Jackson

Flora

That saves the Giants almost exactly $1 million based on his slot value. Flora, the first pitcher taken in the 2026 draft, had a 1.06 ERA for UC Santa Barbara this year. It’s unclear if the Giants will have him pitch some in the minors before the end of the year or if they’ll hold off until next season.

Flora was as good as any pitcher in college baseball in 2026, and ended up striking out 133 hitters over 102 innings with a 1.06 ERA and finishing with a deserved 12-0 record on the year. He can get his fastball over 100 mph regularly, and typically sits in the high 90s with some quality movement on the offering as well. On top of that impressive heater, he complements it with an above-average slider, and a change that is only a small notch below that should be a weapon against left-handed hitters. He throws all three pitches for strikes, and he repeats his delivery well enough that he shouldn’t have command issues as he enters the professional ranks. This is not the next Paul Skenes, but Flora does offer top-of-the-rotation upside, and could reach the majors quickly.