SF Giants Top 31 Prospect Rankings: 2020 Midyear Update

SF Giants top prospects: No. 17 — LHP Kyle Harrison

Age: 19
Highest Level: High School (De La Salle)
Acquired: Draft (2020)
Future-Value Grade: 40+

The Giants drafted Harrison with the 85th overall selection in this summer’s draft but was given a lucrative $2.5MM signing bonus equivalent to the slot-value of a late first-round pick. While the Giants drafted four players before Harrison, he received the second-highest bonus of the crop.

Harrison is a well-developed prep arm who’s far enough ahead that his advanced age (closer to 19 than 18) doesn’t raise the same red flags as it would for a more erratic pitcher. His profile isn’t too dissimilar from Trevor McDonald.

Both were over-slot prep pitchers the Giants nabbed later in the draft than expected. Both players put on 15-20 lbs leading up to their senior season and showed the ability to hold low-90s velocity on a fastball with strong spin rates that play up alongside a potentially plus breaking ball.

His motion isn’t as clean as it could be and he tends to short arm his pitches, which generates inconsistent arm action, but that leaves some more ways to dream on his development. Generally, if guys can pitch they can make the necessary improvements and Harrison has that ability.

While most draft pundits considered Harrison a second to fourth round prospect, one industry source said in the limited sample he saw this spring he thought he was a “first-round guy.”

A local De La Salle product, the Giants should have been in the best position to get a look at what he could do. On paper, it doesn’t look like Harrison has a ceiling much higher than 3 or 4 starter, but does seem to be a pretty good bet to get there.