Giants' Upcoming MLB Draft Possesses 'Monumental' Importance

The San Francisco Giants enter a new era when it comes to the Major League Baseball draft later this month.

This will be the first with president of baseball operations Buster Posey in charge. He is a former Giants first-round pick when he was selected in 2008 out of Florida State.

If there is anyone in the organization that understands the value of a first-round pick, it’s Posey. He helped San Francisco win three World Series in 2010, 2012 and 2014.

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During an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required), he told Susan Slusser that the upcoming draft is an essential part of the focus on making the franchise consistently competitive again.

“Probably the most obvious thing that could ever be said is that the importance of getting our draft picks right is monumental,” Posey said. “Those picks could shape an organization. Look at the run we went on and see how many guys were drafted and developed. The draft is a big deal.”

Lately, the Giants have been hit and miss in the first round.

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San Francisco got it right with catcher Patrick Bailey in 2020, a player in Posey’s mold who has already won a Gold Glove but could stand to bring more consistency as a hitter. Pitcher Will Bednar, the Giants’ first-round pick in 2021, is at Double-A Richmond. The younger brother of Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher David Bednar has dealt with injuries his entire pro career.

Reggie Crawford was a two-way star at UConn when he was picked in the first round in 2022. He’s chosen to pitch, but he hasn’t thrown since 2023 due to injuries. San Francisco should have better luck with their first-round pick in 2023, Bryce Eldrige. The former Vienna, Va., star is already at Triple-A Sacramento and could be their starting first baseman next season.

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The Giants’ last first-round pick under former president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi was Florida State outfielder James Tibbs III. He was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the Rafael Devers deal.

Several of Zaidi’s former lieutenants are still on staff with Posey. That includes general manager Zack Minasian, formerly the Giants’ director of pro scouting, and director of amateur scouting Michael Holmes.

Slusser reported that Minasian and Holmes will have plenty of autonomy over the draft, but that Posey is “monitoring” and participating in pre-draft discussions.

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Holmes and Posey did not tip their hand on who or what position they might take in the first round. A recent Baseball America mock draft has San Francisco taking Wake Forest shortstop Marek Houston, who slashed .354/.458/.597 with 15 home runs and 66 RBI last season.

The 2025 MLB draft will be held Sunday and Monday, July 13-14, during All-Star Weekend in Atlanta.

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