ARLINGTON, TEXAS — Junior outfielder Jakob Christian was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 MLB Draft (149th overall pick) by the San Francisco Giants on Monday afternoon, joining Josh Randall (Detroit Tigers, pick No. 85) as the second Torero to be drafted this week.

After transferring to San Diego prior to the 2024 season from nearby Point Loma Nazarene — where he was named the 2023 Division II CCA Ron Lenz Player of the Year — he turned in USD's most dominant offensive season since 2013, drawing comparisons to Torero Legend Kris Bryant by batting .364 (72-for-198) with 59 runs scored, 14 doubles, 26 home runs, 67 runs batted in, 28 walks, eight hit by pitches, an .828 slugging percentage, and a .460 on-base percentage while playing in 51 of his team's 56 games and making 51 starts in 2024.

Christian also posted a .991 fielding percentage in 2024, committing only one error across 117 chances while playing primarily right field.

For his efforts he was named a 2024 American Baseball Coaches Association/Rawlings NCAA Division I First Team All-American, the 2024 West Coast Conference Player of the Year, a semifinalist for the 2024 Dick Howser Trophy, a 2024 ABCA All-West Region First Team selection, to the 2024 All-WCC First Team, to the 2024 NCAA Santa Barbara Regional All-Tournament Team, and the WCC Player of the Week (May 13 and April 8, 2024).

Christian's selection at No. 149 makes him the 21st-highest drafted player in program history, just behind Kevin Sim, who was taken by the Arizona Diamondbacks with the 148th pick in 2023.

Monday marks the fourth time that a USD player has been drafted by San Francisco, with Christian joining Jeff Houghtby (2019, pick No. 296), Ryan Kirby (2016, pick No. 365), and Paul Van Stone (1985, pick No. 727).

At least one Torero has been selected in each of the last 35 MLB Drafts. Christian is the 150th San Diego player to either have his name called in the MLB Draft or sign with a Major League team, a span that dates back to 1964.