Hayden Jatczak didn’t hear his name in the 20-round MLB draft last summer, but the call that came after it changed everything.
After a strong 2025 season at Kent State University, the power-hitting infielder expected draft day to bring some good news. Instead, the draft came and went without his name being called.
Once it wrapped up, his agent reached out with a different path: the SF Giants had an offer waiting. Jatczak took it, and his pro career was underway.
That route has become more common than it used to be. With the draft now shortened to 20 rounds, undrafted free agents have had more opportunities to break through, and the Giants have already shown they know how to find them.
Bo Davidson, Trent Harris and Parks Harber all entered pro ball without hearing their names called, and Harber and Davidson are now among the organization’s top prospects. Harris, meanwhile, could pitch his way onto the staff before the year is out.
Jatczak is trying to follow that same track.
His journey to San Jose came without the built-in familiarity some of the other players in the Giants’ draft class had. Three draftees came out of Northeastern University, led by seventh-rounder Cam Maldonado, while two more were selected from Stetson University in third-round pick Lorenzo Meola and 10th-round pick Isaiah Barkett. Jatczak’s college path was different: he spent three seasons at Saginaw Valley State University before transferring to Kent State for the 2025 campaign.
He did have one small link to the class. Jatczak played for the Morehead City Marlins in the Coastal Plains League in 2024, and a year later Giants 2025 13th-round pick Broedy Poppell suited up for the same club. When both players were with the San Jose Giants earlier this year, they realized they shared the same host family.
By the time the season got going, Jatczak was ready. He had already built relationships through a welcome camp in Arizona last fall and during minor league spring training, and he wasted no time making noise in his first pro game. Jatczak nearly hit for the cycle, finishing with three hits, including a triple and a home run, plus four RBI in a 12-8 win over the Stockton Ports.
He kept rolling from there. In Low-A with San Jose, Jatczak posted an .895 OPS, hit nine home runs and drove in 52 runs across 310 plate appearances.
Those numbers fit the profile he brought from college, but Jatczak was quick to point to San Jose Giants hitting coach Mike Marjama for helping shape his first full season as a pro. “He's [Mike Marjama] one of the hardest-working coaches I've ever had, honestly. His attention to detail is there on everything.”
Marjama is in his first season with the Giants after three years as a hitting coach in the Miami Marlins organization, and he’s been guiding one of the most productive offenses in the California League. Jatczak said Marjama was exactly the kind of coach a player wants early in his career: “He was definitely the type of coach you wanted in your first year of pro ball.
To show you the ropes, help you build your own routine, help you understand what to look for. And you know, just even on the mental side.
He's played at the highest level, and knows what it takes.”
The coach has been just as impressed with the player. Marjama praised Jatczak’s work habits, saying, “Hayden [Jatczak] deserves tremendous credit for raising his daily training standards, the professionalism he brings to his preparation, his willingness and ability to make adjustments, and the attention to detail he invests in game planning. Those are the qualities that don't show up in a box score, but they're often the biggest separators between talented players and players who maximize their potential.”
Marjama also pointed to the traits that make Jatczak attractive to an organization: “quality swing decisions, strong contact ability, and quality contact at an impressive rate.” Jatczak’s main spot is first base, though he has also played third base in 2026.
The comparison Marjama drew was an interesting one: former big leaguer Garrett Cooper, who played eight major league seasons and made one NL All-Star team.
Jatczak’s time in San Jose ended with an injured list stint, but not before he got to meet several Giants alumni, including Joe Panik, Will Clark and Pat Burrell. While he was on a brief rehab assignment, he learned he was headed to Eugene.
He’s kept swinging well with the Eugene Emeralds, too. In 55 plate appearances, Jatczak has put up a .807 OPS with one home run and seven RBI. Eugene is set to chase a Northwest League title in September, and Jatczak could be part of that push.
For now, the goal stays simple: keep working, keep hitting, and keep moving toward Oracle Park someday.
In Other News...
Giants Viral Dugout Joke Just Made An Awkward Situation Even Worse
A light moment in the Giants dugout turned into a bit of a social-media talking point during the game against the Rangers, when rookie catcher Daniel Susac celebrated a double with a playful scooter-handlebar gesture. The celebration landed because of the timing, with the club already dealing with the fallout from Harrison Baders recent scooter accident and the ripple effects that followed.
Baders accident left his left foot further injured, and the situation has since become more than just an odd clubhouse anecdote. For a team trying to keep its focus on the field, the joke only underscored how awkward the backdrop has become around one of its veterans, especially with the organization still navigating the practical side of his absence. [Read more 🡒]
Giants Prospect Rankings Just Got A Lot More Interesting
The Giants farm system has suddenly taken on a much different look, with a wave of young talent arriving through the 2026 MLB Draft and a few trades that have reshaped the conversation around the organizations future. That has made the latest top-10 prospect ranking far more than a routine exercise, because it now has to sort out not only the holdovers already in the system, but also a group of newcomers who could change the order quickly.
Josuar Gonzalez, Luis Hernandez and Jackson Flora are among the names drawing the most attention, and each brings a different kind of appeal depending on current performance and long-term upside. For a front office trying to build a steadier pipeline to San Francisco, the appeal is obvious, but the real intrigue is how these prospects fit together and which ones can turn promise into an actual impact on the roster. [Read more 🡒]