3 young pitchers the SF Giants could trade to bolster the lineup

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It is no secret that the SF Giants are looking to improve on offense and defense. Last season their lack of speed, sound defense, and hitting is what cost them a spot in the postseason.

3 young pitchers the SF Giants could trade to bolster the lineup

They have tried to remedy this by signing the speedy and contact-first outfielder Jung Hoo Lee from the KBO. They will also try to address this through free agency as there are still options out there that would make them stronger defensively and offensively.

Players like Matt Chapman and Cody Bellinger spring to mind as players who have shown they are solid defenders and can contribute with the bat when they are swinging well.

However, there is reporting out there that suggests the Giants may also feel comfortable trading away some of their younger pitching prospects in exchange for position players.

The Giants consider their pitching depth to be one of the organization's strengths and it is easy to understand why. A number of their top pitching prospects made their debuts last season in the form of Kyle Harrison and Keaton Winn.

While it seems like Kyle Harrison definitely factors into the team's future plans, the team may be open to dealing some of their other top pitching prospects.

Of course, some of this depends on how successful the Giants are in their pursuit of frontline free agent starters Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Blake Snell.

If the Giants are able to land one of those two, they may feel more comfortable dealing from their pitching prospects knowing they will have at least two top line starters in the rotation.

However the offseason transpires, let us examine three young SF Giants pitchers who could be dealt to land a position player that would help them hit and field and become a more well rounded team.

Los Angeles Dodgers v San Francisco Giants / Thearon W. Henderson/GettyImages

3 young pitchers the SF Giants could trade to bolster the lineup

1. Keaton Winn

Keaton Winn was one of the young prospects who made his debut for the SF Giants in 2023. Ranked by MLB.com as the 16th best prospect in the Giants organization, the 25-year-old right-hander flashed some promising signs with a high 90s fastball and an impressive splitter that often fooled opponents.

The overall numbers were not incredible, but they were impressive for a rookie. He had a 1-3 record with a 4.68 ERA in 42.1 innings. He strikeout to walk ratio was solid (35-8) and he kept the ball in the yard for the most part except for his final start against the Dodgers when he gave up three homers.

Winn definitely showed enough to compete for a rotation spot for the Giants next year. While he is mostly a two-pitch guy right now, if he can add a breaking ball to his repertoire then it stands to reason he will get even better.

But it is that very upside that could net the Giants a solid player if they were to include Winn in a trade package. Teams would be thrilled to gain a guy with his velocity and ability to pound the strike zone. It would hurt for the Giants to part with Winn, but if they got a solid hitter in return it could be worth the price.

San Francisco Giants v Detroit Tigers / Brandon Sloter/GettyImages

3 young pitchers the SF Giants could trade to bolster the lineup

2. Carson Whisenhunt

The left-handed Carson Whisenhunt is ranked as the No. 3 prospect in the Giants organization. He is projected to make his MLB debut in 2025 but in his time in the minors he has shown great promise.

The lefty has a mid 90's fastball with a changeup that could prove to be elite once he reaches the majors. His curveball still needs more time to develop, but it is clear that he has the potential to be a solid piece of an MLB rotation.

This profile will appeal to plenty of teams looking for a pitcher who does not need that much more time to develop before he is ready to contribute in the major leagues.

3. Mason Black

Mason Black is another prospect whose name comes up as a potential trade chip for the Giants. The 24-year-old right-hander is ranked as the 9th best Giants prospect.

His high-90s fastball and plus slider and benefited by a deceptive delivery have produced impressive strikeout numbers in the minors. His strikeout stuff is sure to excite a lot of potential suitors if the Giants do decide to shop him in trade talks.

These are just three of a number of young pitchers the Giants could potentially trade this offseason. The team definitely needs help hitting and fielding at a higher level and parting ways with one or more of these young pitchers may be the best way to improve in those departments.

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