The San Francisco Giants will have an intriguing young hitter to monitor when Arizona Fall League play gets underway.

Dalton Wentz, a second and third baseman selected by the Giants in the 16th round of the 2026 MLB Draft, will receive an opportunity to continue his development against some of the best prospects in professional baseball.

Wentz enters the Fall League after an impressive sophomore season at Wake Forest. He launched 18 home runs and posted an OPS above 1.000, establishing himself as one of the more interesting draft-eligible players in the college class.

His offensive production helped convince the Giants to invest nearly $585,000 in him despite his relatively late selection. The organization now has another chance to evaluate how his offensive approach translates against more advanced pitching.

Wentz did not have to wait long to make his professional debut after signing with San Francisco.

The Giants assigned him to High-A Eugene, where he appeared in 13 games to begin his professional career. While that sample is small, the assignment gave Wentz an early introduction to the demands of professional baseball and allowed the organization to begin working with him outside of the college environment.

His Arizona Fall League assignment should provide a much larger test.

The competition in Arizona will feature players from throughout the minor leagues, including many prospects already viewed as some of the top players in their respective organizations. For Wentz, the experience should provide valuable opportunities to face pitchers with more advanced arsenals and refine his approach at the plate.

Wentz's power is one of the clearest parts of his offensive profile.

He has demonstrated an ability to punish fastballs, giving him the potential to provide meaningful power as he progresses through the Giants' system. His 18 home runs at Wake Forest showed the impact he can make when he squares up pitches in his preferred areas.

However, developing a more complete approach will be an important part of his progression.

Wentz has shown a tendency to be aggressive at the plate, and professional pitchers may be able to take advantage of that approach by forcing him to hit pitches outside of his preferred zones. Improving his ability to recognize and handle softer offerings could determine how consistently his power translates against higher-level competition.

The Giants are also giving Wentz opportunities at multiple infield positions.

He is expected to see time at both second and third base, adding defensive versatility to his offensive profile. Continued experience at both spots could give San Francisco additional flexibility as his development progresses.

Wentz remains outside the Giants' Top 30 prospects entering the Fall League, but that could change with a productive showing in Arizona.

For now, the Fall League represents an important next step for a player who has already shown considerable power early in his baseball career. A strong performance against advanced competition could put Wentz on the radar as one of the more interesting emerging hitters in the Giants' system.