SF Giants add former top pitching prospect on waiver claim from Twins

It would not be a day that ends in "Y" if the SF Giants did not make a waiver claim. Fortunately, the Giants did not disappoint as they added former top pitching prospect Jharel Cotton on a waiver claim from the Minnesota Twins.

SF Giants add former top pitching prospect on waiver claim from Twins

Willie Calhoun's time in a Giants uniform might be brief. After being optioned to Triple-A on Saturday, the left-handed bat was designated for assignment on Sunday. Calhoun recorded one hit in eight at-bats with the Giants.

Cotton was selected in the 20th round of the 2012 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers out of East Carolina University in Greenville, North Carolina. The Giants' front office has some familiarity as the veteran pitcher was in the Dodgers organization while Farhan Zaidi served as the team's general manager.

Cotton along with pitching prospect Grant Holmes and starter Frankie Montas was shipped to the Oakland A's at 2016 trade deadline in exchange for pitcher Rich Hill and outfielder Josh Reddick. At the time of the trade, Cotton was regarded as one of the better pitching prospects in baseball, ranking as high as No. 84 according to Baseball America prior to the 2017 season.

In nine minor league seasons, the 30-year-old pitcher posted a 3.74 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, 105 K/9, and a 3.79 SO/W ratio.

He debuted with the A's shortly after the trade and posted a 2.15 ERA with 23 strikeouts against four walks in 29.1 frames as a rookie. He followed that up with a 5.58 ERA in 24 starts for the A's in 2017 but battled significant injuries after that.

The right-handed hurler underwent Tommy John surgery in 2018 and then suffered a hamstring injury that required surgery in 2019. He resurfaced with the Texas Rangers last season where he posted a 3.52 ERA across 30.2 innings last season.

Cotton was plucked off of waivers by the Twins last offseason. He has spent considerable on the waiver wire over the last 12 months. Despite registering a 2.83 ERA in 25 appearances for the Twins this year, he has been designated for assignment four times.

He cleared waivers the first three times and accepted an assignment to Triple-A each time. However, the Twins ran out of luck this time around as the Giants scooped him up. Cotton has some track record of success, so it would not be surprising to see him pitch for the Giants before the end of this season.