SF Giants News: Top 3 non-roster minor league pitchers to follow in camp

SF Giants News: Top 3 non-roster minor league pitchers to follow in camp

2. Sam Delaplane

Sam Delaplane has been one of the more intriguing arms in the Giants organization over the past couple of seasons. However, injuries have prevented him from making any type of impact.

The Giants claimed Delaplane midway through the 2021 season from the Seattle Mariners because of course they did. The Bay Area native underwent Tommy John surgery with the Mariners, but they did not want to pay him while he recovered from injury, so they cut him loose instead.

The Giants claimed him, added him to the active roster, and transferred him to the 60-day injured list. When they claimed him, they knew it was a move for 2022 or 2023. The Giants have done this same maneuver with Luis González and Colton Welker as well.

Prior to injury, the bullpen prospect flashed an impressive fastball-slider mix. The slider, in particular, drew rave reviews from Eric Longenhagen of Fangraphs

""Delaplane also has a power, Brad Lidge-style slider with late, downward movement. He has less raw arm strength than the Nick Andersons of the world, but the stuff works in the same way, and I think Delaplane will be a reliever of rare quality once he returns from Tommy John, which should be in the middle of 2022""

- Eric Longenhagen

Despite being a 23rd round pick in 2017, Delaplane was moving quickly up the Mariners minor league ladder while posting eye-opening numbers. He reached Double-A in 2019, registering a 0.49 ERA, .59 WHIP, 14.1 K/9, and a 6.44 SO/W ratio in 25 appearances.

Unfortunately, he has rarely seen the field in the past couple of seasons. He has made just four appearances since the start of 2020. Some of that was out of his control but if he can prove to be healthy, Delaplane could quickly make some noise in the minors if not sooner.