Latest news with #CarsonWhisenhunt
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Forbes
San Francisco Giants Call Up Top Pitching Prospect Carson Whisenhunt
Carson Whisenhunt has not had the smoothest path to making his anticipated MLB debut tonight for the San Francisco Giants against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Through it all, the 24-year-old left-hander and the Giants have remained confident in his ability. That's despite being suspended for his junior year at East Carolina, sidelined with Covid-19, a lofty 5.17 earned run average in the minors in 2024 and giving up more hits than innings pitched this year at Triple-A Sacramento. 'We've been waiting for this for a little bit now,' Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters Sunday. 'We thought maybe he'd be here last year, too. He's our top pitching prospect, I believe. There's a need for it. It'll be exciting to see him pitch.' SCOTTSDALE, AZ: Carson Whisenhunt of the San Francisco Giants pitches in a spring training Spring ... More Breakout game against the Texas Rangers at Scottsdale Stadium on March 15, 2025. (Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images) Whisenhunt got a $1,866,220 signing bonus as the Giants' second-round pick in 2022, No. 66 overall. That was three picks behind current Milwaukee Brewers rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski. Only 16 of the 65 players picked ahead of Whisenhunt have made it to MLB thus far. Whisenhunt admitted taking a performance-enhancing drug that he claims he did not know was on the NCAA's banned list. "Over the winter break, I took supplements I purchased at a nationwide nutrition store that resulted in a positive test," Whisenhunt said then. "Unfortunately, under NCAA rules I'm not allowed to participate in the 2022 college baseball season. I'm disappointed I won't be able to play this season and sincerely apologize to my teammates, coaches, family, friends and fans. 'I am grateful to ECU and my coaches for their confidence in me to continue to pursue my degree. I hope to return to the East Carolina baseball team for the 2023 season.' Instead, he started his pro career in the Giants' system. His progress was delayed a bit as he contracted Covid-19. Moving Up Whisenhunt turned heads in 2023, pitching well across three levels. In 16 starts overall, he had a 2.45 ERA, 83 strikeouts over 58 2/3 innings and allowed 37 hits. ATLANTA: Carson Whisenhunt of the San Francisco Giants throws a pitch in the seventh inning of the ... More 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025. (Photo by) He has continued to move up, though not with as much overwhelming success. In 2024, he had a lofty 5.42 ERA and 3-5 record at Sacramento – but did fan 135 over 104 innings. This year, he has an 8-5 mark and 4.15 ERA. The lefty is listed as San Francisco's top pitching prospect and No. 3 overall in the farm system by MLB Pipeline. He retired the only two men he faced in the recent 2025 All-Star Futures Game. He is one of many good young pitchers in the system, including Hayden Birdsong, Kyle Harrison and Reggie Crawford. Changing Up The changeup has always been Whisenhunt's best pitch. When thrown from the same motion and arm slot as his 93-mph fastball, he gets plenty of swing-and-miss along with weak ground balls. His third pitch is a mid-80s slider with good downward movement. Commanding all three pitches is important. He does not blow away batters with an elite fastball. In 273 2/3 innings as a pro, Whisenhunt has walked 108. That's an average of 3.6 per nine innings, too high to consistently succeed. He has cut it to 2.6 per nine this year. Whisenhunt believes he has progressed, yet understands there is still work to be done. 'The changeup is still very consistent with where it needs to be, and the sinker has been a lot better this year,' he told Brian Pitts of the Davie County Enterprise Record earlier this month. 'Last year I struggled a little bit finding the zone (with the sinker) and worked on some different stuff with it. But this year I am trying not to overthink it. 'The slider is a completely different pitch than what it was last year. Last year I started messing around with it, trying to get comfortable with a grip. Coming into the offseason before this year, it was: 'Hey, let's sit down and find a grip that is comfortable, work on getting in the zone and using it as a put-away if I need to.' 'I have tweaked the grip a couple times, and now I feel really confident in that pitch. I trust it with lefties and righties. It's honestly opened a lot of different avenues for me to not use the changeup as much and save it for later in counts. Same thing with the curveball. I can use (the slider) early or late in counts against righties or lefties if I need to and not have to use the changeup as much or the heater. It has worked really well because I have a bunch of different options now.' Pirates To Pirates There's a bit of odd synergy to Whisenhunt's debut as he will be facing the Pirates – the same nickname as his collegiate club. He will be the 22nd MLB player from the East Carolina program. NEW YORK: Chris Heston of the San Francisco Giants celebrates his no hitter with catcher Buster ... More Posey (now the Giants' general manager). It came against the New York Mets at Citi Field on June 9, 2015. (Photo by) Four of his