The most athletic player in the Arizona Fall League? Jordan leads Giants crop in desert

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- The Arizona Fall League always seems to be loaded with quality athletes. In its first 33 seasons, the developmental circuit featured multitooled talents such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Mookie Betts, Byron Buxton, Carl Crawford, Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Francisco Lindor, Andrew McCutchen, Mike Trout and Trea Turner.

This year, Giants outfielder Dakota Jordan may be the most athletically gifted player in the Fall League. A member of the Scottsdale Scorpions, he comes with double-plus raw power and speed and can become a plus defender in center field with more refinement. He was a three-star wide receiver recruit as a Mississippi prepster and initially committed to play two sports at Mississippi State before deciding baseball was his true love.

Jordan's combination of athleticism and physicality -- he's 6 feet tall and 231 pounds -- gained him the nickname "Baby Bo" back in high school, and it has followed him into college and pro ball. Though it's a stretch to compare anyone to Bo Jackson, the only person ever to play in both the All-Star Game and the Pro Bowl, Jordan wouldn't have gotten tagged with that moniker without a heap of potential.

Jordan describes getting likened to a player he idolized and modeled his game after as pretty cool. So was a brief encounter with Jackson three years ago.

"I met him when Mississippi State played Auburn back when I was in college," Jordan said. "He was at the field and he came by our dugout, shaking everybody's hands. I just remember shaking his hand and his forearms were like the size of my calf. It was crazy. I couldn't believe it."

Though Jordan starred in two college seasons, earning Freshman All-America honors in 2023 and All-America recognition in 2024, he didn't impact all phases of the game as much as he might have. He stole just seven bases in 107 games at Mississippi State and spent almost all of his time on the outfield corners.

That began to change after Jordan signed for a well-above-slot $1,997,500 as a fourth-rounder. He has swiped 48 bases in 54 attempts (89 percent) in his two full pro seasons while moving to center field, where he continues to look more comfortable as he gains experience. He also has batted .293/.357/.494 with 33 homers in 192 pro games, though he does swing through fastball strikes and chase breaking balls more than he should.

Jordan says a number of factors contributed to him becoming a more well-rounded player. Soaking up reps during Minor League games, Spring Training, instructional league and offseason camps. Observing players such as speedy center fielder Jonah Cox in a loaded Giants system. Learning from managers, coaches and instructors like Jacob Heyward, who worked with him after he first turned pro and skippered him at High-A Eugene this year.

"When I first came in, Heyward was always on me about the defensive part and how important defense is to the organization," Jordan said. "You don't always have to have your bat to play in the big leagues. You can be big in other spots like just being a good basestealer and playing good defense, and I really take pride in my defense and basestealing for sure."

Giants hitters in the Fall League

Kaeden Kent, SS/2B (No. 20): An offensive-minded middle infielder who fits best at second base -- like his father, Hall of Famer and former Giants star Jeff -- Kent arrived from the Yankees in a Trade Deadline deal for Heliot Ramos. The Texas A&M product slashed .298/.350/.440 with eight homers and 24 steals in 86 games in High-A, missing seven weeks with a broken finger.

Dalton Wentz, 3B/2B: One of two 2026 draftees in the AFL, along with Royals first-rounder Zion Rose, Wentz signed for $584,955 (fourth-round money) as a 16th-rounder out of Wake Forest. A switch-hitter with at least plus raw power and solid arm strength, he hit .265/.368/.429 with one homer during his 13-game pro debut in High-A.

Giants pitchers in the Fall League

Miguel Mendez, RHP (No. 16): Acquired from the Padres in the Robbie Ray trade in August, Mendez has an explosive fastball that touches 101 mph and a tight mid-80s slider. He posted a 5.62 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 49 2/3 innings at three levels, mostly in Double-A, while missing time with shoulder and neck maladies.

Alexander Fuentes, RHP (No. 26): Signed for just $17,500 out of Venezuela in 2023, Fuentes is a likely reliever who could have a plus fastball and solid slider once fully developed. He topped out at 98 mph and struck out 31 in 18 innings in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League before shoulder fatigue cost him most of the final three months of the season.

Drake George, RHP: George worked with a 93-97 mph fastball while compiling a 3.20 ERA and 62/15 K/BB ratio in 56 1/3 innings in Single-A in 2025, but he blew out his elbow and had Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for all of this season. A 13th-round pick in 2024 from Lewis-Clark State (Idaho), he also has a pair of low-80s breaking pitches that don't stand out metrically but miss bats.

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Randy Rodriguez, RHP: Rodriguez pitched in the All-Star Game and recorded a 1.78 ERA during his second year in the big leagues in 2025, but he had Tommy John surgery that September and missed all of this season. Signed for $50,000 out of the Dominican Republic in 2017, he paired a fastball that parked at 96-98 mph and peaked at 101 with a mid-80s slider before his elbow reconstruction.

Darien Smith, RHP: Smith won NAIA pitcher of the year honors as a sixth-year collegian at Southeastern (Fla.) in 2024 before signing for $5,000 as a nondrafted free agent. He logged a 3.93 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 50 1/3 innings between three levels, mostly in Double-A, losing three months to a shoulder impingement. He relies heavily on a tight low-80s slider that he sets up with a low-90s four-seam fastball.