What the SF Giants are getting with new pitching prospect

The SF Giants swung a trade earlier this week to acquire pitching prospect Logan Martin from the Kansas City Royals. What does the new pitching prospect bring to the table?

What the SF Giants are getting with new pitching prospect

Mason Black was shipped to Kansas City in the deal. Presumably, the Royals felt that Black would not clear waivers, so they worked out a trade.

Since Buster Posey and Zack Minasian have taken charge of the front office, they have only made a few trades. Of course, the Rafael Devers move is the most notable trade they have made so far.

The front office has made a few smaller moves as well. They have generally done well in these deals, with the Tyler Rogers deal being a good example. This is a testament to Minasian, as one of his strengths is knowing the farm systems around baseball as well as the one he oversees.

The trade for Logan Martin might end up being a minor move, but even if he reaches the majors for a cup of coffee, it will be a good reflection of the front office.

Martin with originally a 12th-round pick in 2023 by the Royals out of the University of Kentucky. There is a good chance that he crossed paths with new Giants manager Tony Vitello in the SEC.

The right-handed hurler debuted in his draft year, but only made a handful of appearances. He posted a 3.62 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 8.6 K/9, and a 3.03 SO/K rate in 25 Low-A outings in his first full season. Spending a full year in Low-A is a relatively conservative assignment for college arms, but the Giants followed a similar approach with many of their own pitching prospects this year.

Martin pitched to a 3.45 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 7.7 K/9, and a 2.17 SO/W rate in 22 starts for Kansas City’s High-A affiliate. He had a full year in the minors, and still received an invite to the Arizona Fall League (AFL). 

It is not often that AFL participants get traded during the fall season, so the Martin trade is a bit unique in this regard. He had allowed 12 runs in 11 innings for the Surprise Saguaros. Though, the AFL can be a tough environment for pitchers. 

On the mound, Martin features a mid-90’s fastball. He mixes in a four-seamer and sinker, with the latter having some natural, two-plane tilt. 

The righty pitcher throws a slider with a couple different looks, and a changeup. One of his sliders sits in the mid-to-high 80’s. Admittedly, this might be more of a cutter. He also throws a low-80’s slider with more sweeping action. The changeup has some promise, but he does not throw it as often.

Martin has more control than command. He does not overpower hitters with stuff, but has enough in his arsenal to keep them guessing.