Pitching, pitching, and more pitching. After taking top college pitcher Jackson Flora with the fourth pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, and prep southpaw Carson Bolemon with pick No. 29, the Giants went back to the well with their second-round selection, taking prep right-hander Kaden Waechter with the 55th overall pick in the draft. Waechter, an 18-year old, comes from Jesuit High School in Florida.
As is the case with most draftees at this stage, reports vary a little. Waechter is all the way at No. 31
on The Athletic’s big board, though is more modestly ranked elsewhere: No. 55 at Fangraphs, No. 57 at MLB Pipeline, No. 63 at Baseball America, and No. 79 at ESPN. Though that averages to around 55, the Giants may have to a little bit over the selection’s slot value ($1,763,000) given his commitment to Florida State.
Waechter, whose father Doug pitched in the Majors for six seasons, features a fastball/slider combo, though he also has a cutter and a changeup. His fastball is generally only in the low-mid 90s, but given his aim and physical projectability, it seems likely that the velo will rise quite a bit in the coming years.