college teammates have made an impact in the big leagues., most notably Alex Burleson of the St. Louis Cardinals. Others are Miami Marlins infielder Connor Norby and pitchers Gavin Williams of the Cleveland Indians and Zach Agnos of the Colorado Rockies. East Carolina alum Chris Heston made quite an impact with the Giants as a rookie in 2025, p[itching a no-hitter and compiling a 12-11 record. Where Whisenhunt Fits In He is taking the rotation spot of Landen Roupp, who went on the 15-day injured list last week with right elbow inflammation. Veterans Logan Webb, Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander along with fellow rookie lefty Kyle Harrison hold the other spots. SCOTTSDALE, AZ: Kyle Harrison of the San Francisco Giants pitches in a spring training game against ... More the Arizona Diamondbacks at Scottsdale Stadium on March 1, 2023. (Photo by David Durochik/Diamond Images via Getty Images) There is no secret the Giants are seeking to add another reliable starter and solid hitter as they try to secure a playoff spot. San Francisco, 54-52, is seven games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West, but only three games out in the race for a wild-card berth. Whisenhunt's performance tonight against the Pittsburgh Pirates should help the Giants decide what to do by the trading deadline this Thursday at 6 p.m. ET. It may even spark interest from another club willing to deal a battle-tested veteran to San Francisco. All eyes in many MLB organizations will be on the 6-3, 215-pound pitcher. Perhaps Giants manager Bob Melvin sees enough to believe Whisenhunt can remain when Roupp returns. That could shift the team's interest into dealing a pitcher for more offense. Or even trading a young pitcher or two for another rotation veteran. The San Francisco Giants obviously want Carson Whisenhunt to succeed tonight and in the future, preferably in the team's orange and black colors. It has been a bit of a hopscotch road to this point – with a few hops likely to pop up in the future.
Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Giants Calling Up Top Pitching Prospect For MLB Debut Vs. Pirates
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Situated in third place in the NL West while sitting three games out of a wild card spot, the San Francisco Giants are giving the ball to their top pitching prospect on Monday night. Carson Whisenhunt, a 24-year-old left-hander, will be called up to make his MLB debut on Monday night at Oracle Park against the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates. The move comes after starter Landen Roupp was placed on the 15-day injured list with elbow inflammation. Whisenhunt was a second-round pick out of East Carolina in 2022, after he was suspended for his junior season due to a positive test for a performance-enhancing drug. He's the No. 3 overall prospect and the top pitching prospect in the Giants' system, per MLB Pipeline. ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: Carson Whisenhunt #18 of the San Francisco Giants leaves the field in the seventh inning during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta,... ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: Carson Whisenhunt #18 of the San Francisco Giants leaves the field in the seventh inning during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. MoreDespite that high ranking, Whisenhunt has put up some rough numbers at the Triple-A level. In 43 starts for the Sacramento River Cats, he's posted an 11-10 record with a 4.94 ERA and 1.478 WHIP. He has racked up strikeouts, though, recording 221 strikeouts in 202 1/3 innings pitched. Overall in his minor league career, he's gone 12-11 with a 4.18 ERA in 65 appearances (64 starts). The call-up comes after the Giants were swept at home by the Mets over the weekend. San Francisco has gone 13-21 since acquiring Rafael Devers in the blockbuster trade in mid-June. Facing the Pirates could be as soft a landing as possible for Whisenhunt, as Pittsburgh ranks dead lat in MLB with 358 runs scored this season -- 18 fewer than second-worst Colorado. The Pirates also have the worst team OPS at .640, well behind the 29th-ranked White Sox at .659. The Pirates have, however, won five of their last six games, including a three-game sweep of the Tigers. More MLB: Mets Predicted to Acquire $50 Million All-Star From Lowly White Sox
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Giants take home losing streak into matchup against the Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates (44-62, fifth in the NL Central) vs. San Francisco Giants (54-52, third in the NL West) San Francisco; Monday, 9:45 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (4-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 97 strikeouts); Giants: Carson Whisenhunt (0-0) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Giants -132, Pirates +111; over/under is 7 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants aim to end their five-game home slide with a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. San Francisco has a 54-52 record overall and a 28-23 record in home games. The Giants have the sixth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.67. Pittsburgh has a 13-37 record on the road and a 44-62 record overall. The Pirates are 30-19 in games when they did not allow a home run. The matchup