Fourth-overall pick Jackson Flora, a right-hander the San Francisco Giants snatched up in July, is heading to Class-A San Jose this week and is set to make his first start. Seriously, this kid is already making waves, and his debut is slated for later this week in Fresno, probably Friday or Saturday.
Flora’s Fast Track Is Turning Heads
This 21-year-old out of Pleasanton and UC Santa Barbara has been grinding at the Giants’ Phoenix complex. Just on Sunday, he showed out in the “Bridge League,” tossing a scoreless inning and grabbing a strikeout. Talk about making a good first impression, right? Baseball America’s Jason Pennini was absolutely buzzing about him, saying you try not to overreact to a short look, but Flora’s “body control, ease of operations and cohesiveness of his mix” are seriously impressive. Pennini thinks this kid has ways to attack both right-handed and left-handed hitters, plus a build that’s gonna log some serious innings. He called it a “high-floor look” and a “tough profile to poke holes in.” If that doesn’t scream future ace, I don’t know what does.
This isn’t just some raw talent either. Flora, who apparently rooted for the Giants back in the day at Foothill High, was an absolute K-machine at Santa Barbara this year. He punched out 133 batters in 102 innings and rocked a tiny 1.03 ERA. That’s just unreal. College pitchers, especially first-rounders, usually zoom through organizations, and Flora is looking like the poster child for that. It’s totally possible he could even be considered for San Francisco next year, and you can bet he’s getting an invite to big-league camp. Plus, since he’s not on the 40-man roster, he can keep playing through next year’s expected labor stoppage. That’s a low-key crucial detail, if you ask me.
Roster Moves and The Waiting Game
While Flora is on the fast track, not everyone is getting the express pass. Rosters expanded by two on Tuesday, but outfielder Bo Davidson isn’t getting the call-up right away, even after a killer season at Triple-A Sacramento. The dude’s batting .290 with 26 homers combined between Sacramento and Double-A Richmond. Come on! But since he bats left-handed, like Turner Hill (who’s handling most of the left-handed at-bats in left field) and Drew Gilbert (the lefty center-field option), they’re holding off. Davidson, who’s 24, has to be on the 40-man by November or he’s Rule 5 eligible, so he’ll probably see the big club in the final month if they need him.
Only one of those September call-ups can be a pitcher, and that’s probably Matt “Tugboat” Wilkinson rejoining the team later this week after pitching Saturday as the 27th man. The other spot is likely going to a catcher, probably Zach Morgan, who got less than 24 hours with the team last month after Daniel Susac’s injury but didn’t even get into a game. Morgan, 26, is a Stockton native who played at Fresno State.
Jackson Flora’s debut is coming up, likely Friday or Saturday, and it’s a massive step for this promising arm. All eyes are gonna be on him as he kicks off his professional journey, and if his past performance is any indication, he’s not just playing games, he’s building a future.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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