The San Francisco Giants selected Rutgers outfielder Peyton Bonds in the third round, 90th overall, of the MLB draft on Saturday. The pick reunited the Bonds name with San Francisco; Peyton is part of a multigenerational baseball family with deep ties to the organization.
Bonds is the son of Bobby Bonds Jr., an 11-year minor-league veteran who spent four seasons in the Giants system, and the grandson of Bobby Bonds, a 14-year big-league veteran who played seven years for the Giants and compiled 57.2 career WAR. He is also the nephew of Barry Bonds, who the source describes as a seven-time MVP, Major League Baseball’s all-time home run leader and a 22-year big-league veteran who spent 15 seasons with the Giants.
Scouting and rankings underlined that the selection was made on merit. Bonds was 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds entering the draft and ranked 115th in ESPN’s final draft rankings. He played at Campbell in 2024 before transferring to Rutgers for 2025 and 2026, and he hit .305 with 16 home runs across three college seasons. This past season he hit .352 with six homers and 13 stolen bases.
Power and contact stood out in pre-draft testing and game data. Bonds registered a 111.2 mph hit off a wood bat in batting practice at the MLB draft combine and posted a 120.7 mph maximum exit velocity with an aluminum bat in a game this spring. The source notes he has plus raw power and above-average bat-to-ball ability, reflected in his high batting average this season.
Areas of concern include plate discipline; Bonds had a 39 percent chase rate, noted as well worse than average. He is described as a solid average runner with enough speed to steal bases and the mobility to remain in center field long term. The Giants used their third-round selection on a prospect who combines pedigree with measurable tools.
