SF Giants southpaw pitching prospect earns Pitcher of the Week honors after nearly perfect start

SF Giants lefty pitching prospect Jacob Bresnahan had arguably the best start of his pro career last week, as he completed five shutout innings against the Stockton Ports. On Monday, he was recognized as the California League Pitcher of the Week, per a team announcement.

SF Giants southpaw pitching prospect earns Pitcher of the Week honors after nearly perfect start

The Giants acquired Bresnahan at the trade deadline last year in a move that sent Alex Cobb to the Cleveland Guardians. The Giants also added middle infielder Nate Furman, but he has yet to make an appearance with the Giants organization due to injury.

The Guardians drafted Bresnahan in the 13th round of the 2023 draft out of Sumner High School in Sumner, Washington. He received an overslot bonus of $375,000 to sway him from his commitment to the University of Oregon.

The Giants knew they were adding a young, projectable arm. That move could be starting to pay off, as the young lefty is getting better as the season progresses.

Overall, Bresnahan has a 3.73 ERA, 3.72 FIP, 1.27 WHIP, 11.2 K/9, and a 2.32 SO/W ratio in 11 outings for the San Jose Giants. This includes five shutout innings against the Stockton Ports last Thursday, allowing no hits on six strikeouts and one walk.

Over his last six starts, the 19-year-old hurler has a 1.66 ERA with 25 strikeouts against 11 walks across 21.2 frames.

On the mound, Bresnahan has a loose delivery from the left side, and he gets good extension from his release point. The fastball sits in the mid-90's and plays up due to some late, riding action up in the zone. He mixes in a changeup that gets late, fading movement, and an occasional sweeper. Bresnahan relies on his changeup as his primary secondary offering, and California League hitters have struggled to pick up on it. His sweeper is not as consistent, but that will likely need to be refined for him to stick on the mound.

Overall, the San Jose Giants lead the California League with a 40-23 record. The pitching staff leads the league by a comfortable margin with a 3.28 ERA. While some pitchers have put up better results, Bresnahan might have the highest upside of any pitcher on San Jose's staff.