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What if the SF Giants round out the starting rotation with an internal candidate?

By Jeff Young |
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The SF Giants began the offseason with at least four rotation spots to fill as several key arms from the 2021 season became free agents. To their credit, they have filled three of those spots by re-signing Anthony DeSclafani and Alex Wood as well as reeling in Alex Cobb.

What if the SF Giants round out the starting rotation with an internal candidate?

When a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is ratified, there should be a frenzy in free agency as teams look to finalize rosters in preparation for the 2022 season. The Giants could go in a number of different directions as they have the financial flexibility to dip into free agency and the prospect capital to make a trade.

However, they could look to fill the role internally as they have several starting pitchers on the 40-man roster.

1. Tyler Beede

Injuries never come at an opportune time, but the timing of Tyler Beede's injury was unfortunate. The former first-round pick sustained an injury to his pitching elbow that required Tommy John surgery in March of 2020.

The projected recovery time is typically 12 - 18 months, but it seems like pitchers do not fully regain their prior form until two years after surgery. The good news is that Beede is approaching that two-year mark next month.

The right-handed hurler only made one appearance for the Giants in 2021, allowing three earned runs in one inning before being optioned back to Triple-A. The fact that he even made it back is a significant accomplishment.

With that being said, the 2022 season seems to be approaching make-or-break territory for the 28-year hurler. Beede is out of options, so if he does not make the Opening Day roster, he will be exposed to waivers. Some team will take a chance on his potential upside, so it is unlikely that he would pass through unclaimed.

To date, he has struggled to adjust to major league hitting. However, he has had a few promising stretches in a Giants uniform. In July of 2019, the righty registered a 3.34 ERA with 27 strikeouts against only four walks in 32.1 frames but he followed this up with a 7.25 ERA in five starts in the following month.

Beede believed that he was tipping his pitches during that rough patch. He corrected this and finished the 2019 campaign on a high note as he posted a 3.28 ERA with 24 strikeouts in his final five appearances. The Giants remained patient with Beede by allowing him to experience the ups-and-downs of being a major league pitcher and it looked like that patience was going to be rewarded.

He was a legitimate candidate to make the Opening Day rotation in 2020, but nature had a different plan. Beede struggled badly in his return from injury as he produced a 6.66 ERA with 50 strikeouts against 45 walks in 16 starts In Triple-A last season.

Those numbers need to be looked at with a grain of salt as Triple-A West is an extreme hitter's league and consistency in delivery and release point usually take longer to return following major elbow surgery. He will need to prove that he can pitch effectively in the strike zone in camp if he has a shot at making the club as a starting pitcher.

San Francisco Giants v New York Mets
San Francisco Giants v New York Mets / Jim McIsaac/GettyImages

What if the SF Giants round out the starting rotation with an internal candidate?

2. Sammy Long

There were moments in the 2021 season where is looked like the Giants had found a hidden gem in Sammy Long. Prior to last season, the left-handed hurler had never pitched above Single-A, but he was moved aggressively up the minor league circuit after signing a minor-league deal with the Giants last offseason.

He pitched across three Giants affiliates in 2021 including a lone appearance with San Jose to begin the season. Long reached Triple-A by the end of May as the Giants continued to be impressed with his development.

Despite the lack of experience in the upper minors, the lefty mowed down minor-league hitters. In 16 appearances, including seven starts, Long generated a 2.34 ERA, 0.992 WHIP, 11.7 K/9, and a stout 4.23 SO/W ratio in the minors.

He was promoted to the Giants for a start against the Texas Rangers in June, collecting seven strikeouts while allowing just one earned run on one hit. It was a promising debut for the 26-year-old pitcher, but he struggled to maintain consistency as the season progressed.

In total, he registered a 5.53 ERA, 4.23 FIP, 1.27 WHIP, 8.4 K/9, and a good 2.53 SO/W ratio in 40.2 innings with the Giants in 2021. His surface-level stats were not necessarily strong enough to be considered for a rotation spot in 2022 but he did flash an above-average curve ball.

He used the curve ball 34.2 percent of the time while holding opposing hitters to a .220 batting average with 19 strikeouts against it.

The Giants can be patient with Long as he has two minor-league options remaining. He will likely continue to get much-needed minor-league seasoning. However, there is still considerable buzz within the Giants organization about the southpaw.

This is purely my opinion, but it feels like the Giants internally view Long as having higher upside than Tyler Beede or Sean Hjelle. The left-handed hurler may not make the roster out of camp, but his progress will be monitored closely in case of an injury or regression from the starting rotation.

Oakland Athletics v San Francisco Giants
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What if the SF Giants round out the starting rotation with an internal candidate?

3. Sean Hjelle

Sean Hjelle presents a unique challenge for opposing hitters that no one in the Giants organization can replicate. Given his 6-foot-11 pitching frame, Hjelle will become the tallest pitcher in Giants history once he debuts, surpassing the 6-foot-10 Randy Johnson.

The hope was that Hjelle's downward plane would be problematic for opposing hitters to adjust to, but that has not truly taken place in the upper minors. The right-handed hurler struggled in his first turn through Double-A, posting a 6.04 ERA in five starts at the end of the 2019 campaign.

He returned for a second tour of the Northeastern League in 2021 and he faired much better as he generated a 3.15 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 9.5 K/9, and a solid 3.63 SO/W ratio in 14 starts before earning a promotion to Triple-A.

Triple-A West proved to be a difficult challenge for the 24-year-old pitching prospect as he struggled to the tune of a 5.74 ERA in 10 starts. Despite his tall stature, Hjelle had proven to be unusually consistent with his mechanics which led him to control all four quadrants of the strikezone.

However, that was not the case in Triple-A West as he recorded 35 strikeouts against 29 walks in 53.1 frames with the Sacramento River Cats. The nosedive in his strikeout totals is certainly a cause for concern.

On the bright side, Hjelle has continued to induce weak contact as he has posted ground ball rates above 50 percent at every minor league stop. The only exception was in 2018 when he induced a ground ball in only 46.9 percent of batted balls events in a brief sample in Low-A.

He does a lot of things well on the mound including getting ground balls, repeating his delivery, and attacking the strike zone. However, he does not have a true above-average pitch, so his upside is limited to a back-end rotation arm.

Hopefully, he is able to find better success if he begins the 2022 season in Triple-A. That said, he is on the 40-man roster, so he should get an extended look if the Giants do not make another addition to the rotation. Given his profile and skill set, he has a chance to open some eyes in the Cactus League if he proves that his struggles last season are behind him.

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