SF Giants acquire Brewers former first-round pick in minor trade

The SF Giants acquired left-handed pitcher Ethan Small in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations on Monday night.

The SF Giants acquired left-handed pitcher Ethan Small in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations on Monday night, according to a team press release. Small had been designated for assignment by the Brewers following the blockbuster Corbin Burnes trade. With an open spot on the 40-man roster, the Giants decided to offer some cash to Milwaukee to acquire the 26-year-old southpaw.

Brewers LHP Ethan Small pitches against the SF Giants at American Family Field. (2023) / Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

Small has appeared in four career MLB games over his career, appearing in a pair of Milwaukee's games in each of the past two seasons. Small has struggled mightily in his short big-league stint, posting a 8.71 ERA with 13 strikeouts and 10 walks in 10.1 innings pitched. With that said, he has been far more effective at the highest level of the minors. In 38 appearances with the Brewers Triple-A affiliate in Nashville last season, Small recorded a 3.18 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 24 walks in 51 innings pitched.

While Small's prospect stock has fallen in recent years, he was considered one of the most polished pitching prospects in the 2019 MLB Draft. After a dominant junior season at Mississippi State, Small was drafted with the 28th overall pick by the Brewers. The lefty quickly signed and dominated in his pro debut, allowing just two runs across 21 innings pitched with 31 strikeouts and four walks.

Small has always relied on an exceptional changeup, which he disguises well. A 60-70 grade pitch, opposing hitters in college and the lower minors were consistently overmatched. However, he has been unable to develop the necessary secondary features to continue that success since climbing the minor-league ranks.

Small's fastball sits in the low 90s, occasionally reaching 95 mph, and remains a below-average offering. While he has thrown a breaking ball at times, it has never been a consistent enough pitch to convince hitters to chase it outside of the strike zone.

Small remained effective in 2021 between Double and Triple-A, but his walk rate was beginning to climb. More advanced hitters were less prone to chasing his changeup and he was forced to nibble on the corners more often.

In 2022, Small was a passable starter in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, with a 4.46 ERA, 114 strikeouts, and 58 walks in 103 innings pitched (27 appearances). However, it was a tale of two seasons. Small dominated early in the year, receiving his first big-league call-up, but after he was cuffed in his debut, his command wavered and led Milwaukee to shift him to a bullpen role by the end of the season.

A full-time reliever in 2023 for the first time in his career, Small was fairly effective at Triple-A. Assuming the Giants do not plan to designate him for assignment soon, there is a clear opportunity for him to crack the big-league roster. Taylor Rogers, Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison, and Erik Miller are the only other southpaws on San Francisco's 40-man roster.

Despite his struggles, Ethan Small still has the signature changeup that made him a first-round pick back in 2019. Even during his rough big-league outings, his changeup has generated elite whiff rates and avoided hard contact. If the SF Giants can find a way to coax a little more velocity or consistency out of his breaking ball, they could have just acquired a gem for cash considerations.