Every kid grows up dreaming of playing for their favorite baseball team. For many of us, it's just a childhood fantasy that, deep down, we know it's likely impossible. But for San Francisco Giants first-round pick Jackson Flora, it became a reality when his name was called on Saturday.Flora, 21, is a right-handed starter whom the Giants selected with the fourth overall pick of the 2026 MLB Draft this past weekend. A product of UC-Santa Barbara, the Pleasanton native grew up attending Giants' games and wearing the team's logo almost everywhere he went. The young hurler likely imitated his idols in backyard wiffle ball games. Now, he's become one of them in real life. Jackson Flora was born to be a Giant: pic.twitter.com/qZoCVlwmTP— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 11, 2026“Ever since I could remember, I was in Giants gear," Flora explained. "My very first Little-League team was the Giants. I grew up going to AT&T Park and watching those guys win three World Series. A lot of my best baseball memories revolve around San Francisco, being at that stadium, and playing for the Giants in Little League."Getting that call this weekend was more than a dream come true. I still can’t believe it.”Jackson Flora is a Perfect FitJackson Flora is certainly a power pitcher. He stands 6'5" and weighs just over 200 pounds. As he adds weight, he will be an innings-eating hoss who will hopefully be a contributor for manager Tony Vitello and his staff soon. In his final year at St. Barb's, in 2026, Flora went 12-0, with a 1.06 ERA and 133 strikeouts across 102 innings, was named the Big West Conference Pitcher of the Year and the National Pitcher of the Year Award. The hometown hero should be on a fast track to The Show. For example, the same timeline the Seattle Mariners followed with fellow phenom, LHP Kade Anderson, who was drafted in the top 10 in 2025 and is likely to be in the M's rotation by 2027. San Francisco will employ a similar path to success for the kid who was their biggest fan.For Giants fans Flora represents one of their own, a young star who spent his youth bound around the then-Pac Bell Stadium (now Oracle Stadium). He's a lifelong member of Giants Nation; that gives the San Fran supporters a big reason to root for their newest first-round pick."I'm ready to go," Flora commented. "Being drafted is awesome, but it's not the end goal. The goal is to play in the big leagues... Whenever they need me, I'll be ready."Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow