The Giants didn’t just come out of the MLB Draft with one premium arm. They walked away with two, and the second one helps complete the return from the Patrick Bailey trade.
San Francisco used the No. 29 overall pick on left-handed high school pitcher Carson Bolemon, adding him to a haul that already included lefty prospect Matt Wilkinson and that same pick from the Cleveland Guardians. In other words, the deal that sent Bailey to Cleveland in May has now fully revealed its payoff on the Giants’ side.
Bolemon brings plenty to like. He’s 6-foot-4, 19 years old, and has the kind of upside teams dream on in the draft.
The stuff is real: a mid-90s fastball and two plus breaking pitches. His 2026 numbers were eye-catching even by high school standards, with two no-hitters, five shutouts, and a 0.17 ERA.
That kind of profile is exactly why San Francisco may have landed one of the best college arms in the draft in Jackson Flora at No. 4 overall and one of the more promising prep arms in Bolemon later in the first round. The Giants don’t usually draft strictly by need, but they could certainly use more pitching in the system. Their top prospects are mostly position players, so Flora and Bolemon give the farm a much-needed boost on the mound.
The Bailey trade still looks like a move the Giants can feel good about. Since going to Cleveland, Bailey has hit .213/.260/.348 with two home runs and eight RBIs. That’s not a loud offensive line, but it is a noticeable step up from what he was doing at the plate before the deal.
There’s also the defensive side of the equation. Bailey was a two-time Gold Glove winner, and the Giants have felt the adjustment behind the plate as they’ve cycled through Daniel Susac, Eric Haase, Jesus Rodriguez, and Drew Cavanaugh. He knew those pitchers, and the transition has not been seamless.
Even so, Bailey was offering so little offensively that San Francisco had to chase an upgrade. That answer might not be on the roster yet, but the Giants can still find it at the trade deadline or in the offseason.
Wilkinson has also given them a reason to like the return. Nicknamed Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson, he posted a 2.40 ERA in 15 innings after the trade with Double-A Richmond, then ran into more trouble in Triple-A Sacramento with a 5.02 ERA in 14 and 1/3 innings. He still looks like a pitcher who could reach the majors as soon as this season.
The full verdict on the trade won’t be clear until Bolemon develops, but the Giants have every reason to be encouraged right now. Bailey hasn’t become a .300 hitter in Cleveland, and San Francisco has added two young left-handers who could matter down the line.
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