Giants Should Call-Up Top Pitching Prospect Sooner Rather Than Later

The San Francisco Giants are still in the thick of the Wild Card hunt, going into Saturday's action just a game back of the final spot.

The hallmark of this team has been its pitching, which sported three All-Stars and one of the best bullpens in the league.

However, the back half of the rotation has been struggling in recent weeks, and it came to a head on Friday. After a brutal start from Hayden Birdsong where he didn't record an out while giving up five runs, Landen Roupp hit the injured list with an elbow injury.

More News: Giants Place Landen Roupp on Injured List With Concerning Elbow Issue

Now, it seems that after Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander, it will be a mix of openers and Tristan Beck starts.

The move that makes the most sense for the Giants is to call-up their top pitching prospect, Carson Whisenhunt.

The 24-year-old left hander was drafted in the second round out of East Carolina in 2022. Whisenhunt can touch up to 96 mph on the fastball, and his changeup is considered a plus-plus pitch with a 70-grade on the 20-80 scale.

More News: Giants Prospect Marco Luciano Predicted To Be Dealt at MLB Trade Deadline

2023 was Whisenhunt's first full year of pro ball, and it was a good one.

In 16 starts, he recorded a 2.45 ERA with 83 strikeouts in 58.2 innings, which was a 12.7 K/9. He reached Double-A that season, and the following year, the lefty made 25 starts at the Triple-A level.

At first glance, his 5.52 ERA looks like a serious regression, but ERA is always inflated in the Pacific Coast League. Between places like Reno and Salt Lake City, the ball flies and makes high ERA numbers tough to gauge at times. His strikeouts still stayed at a good level with 11.6 K/9.

In 2025 so far, Whisenhunt's ERA is down over a full run, yet his strikeouts are down.

Even with the lefty's strikeouts taking a step back, Whisenhunt should be the next man up to fight for a spot in the rotation. He's widely regarded as having the best changeup in the minors, and coming from a lefty, that could be a huge advantage if the pitch continues to play in the bigs.

More News: Buster Posey Says Giants Are 'Scouring the Markets' for Starting Pitching Help

He had a higher prospect pedigree than both Birdsong and Roupp before last season, but he wasn't in the battle for a rotation spot during spring. San Francisco seems to really believe in Birdsong, but it's clear he needs to get right in the minors rather than for a team competing.

Now, with Roupp's injury, it seems like a no-brainer for Whisenhunt to be promoted next.

Adding another lefty, especially one with a strong pitch, not only provides a lot of upside, but Whisenhunt is the closest the Giants have being big league ready.

Even if the front office wants to get another arm at the deadline, Whisenhunt might still be necessary.

For more Giants news, head over to Giants On SI.