Double-A.

Cox credited the breakout to making more contact and getting the ball in the air. This forced the Giants to make a decision. Instead of promoting him to Triple-A, they made the rare move of having him skip that level and head directly to the majors.

The speedy outfielder showed off a dynamic skill set, including stealing 16 bases in 20 chances. He also graded out as a strong center fielder with the Giants. The contact needs to improve, but he showed enough to enter next spring with a good chance of making the club.

2. Drew Cavanaugh

Cavanaugh was a 17th-round pick by the club in 2023, so he was not necessarily on the radar. He excelled in the lower minors in 2025, but struggled in his first turn at Double-A.

The Giants had the left-handed bat return to that level to start the year, and quickly proved to be above that competition level. He posted a .970 OPS with three home runs and 12 RBI in 90 plate appearances before earning a promotion to Triple-A. With the Sacramento River Cats, Cavanaugh recorded a 1.017 OPS with six home runs and 22 RBI in 137 plate appearances.

The 24-year-old backstop entered the year as a depth option at catcher and finished as one of the players who will likely be competing for a spot on the roster next season. The power did not come through, but he showed a strong approach at the plate.

3. Turner Hill

I was debating whether this spot should go to Hill or Scott Bandura. Both are deserving of recognition. In the end, I went with Hill because his strong year came after two down seasons in Richmond.

The left-handed bat began the year in Double-A, but earned a quick promotion to Triple-A after only nine games. With the River Cats, he hit .353/.420/.529 (150 wRC+) with nine home runs, 60 RBI, and 65 runs in 365 plate appearances. This includes posting a .422 batting average in his final 32 games with Sacramento. His production at the plate was too much to overlook, and the Giants rewarded him with a promotion to the major league club.

Hill went from undrafted free agent to a major leaguer. That is a scouting win. With the Giants, he struggled to a .621 OPS with one home run and 16 RBI in 124 plate appearances. Similar to Cavanaugh, the overall results were not that strong, but he grinds out at-bats, and that trait should help keep him in the majors if he finds a few more hits.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow