SF Giants promote 2024 7th-round pick to High-A after strong start with San Jose

The SF Giants made a move in the lower minors earlier this week. After a strong start with the San Jose Giants, 2024 seventh-round pick Greg Farone was moved up to Eugene, per the team's transaction log.

SF Giants promote 2024 7th-round pick to High-A after strong start with San Jose

The is one of the few movements the Giants have had in the lower minors thus far. In general, they have been relatively conservative with placements and promotions this season.

Bryce Eldridge and Trent Harris were some of the notable names to go from Double-A to Triple-A earlier this year.

You could make the case that a good portion of San Jose's roster is deserving of a promotion. That affiliate clinched a playoff spot last week after securing the first half title.

In particular, San Jose's pitching staff lead the California League by a comfortable margin with a 3.28 ERA. That roster features many of the pichers from the 2024 draft class, including Greg Farone, Hunter Dryden, Niko Mazza, and Drake George.

The lineup has held up its end of the bargain, posting a solid .747 OPS, which ranks second in the league. Dakota Jordan and Jakob Christian have led that unit.

Now, Farone is moving up to Eugene. He posted a 4.93 ERA in 38 outings across two seasons split between the Louisville University and the University of Alabama. While those numbers do not jump off the page, he did face off against some of the best hitters in the country in the ACC and SEC.

With San Jose, the lefty pitcher tallied a 3.73 ERA, 3.28 FIP, 1.36 WHIP, 13.0 K/9, and a 3.17 SO/W ratio across 50.2 frames.

On the mound, Farone throws from an over-the-top arm slot. With his tall, 6-foot-6 frame, the pitch looks like it is coming from the moon.

The 23-yera-old pitcher relies primarily on a fastball-curveball mix with an occasional changeup. The four-seam fastball sits in the low 90's, but a lot of carry and some riding action through the zone. California League hitters struggled to keep up with it due to its pitch shape.

Farone's flashes a big breaking ball with 12-to-6 movement. That looks like it could be a plus pitch as his command with it improves. For now, it got a lot of chase out of the zone due in part to Low-A hitters being aggressive.