2024 Draft Review: Giants Selections Rounds 4-20

Having reviewed Round 1 of the 2024 draft and seeing the Giants selection, James Tibbs III, was traded to the Red Sox as part of the deal to acquire Rafael Devers let's review the rest of the Giants selections.  They did not have picks in rounds 2 or 3 due to the free agent signings of Matt Chapman 3B and Blake Snell LHP who had Qualifying Offers.  Once again and just for fun we'll assign grades to each pick based on performance so far which is not the same as a grade on their overall prospect status.  We'll pick it up with Round 4:

Round 4:  Dakota Jordan OF, College.  DOB:  5/9/2003.  B-R, T-R.  6' 0", 220 lbs.

2025(A):  .311/.377/.497, 14 HR, 27 SB, 8.9 BB%, 22.8 K%, 416 PA.

Unusually muscular for a baseball player. Physique comped to Bo Jackson.  Top tools are raw power, 60/70 and Run, 70.  Had a lot of swing and miss in his college game so the question with him was could he cut down on his K's and make enough contact to make his raw power usable.  He did that in A ball but keep in mind that's a very conservative placement for a player drafted out of college and you have to wonder why the Giants kept him there all season. He was slowed by both oblique and hamstring strains and you also have to wonder if his muscular physique makes him more susceptible to those. Grade B(he performed well but at a low level for his first full professional season).

Round 5:  Jakob Christian OF, College.  DOB:  9/17/2002.  B-R, T-R.  6' 5", 225 lbs.  

2025(A):  .272/.355/.460, 10 HR, 12 SB, 10.1 BB%, 28.3 K%, 318 PA.

2025(A+):  .304/.380/.570, 4 HR, 3 SB, 8.7 BB%, 34.8 K%, 92 PA.

Tall, athletic looking OF with lots of raw power.  Slash lines look good and improved after promotion to A+ ball but the K rates remain concerning.  Grade B.

Round 6:  Robert Hipwell 3B, College.  DOB:  3/6/2003.  B-L, T-R.  6' 3", 220 lbs.

2025(A):  .241/.374/.450, 11 HR, 3 SB, 15.6 BB%, 31.2 K%, 429 PA.

Big muscles, huge calves.  3-true outcomes type hitter which the Moneyball guys like but often does not translate to higher levels when we see it early in development.  A ball is a very conservative placement.  Grade C

Round 7:  Greg Farone LHP, College.  DOB:  5/3/2002.  6' 6", 240 lbs.  

2025(A):  2-1, 3.73, 50.2 IP, 12.97 K/9, 4.09 BB/9, 1.34 GB/FB.

2025(A+):  4-2, 4.25, 55 IP, 7.85 K/9, 2.78 BB/9, 1.20 GB/FB.

Gave up just 1 ER in his first 5 starts for A San Jose then cooled off.  He was torched in his first 3 starts after a promotion to A+ Eugene, but then pitched to a 2.74 ERA over his last 8 starts and 42.2 IP.  Seemed to pitch to contact more after the promotion.  Will he move up to AA to start 2026?  Grade B+.

Round 8:  Niko Mazza RHP, College.  DOB:  2/19/2002.  5' 11", 194 lbs.

2025(A):  4-3, 2.22, 93.1 IP, 8.68 K/9, 5.01 BB/9, 1.65 GB/FB.  

Made up for a high walk rate with an above average GB rate.  Reminder A ball is an extremely conservative placement.  Grade C.

Round 9:  Zane Zielinski SS, College.  DOB:  7/28/2001.  B-R, T-R.  6' 3", 175 lbs.

2025(A+):  .240/.338/.303, 4 HR, 32 SB, 10.1 BB%, 25.5 K%, 483 PA.

Light on power for a guy who strikes out that much.  32 SB's are intriguing.  I can see him developing into a utility IF at the MLB level.  Grade C.

Round 10:  Cade Vernon RHP, College.  DOB:  1/17/2002.  6' 3", 210 lbs.

2025(A):  4-1, 1.60, 56.1 IP, 6.87 K/9, 2.40 BB/9, 2.58 GB/FB.  

Pitches to contact with elite groundball skills.  Conservative placement.  Grade C.

