Former top pitching prospect among group of minor leaguers released by SF Giants

Former top pitching prospect Brent Honeywell was signed to a minor league deal in February. His tenure did not last long, as he was among the minor leaguers released by the SF Giants, per the team’s transaction log.

Former top pitching prospect among group of minor leaguers released by SF Giants

The Giants also released a trio of catching prospects in the lower minors. Juan Perez (San Jose Giants), Jorge Ramirez (ACL Giants), and Jesús Alexander (ACL Giants) were let go by the organization.

The Giants also released a handful of minor leaguers at the end of last week. This included a pair of top 2023 picks, including Cole Foster (third round) and Quinn McDaniel (fifth round). This is about as quickly as I can remember the Giants moving off of a pair of top picks like this.

If nothing else, top picks usually fill in as organizational depth. However, both Foster and McDaniel are middle infielders, which is a strength in the organization. They just did not have space for them on any minor league roster. 

Brent Honeywell joined the Giants on a minor league deal after not pitching at any level in 2025. This did not include a camp invite. He was originally a second-round pick by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2014.

The right-handed pitcher was viewed as one of the top pitching prospects in baseball in the late 2010’s, but elbow injuries derailed his career. He went nearly four years between pro appearances when he made his major league debut for the Rays in 2021.

Overall, Honeywell has pitched to a 4.10 ERA in parts of three major league seasons. This includes putting up a 2.62 ERA in 18 appearances while taking him a World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024.

Interestingly, Honeywell is one of the few pitchers to still throw a screwball.

The Giants also let go of a handful of prospects in the lower minors, most notably Juan Perez. He signed for $1.1 million out of Venezuela during the 2022 international signing period. Ryan Reckley led the way, earning a $2.2 million signing bonus out of the Bahamas.

Perez put up a .580 OPS in four seasons as a pro while reaching as high as Low-A. Jesús Alexander posted a 1.033 OPS in 197 plate appearances during the Dominican Summer League in 2024.