The San Francisco Giants used the fifth round of the 2026 MLB Draft to add a familiar name, taking Luke Nixon at No. 150 overall.
The name on the card matters here. Luke is the son of Trot Nixon, the former Boston Red Sox outfielder and 2004 World Series champion who was once selected No. 7 overall by the Red Sox in the 1993 MLB draft out of New Hanover High School in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Trot Nixon spent his first 10 MLB seasons in Boston, a run that included the Red Sox’ title in 2004. He later played for the Cleveland Indians and New York Mets before retiring. Over his career, he hit .274 with 222 doubles and 137 home runs.
Luke Nixon has taken a different path. He’s an infielder who spent three seasons at North Carolina State, where he made a strong case for himself this spring. He hit .367 with 16 doubles, three triples, nine home runs and 45 RBI, and he closed the year for the Wolfpack on a 15-game hitting streak.
At NC State, Nixon handled second base comfortably, and that figures to be the spot he’ll try to claim with San Francisco. If he keeps climbing, the Giants may have room for him in a few years as they head toward what could be a rebuild.
For now, he enters pro ball with a notable last name and a strong college resume - plus a pretty good built-in mentor if he needs one.
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