Tony Vitello could have the chance to coach the nephew of arguably the greatest player in baseball history
The Giants nabbed the legacy of one of their all-time greats on Saturday.
Things have certainly not gone as former Tennessee Vols head coach Tony Vitello had hoped in his first season in Major League Baseball.
The San Francisco Giants have slumped to a mark of 40-55 entering the final regular season game before the All-Star break, good for fifth worst in all of baseball. Vitello has been at the center of the firestorm from the fans and media, and it’s clear the vibes around the team aren’t very good.
However, hope always abounds when it comes to a league’s draft, and that’s certainly the case with the 2026 Major League Baseball Draft that took place over the weekend. The Giants added to their franchise’s legacy in the third round by selecting Rutgers outfielder Peyton Bonds with the No. 90 overall pick.
And yes, that happens to be the nephew of Giants and MLB legend Barry Bonds.
Giants drafted Rutgers OF Peyton Bonds, nephew of Barry Bonds, in third round of 2026 MLB Draft
Bonds is the son of Bobby Bonds, Jr., grandson of Bobby Bonds, and nephew of Barry. Bobby was a three-time All-Star and is on the Giants’ Wall of Fame after a 14-year MLB career.
Barry, of course, is arguably the greatest hitter and player in the history of the sport despite still not being put in the Hall of Fame by the voters due to allegations of PED use. He set the single-season home run record in 2001 (73) and passed Hank Aaron’s career home run record in 2007 (756 on the way to a final 762 total).
Peyton doesn’t lack for talent himself. The 6-5, 230-pound outfielder hit .352 with a .970 OPS with six home runs and 13 stolen bases last season for the Scarlet Knights. He has the speed and range to potentially play center field. He ranked as the No. 81 overall prospect by MLB.com, so the ceiling is there for him to eventually find his way up to the show.
And if Vitello can get his sea legs under him in the league, perhaps he could still be in San Francisco when that time comes rather than back in college. But it will take some significant improvement, both from Vitello and the players in his locker room, for that to happen in 2027 and beyond.