Giants Linked to Slugging First Baseman in MLB Mock Draft

The San Francisco Giants could be looking for power on the corner when they go on the clock in next month’s MLB Draft.

Jun 21, 2023; Omaha, NE, USA; Wake Forest Demon Deacons first baseman Nick Kurtz (8) gets an out during the first inning against the LSU Tigers at Charles Schwab Field Omaha. / Dylan Widger-USA TODAY Sports

The San Francisco Giants may be poised to end a three-year streak if addressing pitching in the first round of ESPN’s most recent mock draft is correct.

The site published a two-round mock draft on Wednesday, less than a month before the actual MLB Draft in Fort Worth, Texas, on July 14.

But the Giants only have one selection, their first-round pick at No. 13 overall. The Giants lost their second-round pick and their third-round pick after signing qualified free agents.

In the mock ESPN connected the Giants to hard-hitting Wake Forest first baseman Nick Kurtz at No. 13.

The Tennessee native has spent all three of his college seasons with the Demon Deacons, where he’s almost exclusively played first base.

This season his slash numbers were .306/.531/.763/1.294. Those were down a bit from 2023 (.353/.527/.784/1.311). But his power numbers were there. He had 11 doubles, a triple, 22 home runs and 57 RBI.

One thing scouts will like is his plate discipline. He drew 78 walks against 42 strikeouts, and he had that kind of ratio all three years in college.

Kurtz was an All-ACC First-Team selection for the second straight year. In 2023 he was selected to the ACC All-Tournament Team, to the Winston-Salem All-Tournament team, along with first-, second- and third-team All-America selections from various groups.

He helped the Demon Deacons to a 38-22 record, with a 15-15 record in ACC action. They were eliminated from the ACC Tournament by Florida State after winning two games. Selected to the NCAA Tournament, Wake Forest went to the Greenville Regional and lost to Virginia Commonwealth and East Carolina, which ended its season.

The last first baseman the Giants selected in the first round was Boston College’s Chris Shaw in 2015. He played two seasons for the Giants.

Selecting Shaw broke a 30-year streak of the Giants not selecting a first baseman. Back in 1985 the Giants selected Will Clark out of Mississippi State. He helped the Giants reach the 1989 World Series and had his No. 22 retired by the team. He finished his career as a .303 hitter.  

The Giants have spent their last three first-round picks on pitching. Last year it was right-hander Bryce Eldridge from James Madison High School in Vienna, Va. In 2022 San Francisco selected left-handed pitcher and first baseman Reggie Crawford from UConn. Crawford has since committed to being a position player.

In 2021 the Giants selected right-hander Will Bednar from Mississippi State.

The last non-two way position player the Giants selected in the first round was catcher Patick Bailey, who is already with the Giants.