UMaine first baseman drafted by San Francisco Giants

University of Maine slugging junior first baseman Jeremiah Jenkins may not have been drafted as high as he had hoped to be, but he is ecstatic about starting his pro career after he was chosen in the 14th round by the San Francisco Giants in the Major League draft on Tuesday.

He was the 418th overall selection.

“I’m excited,” said Jenkins. “I’ve been waiting for three days, it has finally happened.”

Jenkins admitted that he had plenty of anxiety as the draft wore on and he hadn’t been chosen.

“I was definitely nervous. My heart was starting to race a little bit. I was getting concerned whether it was going to happen or not. My agent (Dan Rosquete) said it was. But the human instinct (kicks in). When the clock starts ticking, your heart starts racing,” he said.

The Giants paid last year’s 14th round pick, pitcher Cale Lansville, a $150,000 signing bonus.

Jenkins will join an organization that already has two former Black Bears in it.

Pitcher Nick Sinacola was a seventh-round pick in 2021 (206th overall) and second baseman Quinn McDaniel was a fifth-round selection last year (153rd).

Sinacola is currently pitching for the Richmond Flying Squirrels in the AA Eastern League while McDaniel is playing for the Eugene Emeralds in High-A Northwest League.

Sinacola got drafted and left the year before Jenkins arrived but Jenkins and McDaniel played together for two seasons at UMaine.

“I’m so excited to get to play with Quinn again. And I have a couple of friends in the San Francisco organization. It’s going to be a fun time,” said the 6-foot-4, 238-pound native of Upper Marlboro, MD.

The three-time All-America East selection has led the league in homers and slugging percentage the past two seasons and was a first-team choice each year after being a second-teamer as a freshman.

He was a third team All-American his sophomore year when he was also named America East’s Player of the Year.

He was a Freshman All-American in 2022.

Jenkins belted 22 homers this past season and hit 341. He drove in 50 runs and had a slugging percentage of .762. He scored 47 runs, hit 12 doubles and had an on-base percentage of .451. He struck out just 34 times in 185 at-bats and drew 35 walks.

Two years ago, he hit .365 with 21 homers and 76 RBIs. His slugging percentage was .756 and he struck out only 36 times in 197 at-bats. He hit 12 doubles, drew 39 walks and had an on-base percentage of .492.

He was a career .332 hitter at UMaine and had 50 homers, 153 RBIs, 132 runs scored and 31 doubles in 148 games.

He is the seventh Black Bear to be drafted over the past six years.

In MLB.com’s Prospect Rankings, it noted that Jenkins is one of few Division I hitters who have put together back-to-back 20-homer seasons.