Rutgers' Cohen Aced Pre-Draft Interview, Selected by Giants in MLB Draft

Cohen put together one of the best seasons in Big Ten history, setting the conference record for hits in conference play, and was the most difficult player in the Power 4 to strike out.

Rutgers outfielder Trevor Cohen was selected in the third round of the MLB Draft by the San Francisco Giants. | Rutgers Athletics

Fans who watched Trevor Cohen this season were likley not surprised why the San Francisco Giants selected him in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft with the 85th pick. The Giants value contact hitters and there was no better in the Power 4 and Big Ten this past season. Cohen struck out once every 15.7 at bats, or about once per week during the season.

The Brigantine, NJ native set the Big Ten records last season with 56 hits in conference play. His scorching .467 average in conference play was 86 points ahead of the next closest batter in the Big Ten. The star outfielder hit .387 for the season, with two home runs, one triple, and twenty-four doubles - stats reminiscent of the games' purest hitters, the Gwynns and Carews, of the modern era, who chased base knocks instead of home runs.

With Peyton Bonds, the nephew of Barry, patrolling centerfield, Cohen manned right last season at Blainton Field in Piscataway, but the Giants see his speed and instincts fitting well in center. What really sold the Giants organization on Cohen, though, was his pre-draft interview and ability to make contact.

"He's a guy with a career eight-percent strikeout rate. Another guy that touches the baseball, puts it in play, elite contact skills," Giants Scout Michael Holmes told reporters.

"We think he can play centerfield. We like living in the middle of the diamond and like guys that make elite contact, and we think we accomplished both of those with these guys," Holmes added, referring to first-rounder Gavin Kilen and third-rounder Trevor Cohen.

Cohen becomes the 10th Scarlet Knight to be drafted in the last four seasons under Head Coach Steve Owens. It's also the third consecutive season that a Rutgers player has been drafted in the first three rounds, with Cohen joining Josh Kuroda-Grauer (third round, 2024) and Ryan Lasko (2nd round, 2023).

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