Giants Sign Kent State Star, MAC Player of Year as Undrafted MLB Free Agent

The work doesn’t end for teams like the San Francisco Giants when the MLB draft ends.

On Tuesday, Kent State announced that the Giants signed Golden Flashed third baseman Hayden Jatczak to an undrafted free-agent deal.

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"I'm so proud of Hayden and excited for what lies ahead for him with the San Francisco Giants," said Kent State coach Jeff Duncan in a release announcing the signing. "This opportunity is well-earned, and I have no doubt he'll make the most of it. The Giants are getting a special player and competitor."

San Francisco could be getting a prospect with room to grow who has already proven he could handle the best pitching the Mid-American Conference.

Jatczak was named the MAC player of the year and an ABCA/Rawlings all-American for the 2025 season.

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With his all-America third-team selection, Jatczak became the third Kent State player named an all-American in the last decade and the first third baseman since Mike Gulan in 1992. Gulan played in 11 MLB games.

Jatczak played just one season at Kent State, the result of transferring from Division II Saginaw Valley State. He ended last season with the co-lead in NCAA Division I with 28 doubles, while ranking in the Top 10 in runs scored (79), RBIs (81) and slugging percentage (.770).

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He slashed .376/.491/.770 with 16 home runs and 81 RBI.

Before he transferred to Kent State, he was a star at Saginaw Valley State, where he was the 2024 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference player of the year and the 2021 GLIAC freshman of the year. He was also the 2024 Midwest region player of the year and a first-team all-American.

For his career with the Cardinals, he batted .415. In his final season he slammed 16 homers and 48 extra base hits.

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He was also a pitcher with Saginaw Valley State and in college summer leagues.

He went 6-0 on the mound with two complete games and a 3.54 earned run average across 56 innings in 2024 with the Cardinals. While in the Northwoods and Coastal Plains Leagues he had a 2.32 ERA in 50 innings.  

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