MLB Draft: Padres and Giants Boost Pitching Prospects

WHO:

NBC Sports Bay Area - Jackson Flora stated, "I still haven't quite wrapped my head around it, but I'm stoked."

NBC Sports Bay Area - Giants manager Tony Vitello expressed excitement about selecting Peyton Bonds, stating, "Anytime you get a guy named Bonds, you’re crazy if you don’t get excited."

NBC Sports Bay Area - Jackson Flora is a Bay Area native who grew up in Pleasanton, California, and attended Foothill High School.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Peyton Bonds, selected by the Giants with the 90th overall pick, is the nephew of Barry Bonds and grandson of Bobby Bonds.

MLB.com - The Giants selected Carson Bolemon, a left-handed pitcher from Southside Christian High School in South Carolina, with the 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - Bolemon is the first player drafted out of Southside Christian School.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Peyton Bonds, nephew of Barry Bonds and grandson of Bobby Bonds, was selected by the Giants with the 90th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Jackson Flora is a 21-year-old right-hander from UC Santa Barbara and a Bay Area native who grew up cheering for the Giants.

MLB.com - San Diego Padres selected right-hander Coleman Borthwick.

MLB.com - San Francisco Giants selected right-hander Jackson Flora.

MLB.com - Carson Bolemon was selected by the Giants as well.

WHAT:

MLB.com - The Padres selected right-hander Coleman Borthwick with the 21st overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - The assigned value of Borthwick’s pick is $4.22 million, contributing to the Padres’ total bonus pool of $9,479,000.

MLB.com - The Giants selected Carson Bolemon with the 29th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - Coleman Borthwick was named the Gatorade High School Player of the Year in Florida after finishing his senior season with a 0.21 ERA, going 10-0, and striking out 121 batters over 65 2/3 innings.

MLB.com - The assigned value of Borthwick’s pick is $4.22 million, contributing to the Padres’ total bonus pool of $9,479,000.

MLB.com - Bolemon was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive year after finishing the season with a 0.17 ERA and striking out 91 batters in 41 1/3 innings.

MLB.com - Bolemon had a junior season in which he did not allow a single run, culminating in a 19-strikeout no-hitter to help deliver his squad a 3-A State Championship.

MLB.com - Bolemon was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year for the second consecutive year after finishing the season with a 0.17 ERA and striking out 91 batters in 41 1/3 innings.

MLB.com - Bolemon helped Southside Christian win their fifth consecutive state title in 2026.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Flora stated, "I don't even know how to explain it... It's been a dream of mine since I could remember, since I started playing baseball."

NBC Sports Bay Area - Flora was selected by the Giants with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Flora posted a 1.06 ERA and struck out 133 batters in 102 innings during his junior season.

MLB.com - Borthwick was drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - Flora was drafted with the 4th overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft.

MLB.com - Borthwick posted a 0.21 ERA, went 10-0, and struck out 121 batters over 65 2/3 innings in his senior season.

MLB.com - Flora had a 1.06 ERA and struck out a school-record 133 batters in 102 innings during his junior season.

MLB.com - Bolemon was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year after striking out 135 batters in 55 1/3 innings.

WHERE:

MLB.com - Borthwick is from South Walton High School in Florida.

MLB.com - Flora is from UC Santa Barbara and is a Bay Area native from Pleasanton, California.

MLB.com - Bolemon is from Southside Christian High School in South Carolina.

WHEN:

MLB.com - The Padres have until July 27 to sign Borthwick and the rest of their draft class.

MLB.com - The 2026 MLB Draft took place on July 11, 2026.

MLB.com - The Padres have until July 27 to sign Borthwick and the rest of their draft class.

NBC Sports Bay Area - The Giants were originally projected to select 15th in the draft but moved up to No. 4 due to a lucky break in the MLB Draft Lottery in December.

MLB.com - The 2026 MLB Draft took place on July 11, 2026.

MLB.com - The Padres have until July 27 to sign Borthwick and the rest of their draft class.

WHY:

NBC Sports Bay Area - The Giants aimed to add a potential ace to their farm system, which is in need of pitching talent.

MLB.com - The Padres have a history of selecting high school pitchers with high upside.

MLB.com - The Giants aimed to bolster their pitching depth, as their farm system was short on impact pitching.

HOW:

NBC Sports Bay Area - Flora stated, "I was obviously stoked, really excited. I grew up going to Giants games at AT&T Park and then Oracle Park."

MLB.com - Bolemon runs his 55-grade fastball between 91-94 mph and will touch 96 mph, with a 78-82 mph curveball that earns a 60 grade.

NBC Sports Bay Area - Logan Webb expressed excitement about Flora's selection, stating, "The potential is for him to be here pretty soon so I think it was a great choice."

NBC Sports Bay Area - Flora has touched triple digits with his fastball and is viewed as a player who could reach the big leagues as soon as late 2027.

MLB.com - Borthwick has a commitment to Auburn, which may raise signability questions.

MLB.com - Flora's selection was influenced by his impressive performance and local ties to the Giants.

In a thrilling turn of events during the 2026 MLB Draft, the Padres selected right-hander Coleman Borthwick with the 21st overall pick, valued at $4.22 million, while the Giants picked Carson Bolemon at the 29th spot. Giants manager Tony Vitello expressed his excitement about selecting Bolemon, saying, "Anytime you get a guy named Bonds, you’re crazy if you don’t get excited," and Jackson Flora added, "I still haven't quite wrapped my head around it, but I'm stoked." The Padres now have until July 27 to sign Borthwick and the rest of their draft class, as the Giants look to bolster their farm system with much-needed pitching talent.