MLB analyst sets the stage for the Giants to draft one of the best prep bats

With how this season is going for San Francisco Giants fans, you can't fault them if they are looking toward the future. The team has not been able to get much going, holding a 22-34 record. 

For a team that has been consistently .500 over the last few years, this is quite the free fall, and there is little faith that the team has what it takes to turn this thing around. 

So, some fans are looking forward to the draft. They will be selecting at pick No. 4, the highest they have had a first-round pick since 2018, when they took catcher Joey Bart second overall. 

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MLB analyst sets the stage for the Giants to draft one of the best prep bats

With the fourth overall selection, the Giants will have some elite talent to choose from. There will be some viable college players as well as some exciting high school talent to take a gamble on. 

The front office will have a few backup plans in mind, but they won't need much. 

ESPN's Kiley McDaniel believes that Gulliver Prep HS shortstop Jacob Lombard will be available, and that is who the Giants will take. 

"The next group after the clear top three players is Lombard, Flora,and Eric Booth Jr. It seems like all three will go within the next four picks, but the order is still uncertain. I think all three are options here, and yes, the Giants would love to get one of the players projected for the top three picks, but that seems unlikely. I think Lombard has a slight edge, but it's slight."

If the name Lombard seems familiar, it's because it is. George Lombard Jr. was a first-round pick by the New York Yankees back in 2023. 

Lombard has plenty of juice in his bat, with plus power potential. He also has a great baseball IQ and has added some speed and strength over the past year. 

Scouts believe he has the talent to stick at shortstop in the big leagues, something that many prep shortstops don't do. 

He could be an excellent pick for the Giants here at pick No. 4, but don't be surprised if they take UC Santa Barbara pitcher Jackson Flora or Mississippi prep OF Eric Booth Jr.

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