All picks are in so let's break down the Giants haul from the 2025 draft rounds 1-20. The Giants draft position was #13. They forfeited their picks in rounds 2 and 5 due to signing Willy Adames as a free agent. They did not have any Competitive Balance or Compensatory picks:
Round 1: Gavin Kilen SS, College Jr(Tennessee). DOB: 3.28/2004. B-L, T-R. 5' 11", 187 lbs.
2024(Cape Cod): .253/.333/.341, 2 HR, 8 BB, 9 K's, 102 PA.
2025(College): .357/.441/.671, 13 2B, 4 3B, 15 HR, 6 SB, 30 BB, 27 K, 245 PA.
MLB Pipeline #21 ranked draft prospect so not an extreme overdraft. Elite contact rates with more walks than K's. Moderate power. Likes to swing early in count which is probably how he keeps his K rate down. Us Giants fans recall that was Joe Panik's approach too. Gavin Lux is another mentioned comp. Probably a 2B at the MLB level especially since the Giants SS situation is likely set for the next 5-6 seasons. High probability of a significant MLB career with limited ceiling. Giants can probably trim at least $500 K off bonus in an underslot deal.
Round 2: No pick.
Round 3: Trevor Cohen OF, College Jr(Rutgers). DOB: 10/29/2003. B-L, T- L. 6' 1", 195 lbs.
2025: .387/.460/.523, 24 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 19 SB, 30 BB, 15 K, 273 PA.
Not sure why this guy was not listed in MLB Pipeline's Top 250 Draft Prospects but from his scouting report it doesn't seem likely there are really 250 better draft prospects. Elite contact skills with enough speed and arm to cover all 3 OF positions and steal some bases. Sneaky power potential with one report of a HR traveling 415 ft. Another likely underslot deal.
Round 4: Lorenzo Meola SS, College Jr(Stetson). DOB: 12/17/2003. B-R, T-R. 5' 11", 172 lbs.
2024(Cape Cod): .162/.260/.279, 7 2B, 2 HR, 6 SB, 14 BB, 37 K, 129 PA.
2025(College): .324/.402/.532, 9 2B, 2 3B, 11 HR, 10 SB, 29 BB, 46 K, 256 PA.
Scouting report says he has defensive tools to play SS at the MLB level. More contact over power. Contact slipped when he tried to sell out for power. Above average runner.
Round 5: No pick.
Round 6: Jordan Gottesman LHP, College 5Sr(Northeastern). DOB: 8/29/2002. 6' 1", 195 lbs.
2024(Futures Collegiate League): 1-0, 3.45, 15.2 IP, 3 BB, 19 K.
2025(College): 9-2, 2.27, 83.1 IP, 17 BB, 97 K.
5'th year senior. Per Brian Recca via McCovey Chronicles Gottesman has a low 90's FB and a full complement of secondary pitches. As a graduate student he has almost no negotiating leverage so will likely be a significant underslot bonus.
Round 7: Cameron "Cam" Maldonado OF, College Jr(Northeastern). DOB: 11/8/2003. B-R, T-R. 6' 3", 200 lbs.
2024(Cape Cod): .258/.357/.427, 4 2B, 3B, 5 HR, 13 SB, 17 BB, 36 K, 143 PA.
2025(College): .351/.467/.631, 17 2B, 15 HR, 29 SB, 42 BB, 51 K, 272 PA.
Big, athletic OF with plus speed to cover all 3 OF positions and steal some bases. Size for raw power which he tapped into better his junior year after a down sophomore season. Some analysts projected him as a first rounder after his freshman season but the sophomore regression left some lingering questions about the hit tool. Nice upside play for Round 7.
Round 8: Ben Bybee RHP, College Jr(Arkansas). DOB: 9/2/2003. 6' 6", 230 lbs.
2024(Cape Cod): 0-0, 4.11, 15.1 IP, 5 BB, 15 K.
2025(College): 3-0, 4.38, 37 IP, 15 BB, 42 K.
I like big pitchers. Mid-90's FB with a "swing and miss changeup and hard cutter" per MLB Pipeline. Another nice upside play in round 8.
Round 9: Reid Worley RHP, HS. DOB: 6/27/2006. 6' 2", 175 lbs.
Worley looks like the big overslot target. Has a self-invented, self-taught pitch, a "spike" slider with a unique 2-seam grip in which he "spikes" his index finger to the right of the left seam in the narrow strip between the "horseshoes" then wraps his middle finger completely around and in front of the spiked forefinger. This grip, along with a low arm slot and crossover step results in extreme spin rates up to 3200 RPM. He also has a 93 MPH FB that could get more firm with maturity. He "tunnels" the slider well with the fastball which makes it difficult for hitters to see him well. Extremely interesting pitching prospect. I assume the Giants know what it takes to sign him and figured out how to cobble the bonus money together. I am sure he's why almost every other pick appears likely to be an underslot deal. Photos and videos of his grip are viral on the internet so I invite you to look them up for yourself.
