The San Francisco Giants are reportedly finalizing a minor-league contract with infielder Darren Baker.
The San Francisco Giants could soon add another familiar baseball name to their organization.
The club is reportedly finalizing a minor-league contract with infielder Darren Baker, the son of longtime major-league manager Dusty Baker. The agreement is pending a medical review and has not yet been officially confirmed by the Giants.
Baker, 27, is expected to report to Triple-A Sacramento if the deal is completed. That could give him an opportunity to return to the major leagues later this season, potentially bringing his career full circle with the organization his father managed for a decade.
Dusty Baker served as San Francisco’s manager from 1993 through 2002 and remains connected to the franchise. Since 2024, he has worked as a special advisor to Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey.
Darren Baker would therefore become the second member of the family currently working with the Giants.
The younger Baker already has a unique connection to San Francisco, dating back to one of the most memorable moments involving a bat boy in World Series history.
During Game 5 of the 2002 World Series between the Giants and Los Angeles Angels, Baker was just 3 years old and serving as San Francisco’s bat boy. After Kenny Lofton hit a triple, the young Baker ran toward home plate to retrieve a bat.
With players approaching the plate, Baker inadvertently put himself in the middle of the action. J.T. Snow noticed the danger and grabbed him by his jacket before he could collide with the players coming home.
The incident became one of the more recognizable moments from that World Series and eventually resulted in Major League Baseball implementing a rule requiring bat boys and bat girls to be at least 14 years old. The regulation became informally known as the Darren Baker rule.
More than two decades later, Baker could now have another opportunity to make his mark in a Giants uniform.
Baker was selected by the Washington Nationals in the 10th round of the 2021 MLB Draft after playing collegiately at California. He eventually reached the Majors in 2024, appearing in nine games for Washington and going 7-for-14.
His most recent opportunity came with the Chicago White Sox organization. Baker signed a minor-league contract with Chicago during the offseason and began the year with Triple-A Charlotte.
However, injuries limited his time on the field. He appeared in only 11 games for Charlotte and went 7-for-34 with a .206 batting average and a .583 OPS before being released July 31.
A move to San Francisco would give Baker another chance to continue his professional career while also placing him in an organization with a significant family connection.
The immediate objective will likely be to get Baker healthy and back into regular playing time at the Triple-A level. From there, his performance could determine whether he receives another opportunity in the majors.
For the Giants, the reported signing represents more than simply adding organizational depth. Baker would join an organization that already has several players with notable baseball family connections.
San Francisco selected Peyton Bonds, the nephew of franchise icon Barry Bonds, in the third round of the 2026 Draft. The Giants also acquired infielder Kaeden Kent, the son of Hall of Famer Jeff Kent, earlier this summer.
Adding Darren Baker would give the organization yet another player whose family history is closely tied to baseball.
This time, however, Baker would have the opportunity to create his own story in San Francisco.