Monday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Heliot Ramos leads the Giants with a .268 batting average, and has 19 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 35 walks and 50 RBIs. Willy Adames is 12 for 38 with three home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games. Bryan Reynolds has 22 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 51 RBIs while hitting .232 for the Pirates. Tommy Pham is 12 for 37 with three doubles, a triple and a home run over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Giants: 2-8, .254 batting average, 5.01 ERA, outscored by 11 runs Pirates: 6-4, .237 batting average, 3.33 ERA, outscored by one run INJURIES: Giants: Landen Roupp: 15-Day IL (elbow), Erik Miller: 15-Day IL (elbow), Christian Koss: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jerar Encarnacion: 10-Day IL (oblique), Tom Murphy: 60-Day IL (back) Pirates: Chase Shugart: 15-Day IL (knee), Ryan Borucki: 15-Day IL (back), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Fox Sports
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Giants take home losing streak into matchup against the Pirates
Associated Press Pittsburgh Pirates (44-62, fifth in the NL Central) vs. San Francisco Giants (54-52, third in the NL West) San Francisco; Monday, 9:45 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (4-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 97 strikeouts); Giants: Carson Whisenhunt (0-0) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Giants -132, Pirates +111; over/under is 7 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants aim to end their five-game home slide with a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. San Francisco has a 54-52 record overall and a 28-23 record in home games. The Giants have the sixth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.67. Pittsburgh has a 13-37 record on the road and a 44-62 record overall. The Pirates are 30-19 in games when they did not allow a home run. The matchup Monday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Heliot Ramos leads the Giants with a .268 batting average, and has 19 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 35 walks and 50 RBIs. Willy Adames is 12 for 38 with three home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games. Bryan Reynolds has 22 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 51 RBIs while hitting .232 for the Pirates. Tommy Pham is 12 for 37 with three doubles, a triple and a home run over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Giants: 2-8, .254 batting average, 5.01 ERA, outscored by 11 runs Pirates: 6-4, .237 batting average, 3.33 ERA, outscored by one run INJURIES: Giants: Landen Roupp: 15-Day IL (elbow), Erik Miller: 15-Day IL (elbow), Christian Koss: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jerar Encarnacion: 10-Day IL (oblique), Tom Murphy: 60-Day IL (back) Pirates: Chase Shugart: 15-Day IL (knee), Ryan Borucki: 15-Day IL (back), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. recommended Item 1 of 3
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Giants take home losing streak into matchup against the Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates (44-62, fifth in the NL Central) vs. San Francisco Giants (54-52, third in the NL West) San Francisco; Monday, 9:45 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (4-10, 3.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 97 strikeouts); Giants: Carson Whisenhunt (0-0) BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Giants -132, Pirates +111; over/under is 7 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The San Francisco Giants aim to end their five-game home slide with a win against the Pittsburgh Pirates. San Francisco has a 54-52 record overall and a 28-23 record in home games. The Giants have the sixth-best team ERA in baseball at 3.67. Pittsburgh has a 13-37 record on the road and a 44-62 record overall. The Pirates are 30-19 in games when they did not allow a home run. The matchup Monday is the first meeting of the season between the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Heliot Ramos leads the Giants with a .268 batting average, and has 19 doubles, a triple, 14 home runs, 35 walks and 50 RBIs. Willy Adames is 12 for 38 with three home runs and six RBIs over the last 10 games. Bryan Reynolds has 22 doubles, two triples, 10 home runs and 51 RBIs while hitting .232 for the Pirates. Tommy Pham is 12 for 37 with three doubles, a triple and a home run over the last 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Giants: 2-8, .254 batting average, 5.01 ERA, outscored by 11 runs Pirates: 6-4, .237 batting average, 3.33 ERA, outscored by one run INJURIES: Giants: Landen Roupp: 15-Day IL (elbow), Erik Miller: 15-Day IL (elbow), Christian Koss: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Jerar Encarnacion: 10-Day IL (oblique), Tom Murphy: 60-Day IL (back) Pirates: Chase Shugart: 15-Day IL (knee), Ryan Borucki: 15-Day IL (back), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Enmanuel Valdez: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Justin Lawrence: 60-Day IL (elbow), Tim Mayza: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jared Jones: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow) ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