Round 10: Isaiah Barkett 2B, College Jr(Stetson). DOB: 11/17/2003. B-R, T-R. 5' 11", 186 lbs.
2024(Cape Cod): .267/.364/.337, 2 2B, 2 3B, 8 SB, 12 BB, 9 K's, 102 PA.
2025(College): .389/.461/.498, 16 2B, 3B, 2 HR, 32 SB, 25 BB, 9 K's, 256 PA's.
Some bloodlines here as the son of former Red Sox assistant hitting coach Andy Barkett. Another ultra-high contact hitter with some speed but little power. There seems to be a noticeable shift in philosophy from FZ to Buster and it's not to more power. Buster says F strikeouts. Keep the damn line moving!
Round 11: Rod Barajas Jr. C, JC. DOB: 7/12/2004. B-L, T-R. 6' 3", 200 lbs.
2024(Alaska Summer League): .146/.222/.202, 2 2B, HR, 2 SB, 99 PA.
2025(JC): .329/.412/.500, 10 2B, 2 3B, 5 HR, 3 SB, 22 BB, 23 K, 202 PA.
Son of former MLB catcher Rod Barajas. Stats look like he needs some seasoning but Michael Holmes says he has "huge upside with the bat."
Round 12: Cody Delvecchio RHP, College Jr.(UCLA). DOB: 1/15/2004. 5' 10", 180 lbs.
2025(College): 1-4, 6.81, 37 IP, 12 BB, 39 K.
2025(MLB Development League): 0-1, 9.64, 9.1 IP, 3 BB, 12 K's.
Missed most of junior season due to academic issues. Hit 96 MPH in College World Series start.
Round 13: Broedy Poppell C, College Sr(Florida A&M). DOB: 6/13/2002. B-S, T-R. 5' 11", 180 lbs.
2025(College): .325/.451/.613, 7 2B, 9 3B, 12 HR, 7 SB, 47 BB, 41 K, 268 PA.
2025(Summer): .261/.433, 391, 2B, 3B, HR, SB, 13 BB, 11 K, 60 PA.
Switch-hitting catchers don't grow on trees. Some interesting numbers.
Round 14: Trey Seeley RHP, College Sr(Hope International U). DOB: 6/28/2002. 6' 2", 194 lbs.
2024(College-NAIA): 11-3, 3.73, 99 IP, 34 BB, 135 K.
2025(Summer): 1-0, 3.09, 11.2 IP, 3 BB, 18 K's.
2025(NAIA): 12-1, 1.72, 99.1 IP, 27 BB, 127 K.
No scouting report. Great looking numbers against questionable competition.
Round 15: Damian Bravo OF, College Jr(Texas Tech). DOB: 8/9/2003. B-R, T-R. 6' 2", 195 lbs.
2025(College): .330/.384/.580, 13 2B, 2 3B, 13 HR, 18 SB, 16 BB, 47 K, 250 PA.
I think all the hitters in this Giants draft class have a K rate under 20%. Per Michael Holmes: "Line drive hitter. He steals bases. I think there is a bit of versatility where he can probably play a lot of different places in the field."
Round 16: Garrett Langrell RHP, College Grad(Creighton). DOB: 5/5/2001. 6' 7", 228 lbs.
2024(Summer): 0-1, 3.09, 11.2 IP, 1 BB, 17 K's, 2 Saves.
2025(College): 7-2, 3.61, 52.1 IP, 11 BB, 57 K, 13 Saves.
I approve of tall pitchers. College Closer.
Round 17: Luke Mensik RHP, HS. DOB: 7/30/2007. 6' 2", 195 lbs.
"sits in low 90's with his fastball and can spin the ball well." Xavier recruit. HS prospects drafted this low are often not signable.
Round 18: Cooper McGrath RHP Grad(Northeastern). DOB: 5/25/2001. 6' 8", 230 lbs.
2025(College): 1-0, 1.66, 21.1 IP, 12 BB, 19 K, 1 Save.
2025(MLB Development League): 1-0, 5.06, 10.2 IP, 3 BB, 14 K's.
Another tall pitcher. Giants seemed to have a scout camped out at Northeastern U and Stetson U. 5 of 18 picks came from those two schools. Low-mid 90's FB with a plus slider. Per Michael Holmes: "He's probably more of a reliever but he's a 6'8" guy with kind of a unique, low angle. We were able to see him in the Draft League a little bit where we saw his strikes get better."
