SF Giants pitching prospect takes home Northwest League Pitcher of the Month after dominant stretch

There were no surprises in the Northwest League as MiLB.com handed out its month-end awards. SF Giants pitching prospect Shane Rademacher was recognized as the Pitcher of the Month for April according to a team announcement.

SF Giants pitching prospect takes home Northwest League Pitcher of the Month after dominant stretch

Rademacher took home Northwest League Pitcher of the Month honors in the second week of April. He did so again the very next week, too.

Oddly enough, he was a candidate to be recognized for a third straight week after completing five scoreless innings against Spokane on April 25. Perhaps, they wanted to give the award to new blood, but he was certainly deserving.

The right-handed pitching prospect dominated Northwest League hitters in the month of April. He posted a 0.38 ERA with 23 strikeouts against one walk in 24 frames for the Eugene Emeralds. The only outing where he allowed an earned run was his first start of the season. He yielded just one earned run across four innings in a 5-4 loss to the Hillsboro Hops.

Rademacher has registered four straight scoreless outings since then. This includes five perfect innings against the Vancouver Canadians.

The 24-year-old pitcher's 0.38 ERA is fourth in the minors among pitchers with at least 20 innings completed. None of the three pitchers ahead of him in that category have allowed an earned run this season. Rademacher's 23.00 SO/W rate is second in the minors using those same parameters.

Rademacher has pitched well above the Northwest League competition through the first month of the season. The Giants will likely be more patient with prospect promotions with a new front office in charge. In the case of Rademacher, an opening needs to be created in the Richmond Flying Squirrels' rotation as well.

Right now, the rotation is relatively full with Jack Choate, Seth Lonsway, and Joe Whitman headlining that unit. They even have several multi-inning relievers in the bullpen, including Nick Sinacola, Evan Gates, and Dylan Cumming.

In the meantime, Rademacher will continue to throw in the Emeralds' rotation. If he continues to throw as well as he has, the Giants will move him up sooner rather than later.

On the mound, Rademacher flashes a low-90's four-seam fastball that has some riding action up in the zone. Northwest League hitters either swing through it or pop it up. He mixes in a 12-to-6 curveball and a changeup that has some fading movement.

Rademacher does a good job of mixing up sight lines against hitters, so they are not able to focus on one spot in the zone. Plus, he has good control. That type of combination tends to do well in the lower minors.