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Why SF Giants prospect Miguel Mendez may be a massive X-factor for team in 2027

He could play a role on the big league team.
ByNick San Miguel
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San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey looks on before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images
San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey looks on before the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

While it’s already clear that the SF Giants won the Robbie Ray trade with the San Diego Padres, it remains to be seen just how lopsided the victory will be. That will depend a lot on right-handed pitcher Miguel Mendez who is one of the two prospects San Francisco acquired in the trade who has looked really good in the Arizona Fall League. 

Mendez has made three starts in the AFL and has a 3.52 ERA in 7 2/3 innings pitched. In his most recent outing he struck out five batters in three innings of work and an article in MLB.com by Sam Dykstra detailed how Mendez’s velocity was in the upper-90s which is a really good sign. He now has 12 strikeouts in the AFL which is tied for the second-most of any pitcher.

That’s great to see because when he is right his stuff can be electric. In 2025 in the minors Mendez had 118 strikeouts in 95 innings. His slider is his best secondary pitch and if he can get a third pitch to be really reliable for him then he’s a guy we could definitely see in the big leagues in 2027 which is why he’s such an X-factor.

He’s only 24 years old and was promoted to Double-A at the end of the 2026 season. He struggled a bit in Richmond and posted a 8.44 ERA but he seems likely to start next season with the Flying Squirrels where he can prove that was just an aberration.

With how decimated San Francisco’s pitch depth is thanks to Hayden Birdsong, Trevor McDonald, Carson Whisenhunt, and Blade Tidwell all undergoing elbow surgery that means Mendez could be part of the next line of defense if the Giants have even more injuries in their rotation.

Giants can use Miguel Mendez in multitude of ways

Mendez is already on the 40-man roster so it seems likely we will see him at some point next season. He could be used as a spot starter or a long reliever and it’s not even out of the realm of possibility that the Giants could experiment with him solely as a reliever.

He could start off next season in the minors as a starter but if he struggles they should see what he looks like as a bullpen arm if he just focuses on his fastball and his slider. That combo could make him a deadly late-inning weapon.

The Giants infused the farm system with a lot of exciting young pitching talent this year so if Mendez can be part of a crop of young arms that come up to the big leagues and contribute then Buster Posey and the front office will look pretty smart. 

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