Sometimes accountability starts by looking in the mirror. Giants third baseman Parks Harber knows that better than most.
These days, that reflection looks a little different. Harber is leaner, stronger and more confident—the product of offseason commitment that reshaped not just his body, but his mindset, too.
After the 2024 season, Harber dedicated himself to a focused workout and diet program, ultimately shedding 15 pounds to enter 2025 in peak physical condition.
“My approach to baseball is to outwork everyone else,†Harber said. “Iâ€m always trying to plan ahead and think about adjustments I can make now that are going to benefit not just next year, but hopefully in the big leagues one day.â€
Harber has shown flashes of under-the-radar production since joining the Giants organization this summer, although his arrival didnâ€t come with much fanfare at the time. He, alongside righthander Trystan Vierling, lefthander Carlos De La Rosa and catcher Jesus Rodriguez, were acquired from the Yankees in the Camilo Doval trade at this year’s deadline.
As a 23-year-old undrafted player in High-A, itâ€s easy to see why Harber mightâ€ve gotten lost in the shuffle in the transaction. But by the end of the season, his strong underlying metrics told a different story.
Harber, now 24, finished the season with a 108.3 mph 90th percentile exit velocity. It was 4.8 mph jump over last year and a mark that ranks in the 95th percentile and would be considered a plus-plus tool at the major league level. He also showcased strong plate discipline with an 18% in-zone whiff rate and 23% chase rate. He barreled the ball at a near 30% clip.
Within his first month as a Giant, Harber made Baseball Americaâ€s Hot Sheet in a week he went 9-for-24, smashed five home runs and drove in 10 runs. He finished his first season of pro ball slashing .323/.420/.550 with 13 home runs, 64 RBIs and .970 OPS across Low-A and High-A (Yankees and Giants).
San Franciscoâ€s pro scouting department was excited to sneak him into the deal with the Yankees.
“His name just stayed with us the whole time,†said Giants farm director Kyle Haines. “The more we learned about him, the more we really liked him. And since we acquired him, he’s been quite the story. It’s just tough to find the guy who blends plate discipline with just very strong power output numbers.â€
It’s been more of the same for Harber so far in the Arizona Fall League. In 11 games, he’s hitting .400 with a 1.363 OPS while showing high-end velocities. Recently, he smoked a single with a 113.7 mph exit velocity, making it the fifth-hardest-hit ball in the circuit. He averages near 95 mph in EV, which is also in the top five in the league.
A big bat has always been the case for Harber, dating back to his days as an amateur at Westminster High in Atlanta. Scouts noted his tools and potential to be a real power threat at the time, but a slow showcase circuit combined with the pandemic-shortened 2020 season saw him make it to Georgia.
Harber played three seasons with the Bulldogs, where he was a middle-of-the-order bat with plenty of pop. In 2023, he slashed .283/.342/.575 with 18 home runs, which was second on the team behind Charlie Condon. For 2024, he transferred to North Carolina and delivered his best collegiate season, posting career highs across the board with a .343/.425/.648 slash line, 20 home runs, 63 RBIs, 80 hits and 35 walks.
But as draft day arrived that summer, Harber waited by his phone and watched the broadcast to hear his name called, only to go unselected.
Rather than sit in sorrow, Harber found solace in the moment.
“I saw it as motivation,†he said. “People didnâ€t see me as good enough to get drafted. It was up to me to put in the work to get myself to a place where I could be considered good enough.â€
The Yankees wound up signing Harber as an undrafted free agent for $50,000. With a new opportunity ahead to chase his major league dreams, Harber realized the sport he played growing up was no longer a hobby. It was his job, and he needed to treat it as lifeâ€s first occupation.
It was then that Harber dedicated himself to getting into peak physical shape, and the results soon followed. That level of personal accountability is another reason why the Giants are high on him.
“It’s a testament to his focus and determination,†Haines said of Harber’s physical transformation. “He strikes me as a kind of premium, premium athlete. He is strong, physical and moves well. It’s kind of shocking to see, looking back at the amateur reports, that he was a different guy.â€
While currently unranked, Harber has put his best foot forward in making a case to become a Top 30 Giants prospect and could develop into a premium bat. His journey—undrafted, overlooked and then transformed through sheer dedication—reflects the player heâ€s becoming.
“Iâ€m super grateful,†Harber said. “The fact that I get to put this uniform on every day, play with these guys in the dugout and get to know my teammates, I pinch myself and appreciate the opportunity. I donâ€t want to have regrets in 10 years. I want to feel like I gave it my all.â€
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