SF Giants News: Pair of hurlers hold showcase for scouts on Friday

Former All-Star Cole Hamels held a showcase on Friday. However, he was not the only pitcher to do so as Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports that former SF Giants hurler Derek Holland and Kyle Crick held showcases for scouts as well.

SF Giants News: Pair of hurlers hold showcase for scouts on Friday

Holland continues to get opportunities despite subpar performances over the past few seasons. He latched on with the Giants prior to the 2018 season on a minor league pact. That turned out to be a nice investment for San Francisco as the left-handed pitcher made the club out of camp.

Outside of Madison Bumgarner, Jeff Samardzija, and Johnny Cueto, the Giants went into that season without proven depth. Of course, Cueto only made nine starts as he underwent Tommy John surgery midway through the season.

Holland filled in nicely as he registered a 3.57 ERA, 3.87 FIP, 1.29 WHIP, 8.9 K/9, and a 2.52 SO/W ratio across 36 appearances, including 30 starts. The Giants rewarded him with a one-year, $7 million deal for 2019. This included a club option for 2020.

The veteran pitcher failed to replicate his 2018 numbers as he struggled to the tune of a 5.90 ERA in 31 appearances before being shipped to the Chicago Cubs in a salary-dumping move. Since then, he has pitched for the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Detroit Tigers. Holland did not pitch in the majors last season, but he did appear for both the Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox organizations.

On the other hand, Crick is looking to find the consistency he displayed earlier in his career. The Giants drafted him in the first round of the 2011 draft out Sherman High School in Sherman, Texas. He displayed a good sinker-slider combination as a prospect, but had poor command of his pitches.

He transitioned to the bullpen where he has found some success. The righty debuted for the Giants in 2017, posting a 3.06 ERA in 30 appearances. That offseason, he was shipped to then Pirates along with Bryan Reynolds to the Pirates in exchange for Andrew McCucthen.

This quickly proved to be a rough trade for the Giants as Reynolds has emerged into a star. Crick did have a nice 2018 season where he tallied a 2.39 ERA in 64 outings, but he has struggled to replicate that performance in the ensuing seasons.

Crick registered a 4.02 ERA in 14 appearances for the Chicago White Sox in 2022 before becoming a free agent. At one point, he was a well-regarded prospect, but he struggled to consistently hit the strike zone.

Both Crick and Holland have had rough seasons recently, but they are looking for another opportunity to prove that they can still get major league hitters out.