SF Giants bring back 2019 first-round pick on a minors pact

The SF Giants have added pitching depth in the upper minors. Former first-round pick Ethan Small is returning to the club on a minor league deal, per the team's transaction log. Presumably, this will include a camp invite.

SF Giants bring back 2019 first-round pick on a minors pact

Most of the Giants' work this offseason has been restructuring the coaching staff, adding to the front office, and minor league signings. In terms of minor league signings, Small joins a group of players including Max Stassi, Logan Porter, and Sergio Alcántara.

These moves do not feel that different from the Farhan Zaidi regime. That said, teams need to tweak the minor league headcount every offseason, so this is part of the process that every organization must go through.

The minor league headcount has been reduced in recent seasons, so while Zaidi's front office was aggressive in minor league free agency, front offices do not have the room to operate like that anymore. This has led some players to pursue alternatives such as competing in the Atlantic League or the Frontier League.

The Small addition gives the Giants another left-handed pitcher in the upper minors. On the major league roster and in the upper minors, the Giants have a need for left-handed pitchers. Small checks off that box.

The Giants added the lefty pitcher in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers last spring. Small was a first-round pick by the Brewers in 2019, so this was a nice, no-risk move for a player who was considered one of the best amateur prospects in his draft class not long ago.

Small came up as a starter but he has seen more time in the bullpen in recent seasons. He appeared in parts of two seasons with Milwaukee, allowing 10 earned runs in 10.1 frames.

When the 27-year-old joined San Francisco, there was a good chance that he could carve out a role in the bullpen. However, an oblique strain sidelined him for much of the season. When he did pitch for Sacramento near the end of the year, he yielded six earned runs with 10 strikeouts against two walks in nine innings. Small did begin the offseason on the 40-man roster but he was non-tendered last month, making him a free agent. That proved to be a brief foray into free agency.

On the mound, Small does not overwhelm with velocity. He flashes a low-90's four-seam fastball with an above-average changeup and an occasional breaking ball. However, the ball is tough for opposing hitters to pick up because he hides it well from an over-the-top release. This has led to an inconsistent release point, resulting in a few too many walks.