The Giants have signed infielder Gavin Kilen, their first-round pick from last week’s draft. Jim Callis of MLB.com reports that he signed for a bonus of $5,247,500, a bit below the $5,524,300 slot value for the 13th overall pick.
Kilen is considered one of the best pure hitters in the class. He slashed .323/.381/.554 during his three college seasons, including a .357/.441/.671 showing with Tennessee in 2025. Defensively, he spent a lot of time at both middle infield spots but spent more time at second base than at shortstop this year.
Pre-draft scouting reports from Baseball America, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN, Keith Law of The Athletic and MLB Pipeline all had Kilen as one of the top 21 players available in the draft. Law was the most bullish on the bat, putting Kilen in the #7 spot. All evaluators generally expect him to make his long-term home at second base, where he can be a capable defender.
Per Callis, the Giants went about half a million above slot to sign ninth-rounder Reid Worley. That was possible thanks to the roughly $300K saved here, as well as some other below-slot deals. According to the MLB.com Draft Tracker, the Giants also went about $100K below slot in signing second-rounder Trevor Cohen and almost $200K below slot with fourth-rounder Jordan Gottesman.
Photo courtesy of Saul Young, Imagn Images
I hope he has a head.
Hope he has a stronger bat than Joe Panik
We will see how passing on witherspoon plays out.
the giants have signed all of their picks except Elijah Mc/Neal, the last pick!
I noticed that too. Pretty quick work by the Giants front office. The #20 pick was a bay area high schooler. Hopefully guys like Maldanado and Barajas do well along with everyone else.
Great. Fills a clear need on this team – contact hitter and plays 2B. Would be nice to see him by ‘27 if not sooner.
Makes Schmitt (and Fitzgerald) expendable, as part of the package that nets us Skenes (and we’ll pick up K’B Hayes’ dead contract). Get it done Buster !
Umm you realize he’s a long way away from the major, yes?
Ummm, he’s going to be 22 next spring; he’s not a high school draftee. He’ll be in the minors, and we’ll just see how he does, ok? If “he’s a long way away”, you’re expecting him to be what, a 27-year-old rookie?
If he rakes, he’ll be up before a Long Way Away.
De Jesus Gonzales was signed at 17. He’s a long way away.
The Pirates would laugh at a trade for Skenes headlined by Schmitt and Fitzgerald. Those 2 would be about 10-15% of the total value needed. They’d want Eldridge and Whisenhunt at a minimum. And they aren’t packaging Hayes with Skenes which mitigates Skene’s value. They can get an absolute haul for Skenes and aren’t going to minimize that return by attaching Hayes.
Of course. Was joking. And the clue was, I said it would be “part of the package” (letting Buster figure out the rest, ha). And did not say they were the headliners.
But appreciate you keeping everyone on their toes.
Kid crushed it this year. Be nice to see him have a solid career for the Giants.
5 mill + . What a bargain!
His player comp is Scooter Gennet
Living here in Tennessee, I had the opportunity to watch Kilen play numerous times, I have no doubt he’ll be playing for the Giants within 2yrs.