Round 19: Braydon Risley LHP, JC. DOB: 3/30/2005. 6' 1", 200 lbs.
2025: 3.24, 66.2 IP, 18 BB, 83 K.
No scouting report.
Round 20: Elijah McNeal SS, HS. DOB: 2/23/2007. B-R, T-R. 6' 3", 180 lbs.
Local kid out of Dublin HS. Committed to UC Davis but Michael Holmes says his eyes got really wide during a workout at Oracle Park so he might be signable. Big league size.
Summary: The Giants first draft with Buster Posey in the POBO chair is probably not causing fans to do hand springs as the draft picks were mostly more high floor than ceiling. There was a definite shift away from the 3-true outcomes philosophy with contact, contact, contact being the watchword. Buster is apparently fed up with strikeouts. It also feels like the entire draft was focused on cobbling together enough bonus pool money to sign Reid Worley who is definitely an unique and intriguing prep talent and the spin rate thing is definitely cutting edge analytics. So there. Take that Farhan! With 2 missing draft picks, a middling draft position and the 6'th lowest bonus pool, Buster and Michael Holmes didn't have a lot of financial flexibility but may have figured out how to make the most of what they had to work with. Time will tell.
Thanks for the great analysis and write up, Doc. I might be starting to see a “type” for the Posey talent evaluators , at least for the hitters they have targeted, and that is the smaller, scrappy, battler. I agree with your take that it’s a clear change in philosophy from 3 true outcomes which hasn’t worked out for the Giants, especially in their home park. They still project to have some power threats in the lineup with Devers and Eldridge but they have to have balance in the line up and batters who can get on base and create runs. I don’t think we should be overly concerned that the players selected are not highly ranked since I assume the rankings themselves are largely derived from analytics and if Posey and crew are incorporating a good amount of classic baseball scouting those rankings do not measure grit, heart and the desire to win.
ReplyDeleteHow would you rank Kilen and Cohen among the current Giants prospects? We haven't yet seen them play professionally, so it's all conjecture and projection.
ReplyDeleteI think Diego Velasquez is probably the closest Giant prospect comparison to Kilen. Good contact, good glove, not enough arm or range for SS. Kilen probably has more pop in the bat than Velasquez.
I'd currently rank Kilen above Level and JDG because his skills are more advanced.
I think Cohen's closest Giant prospect comparison is Wade Meckler. Good contact, good speed, Cohen probably has the better arm.
I would not currently rank Cohen ahead of Davidson or Dakota Johnson. I don't know if I would rank Cohen ahead of S. Bandura.
I generally like the emphasis on drafting contact hitters. Power can develop with age and experience. Positional players with power and contact skills are rare.
Every year when I do DrB's Giants Top 50 Prospects list I caution readers to not get too hung up on exact rankings. The goal of the exercise is getting to know the players in the farm system as well as maybe a rough idea of what kind player they might become at the MLB level. Off the top of my head I would say Bryce Eldridge is still the top tier. I would put Kilen somewhere in a second tier with Jhonny Level, Josuar Gonzalez, Carson Whisenhunt. I am probably ready to add Bo Davidson into the tier also. Probably place Bandura a notch lower.
DeleteIs this a turn from seeking HR hitters, perhaps recognizing the problems everyone not named Barry Bonds has hitting HRs, especially at Oracle?
ReplyDeleteFantasypros has a projection for all MLB batters that are expected to hit 19 or more HRs this year. Of the 100 batters, the Giants have 4 projected, Devers (29), Adames (26), Chapman (25), and Ramos (21), which is slightly more than their "share" but still no 30 HR hitter!
The leader is, of course, Judge (59).
Another who the Giants attempted to sign is Harper (29).
A player who should be on that list (and is not?) that the Giants were interested in signing is Ohtani, 29 HRs now.
Another they missed on (thankfully?) is Stanton who probably won't hit 20 or more this year but has hit more than 20 HRs 13 times.
Correa has hit 20 or more 6 times but not recently.
The Giants HRs and MLB ranking for the last six years is fairly average (except this year):
2025 89 #25
2024 177 #16T
2023 174 #19
2022 183 #12
2021 241 #2
2020* 81 #12T
In 2012, a pretty good year for SF, the Giants were dead last in HRs! In 2010 and 2014, they were fairly average.
Even though the Giants are more or less average in HRs, Oracle is a tough place to hit HRs, especially for the visitors.
Nice and helpful writeup. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteBTW I agree with Buster.
Thanks for your great draft posts and analysis. If Buster feels that having more contact hitters who keep the line moving is what wins at Oracle Park then thats the kind of players they should get. Go for it and see what happens. I was just a little surprised they didn't draft a 1st round pitcher but Worley #8 pick sounds intriguing.
ReplyDelete