Top SF Giants draft pick Jackson Flora gives a shoutout to surprise former pitcher

Top SF Giants draft pick Jackson Flora was a fan of the team as a kid. He gave a shout out to several former Giants players, including a surprise name. According to Justice delos Santos of The Mercury News, he mentioned Jeff Samardzija as one of his favorites.

Flora mentioned some of the more common names during the championship era. This includes Brandon Crawford, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Madison Bumgarner, and Brandon Crawford.

Of course, Flora and Crawford have an obvious local connection. They both attended Foothill High School in Pleasanton, California. The Giants have not protected their backyard in the draft over the years.

There are some exceptions to this, including Crawford, Logan Webb, and Kyle Harrison. However, they have a stronger scouting presence in the Northeast and Southeast. Last year, they selected three players from Northeastern University, and continue to scour the Carolinas for talent. That latter detail is likely due to the fact that scouting director Michael Holmes was born and raised in North Carolina.

Last season, they only selected one player from Northern California. That was Elijah McNeal out of Dublin High School, but he did not sign.

The Giants began this draft with a stark geographic contrast. They selected Flora, whom they have likely scouted for years. The next step will be getting him to sign. The No. 4 pick carries a slot value of just under $9 million.

Jackson Flora and Jeff Samardzija might share at least one trait as SF Giants pitchers

Flora was a Giants fan growing up. When he mentions that Madison Bumgarner and Tim Lincecum were some of his favorite players during his childhoold, I can't help but feel 106 years old.

I would not have guessed that Jeff Samardzija was on Flora's list. The Giants signed Samardzija to a five-year, $90 million pact. His best season with the Giants came in 2016, when he pitched to a 3.81 ERA in 32 starts for a team that reached the playoffs.

The remaining four years of Samardzija's deal were not as promising, but he did handle a heavy workload more often than not. He made 32 starts in three of his five seasons with the club.

The Giants released him right before the end of his deal, and at the end of the 2020 season. He held out hope for continuing his playing career, but did not catch on with another club.

That said, Samardzija was a competitor on the mound. Jackson Flora is not too different in that regard, as he has a strong mound presence.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow