Rutgers’ Bonds Joins Giants in 2026 MLB Draft

By admin — In News — July 12, 2026

   ​His name is Bonds, Peyton Bonds, and he has joined the San Francisco Giants organization after the franchise selected him with the No. 90 overall pick in the 2026 MLB Draft on Saturday. Peyton played college baseball as an outfielder at Rutgers, a lineage that fits him well given his family’s history in the sport. He is the son of Bobby Bonds Jr., Barry Bonds’ brother, and the grandson of Bobby Bonds Sr., making him part of an enduring baseball dynasty.
That strong familial pedigree has already generated plenty of chatter about the Giants’ third-round pick, Rutgers’ outfielder Peyton Bonds. Could a Bonds jersey find its way onto the Giants’ roster and into the team’s lore? As Melissa Lockard of The Athletic noted, Peyton’s connection is real and noteworthy. He is indeed related to Barry Bonds; he is the son of Barry’s brother Bobby Bonds Jr. and the grandson of Bobby Bonds Sr., with Barry Bonds as his uncle. Peyton may not yet possess peak power, but he can hit, runs with center-field speed, and appears comfortable in a black-and-orange uniform given his family ties to the sport.
Peyton Bonds is 20 years old, stands 6-foot-5, and weighs 230 pounds. He was selected by San Francisco in the third round, ranking as the No. 90 overall pick. MLB.com provided a deeper look at what he could bring to the Giants’ organization, confirming the Bonds connection and outlining his lineage: Peyton is the son of Bobby Bonds Jr., who spent 11 seasons in professional baseball with the Padres, Giants, and various independent leagues; he is the grandson of Bobby Bonds, whose major-league career spanned 14 years; and he is the nephew of Barry Bonds.
Peyton also continues the outfield tradition in the family. He began his career at Franklin High School in New Jersey, where he played alongside A’s prospect Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, before moving to Campbell University for his freshman year. He later returned to New Jersey to play for Rutgers, where he had a solid sophomore season and then elevated his performance this spring. A hamstring injury suffered in an April series against UCLA interrupted his playing time, but he recovered and returned to contribute.
Physically, Peyton is a prototypical outfielder at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. Scouts have described him as having a strong, ready-made frame, with a notable ability to hit and an excellent sense of the strike zone. MLB.com noted his in-zone bat-to-ball skills, saying he has significant bat speed and high exit velocities. However, the power numbers haven’t fully materialized yet, and some evaluators believe there could be more impact with some refinements to his bat path at the next level.
Peyton Bonds has shown depth and range in center field for Rutgers, and those athletic traits come with the unmistakable fire and passion for baseball that has characterized his family for generations. If his development continues on its current trajectory, Peyton could indeed prove to be a future major-league contributor and add another memorable chapter to the Bonds family’s storied history in the sport.  

Content Source: Yahoo News

Image Credit: Getty Images

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