Former top pitching prospect among SF Giants minor leaguers to elect free agency

The beginning of the offseason usually involves a lot of organizational activity, especially on the minor league side. For the SF Giants, a bevy of minor leaguers officially became free agents, including former top pitching prospect Seth Corry.

Former top pitching prospect among SF Giants minor leaguers to elect free agency

Some other notable names include Darien Núñez, Donovan Walton, Joe Ross, Melvin Adón, Ricardo Genovés, and Yoshi Tsutsugo. Also, Mark Mathias, who was recently outrighted off of the 40-man roster, became a free agent as well.

Ross is the most experienced of the bunch. He had been rehabbing from Tommy John surgery before posting a 5.14 ERA in eight outings across three levels late in the year. Oddly enough, Ross' older brother, Tyson, also had a brief stay with the organization in 2020. Given Joe's local ties, a return to the organization is possible.

Walton, Adón, and Núñez all occupied spots on the 40-man roster in recent years. Walton was acquired in an early-season trade with the Seattle Mariners in 2022, whereas Adón spent time on the 40-man roster in the late 2010's but did not pitch for the Giants. Núñez was claimed from the Los Angeles Dodgers and remained with the organization while he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery.

Genovés always seemed like a candidate to be the third catcher on the 40-man roster, but that never came to fruition. Tsutsugo was added to the organization late in the season, spending the bulk of his time in Double-A. The lefty bat has always demonstrated good plate discipline, so a return to the organization is not out of the question.

Lastly, Corry was a third-round pick in the 2017 draft. He had an eye-opening 2019 campaign in which he posted a 1.76 ERA with 172 strikeouts across 122.2 for the Augusta GreenJackets. The 25-year-old had struggled with control for much of his career but it seemed as if he was beginning to show improvement.

However, he missed substantial time in the ensuing four years, including the canceled 2020 season and a lengthy absence after undergoing shoulder surgery in 2022. Corry has just 308.2 career innings as a pro, so there is still plenty of room left for development.