Round 11:  Andy Polanco OF, HS.  DOB:  4/29/2005.  B-R, T-R.  6' 4", 195 lbs.

2025(ACL):  .264/.346/.336, HR, 22 SB, 10.4 BB%, 26.4 K%.  

Love the size/speed profile but he is quite old for a HS draftee and has a long way to go in development.  Grade C

Round 12:  Zander Darby 3B, College.  DOB:  11/26/2002.  B-L, T-R.  6' 3", 197 lbs.

2025(A):  .291/.403/.459, 5 HR, 10 SB, 15.2 BB%, 18.4 K%, 244 PA

2025(A+):  .123/.261/.228, HR, SB, 13.0 BB%, 42 K%, 69 PA.

Good numbers in A ball but extremely conservative placement.  Struggled in small sample at more age-appropriate level.  Grade C.

Round 13:  Drake George RHP, College.  DOB:  9/30/2001.  6' 1", 184 lbs.  

2025(A):  2-1, 3.20, 56.1 IP, 9.91 K/9, 2.40 BB/9, 1.45 GB/FB.

Nice start to pro career at a lower level but made his last start on 6/29 then went on full season injury list.  No word on the exact injury.  FB and Curveball are both rated 55/60 by Fangraphs.  Grade C

Round 14:  Jeremiah Jenkins 1B, College.  DOB:  5/5/2003.  B-L, T-L.  6' 4", 238 lbs.

2025(ACL):  .370/.470/.685, 3 HR, 15.2 BB%, 13.6 K%, 66 PA.

2025(A):  .230/.332/.364, 4 HR, 11.1 BB%, 17.5 K%, 217 PA.

Nice K and BB rates but didn't show much power at a low leve for a guy who is limited to 1B in his defensive profile.  Grade C

Round 15:  Evan Gray RHP.  DOB:  8/4/2001.  6' 4", 235 lbs.  

2025(A):  7-4, 4.53, 47.2 IP, 11.14 K/9, 5.48 BB/9, 1.85 GB/FB, 4 Saves.  

Strong K and ground ball rates.  Walk rate too high.  Conservative placement.  Grade C

Round 16:  Tyler Switalski LHP, College.  DOB:  6/18/2003.  6' 4", 235 lbs.

2025(A):  6-2, 4.89, 73.2 IP, 7.94 K/9, 4.03 BB/9, 1.42 GB/FB.

2025(A+):  2-0, 1.17, 23 IP, 6.65 K/9, 2.74 BB/9, 0.92 GB/FB.

Got in a lot of work as a multi-inning reliever with A San Jose.  Moved into a starter role after promotion to A+.  Peripheral stats are uninspiring.  Grade C.

Round 17:  Hunter Dryden RHP, College.  DOB:  6/10/2002.  5' 11", 168 lbs.

2025(A):  5-3, 2.90, 93 IP, 9.97 K/9, 3.97 BB/9, 1.00 GB/FB.

Smaller frame but quick, loose arm.  Maintained mid-90's FB in the start I saw.  Secondary stuff still developing.  I thought he deserved a midseason promotion to A+.  Grade C+

Round 18:  Ryan Slater RHP, College.  DOB:  6' 3", 205 lbs.  6' 3", 205 lbs.

Round 19:  Ryan Ure LHP, College.  DOB:  8/29/2002.  6' 8", 235 lbs.  

Did not sign.  You all know I like tall pitchers, especially tall lefties.  Gotta admit not many have worked out.  Grade F(how can it be anything else when they fail to sign the player?).  

Round 20:  Fernando Gonzalez C, College.  DOB:  12/2/2001.  B-R, T-R.  5' 10", 199 lbs.  

2025(A):  .229/.351/.375, 3 HR, 12.3 BB%, 19.3 K%, 114 PA.

Secondary numbers don't look bad.  Maybe some development opportunity here?  Grade C.

Comment:  Not really any busts here, but no sure things either.  I think I would give Farone the highest ranking on the strength of his run of starts to end the season in A+ ball.  I am not as high on Dakota Jordan as many seem to be but I do see the upside and it's quite exciting to dream on.  The rest are going to have to grind their way up the system and we'll see if any break out.