Giants select local LHP Kyle Harrison 85th overall

The San Francisco Giants selected left-handed pitcher Kyle Harrison with the 85th overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft on Thursday. Harrison is a local product who comes from De La Salle High School in Concord, California.

The Giants chose him with their third-round pick, which was their fifth of seven selections in this year’s truncated draft. He is the second pitcher that the Giants have drafted this year, and the first high school player that the team has selected.

Harrison is 18.8 years old, 6’2, and 200 pounds, and scouting reports vary a bit. He ranked 54th on The Athletic’s big board, 63rd on MLB’s, and 71st on Baseball America’s. Fangraphs, however, had him 103rd, and ESPN had him 107th, with both publications listing his future value at 40.

Here’s what MLB had to say about the young prospect:

Harrison has the chance to be a very solid left-handed starter with a three-pitch mix and a feel to use all three offerings well. He’s been up to 93 mph with his fastball, usually sitting closer to 90-91 mph, throwing his heater with good life. It’s tough to square up coming from a difficult angle thanks to a three-quarter slot. His slider is his out pitch, an upper-70s breaking ball that’s especially tough on left-handed hitters. He also has good feel for his changeup and commands all of his pitches well.

There are some who might see Harrison, a UCLA recruit, as having a limited ceiling. His pitchability and the deception of his delivery from the left side does give him a higher floor than most high school pitchers and makes him one of the top prep lefties in the class.

Here are the Giants picks so far, and their remaining selections:

#13 — Patrick Bailey, C, North Carolina State
#49 — Casey Schmitt, 3B/RHP, San Diego State
#67 — Nick Swiney, LHP, North Carolina State
#68 — Jimmy Glowenke, SS, Dallas Baptist
#85 — Kyle Harrison, LHP, De La Salle High School (CA)
#114
#144