The San Francisco Giants just got a major boost heading into the 2026 MLB Draft - and Buster Posey is already fired up about it.
Thanks to some good fortune in the draft lottery, the Giants landed the No. 4 overall pick, their highest selection since grabbing Joey Bart at No. 2 back in 2018. For a franchise that finished the 2025 season at a dead-even 81-81 and entered the lottery with just the 12th-best odds at the top pick, this is a big-time win.
Posey, now a key figure in the Giants’ front office and no stranger to high-stakes draft decisions - he was the No. 5 overall pick himself in 2008 - knows exactly how much this kind of opportunity can mean.
“It’s exciting,” Posey said during an appearance on KNBR’s Murph & Markus. “When you get to pick that high in the draft, there’s definitely opportunity to land a franchise-altering type of player.”
And he’s not wrong. The Giants have only picked fourth or better four times since 1965.
That short list includes Will Clark (No. 2 in 1985), Matt Williams (No. 3 in 1986), Jason Grilli (No. 4 in 1997), and Joey Bart (No. 2 in 2018). Clark and Williams became cornerstones of the franchise - names that still carry weight in San Francisco baseball history.
The track record shows that when the Giants hit on a top pick, it can change the trajectory of the team for years.
Posey knows the stakes. And he also knows it’s not just about tools and talent - it’s about finding the right fit.
“I think as much as anything, when you’re picking that high in the draft, I don’t think it’s going to be that hard to see talent,” Posey said. “The challenge is you want to really feel good about who the person is.”
That’s where Posey’s insight carries real weight. He’s played with and against some of the best, and he’s seen firsthand how much of baseball’s grind is mental. It’s not just about the radar gun or the exit velo - it’s about how a player handles adversity, how they fit into a clubhouse, how they grow over time.
“I got to witness it firsthand,” Posey added. “Players that I felt like were equally as talented, even more talented than me - maybe it didn’t pan out just because of one thing or another cropping up over the years.”
That’s why Posey is putting his trust in Giants scouting director Michael Holmes and his amateur scouting group. According to Posey, they’ve built a strong foundation of preparation and background research, and that’s going to be critical in making this pick count.
While the Giants would certainly prefer to be picking later in future drafts - a sign they’re winning more games - the opportunity in front of them now is too good to ignore. A top-five pick can be a game-changer, and Posey knows it.
“We’re excited,” he said. “It’s going to be fun, and having an opportunity to add that type of talent to our system is a great thing.”
The Giants got a lucky bounce. Now it’s on the front office to turn that luck into a foundational piece for the next era of Giants baseball.