Athletics: Jakob Christian Drafted in Fifth Round by San Francisco Giants

Junior outfielder named First Team All-American, WCC Player of The Year after historic 2024 season

Junior outfielder Jakob Christian was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft (149th overall pick) by the San Francisco Giants on Monday afternoon, joining Josh Randall (Detroit Tigers, pick No. 85) as the second Torero to be drafted this summer.

After transferring to San Diego prior to the 2024 season from nearby Point Loma Nazarene — where he was named the 2023 Division II CCA Ron Lenz Player of the Year — he turned in USD's most dominant offensive season since 2013, drawing comparisons to Torero Legend Kris Bryant by batting .364 (72-for-198) with 59 runs scored, 14 doubles, 26 home runs, 67 runs batted in, 28 walks, eight hit by pitches, an .828 slugging percentage, and a .460 on-base percentage while playing in 51 of his team's 56 games and making 51 starts in 2024.

His excellence wasn't limited to what he did at the plate. Christian posted a .991 fielding percentage in 2024, committing only one error across 117 chances while playing primarily right field.

For his efforts he was named a 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division I First Team All-American, the 2024 West Coast Conference Player of the Year, a semifinalist for the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy, a 2024 ABCA All-West Region First Team selection, to the 2024 All-WCC First Team, to the 2024 NCAA Santa Barbara Regional All-Tournament Team, and the WCC Player of the Week (May 13 and April 8, 2024).

Christian's selection at No. 149 makes him the 20th-highest drafted player in program history, just behind Kevin Sim, who was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 148th pick in 2023.

He is the fourth Torero to be drafted by San Francisco, joining Jeff Houghtby (2019, pick No. 296), Ryan Kirby (2016, pick No. 365), and Paul Van Stone (1985, pick No. 727).

At least one Torero has been selected in each of the last 35 MLB Drafts. Christian is the 150th player in USD history to either have his name called in the MLB Draft or sign with a Major League team, a span that dates back to 1964.

— USD News Center