SF Giants second-round pick Carson Whisenhunt set to make AFL debut

After dealing with a case of COVID-19, SF Giants 2022 second-round pick Carson Whisenhunt is on the verge of making his Arizona Fall League debut.

Marc Delucchi | Oct 26, 2022

SF Giants second-round pick Carson Whisenhunt set to make AFL debut /

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San Francisco Giants

The SF Giants have had several prospects showing off their talents this at the Arizona Fall League, one of the most prestigious offseason leagues. However, the Giants 2022 second-round pick, Carson Whisenhunt, has yet to make his first appearance despite being assigned to the league. According to a report by Susan Slusser of The San Francisco Chronicle, Whisenhunt has been out with COVID-19 and will pitch in a game in the next seven days.

East Carolina pitcher Carson Whisenhunt, who was drafted by the SF Giants in the 2022 MLB Draft, throws a pitch. — SF Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt during his college career at East Carolina :: George Walker IV / Tennessean.com via Imagn Content Services, LLC

"If you're wondering why Giants LHP Carson Whisenhunt hasn't pitched yet in the AFL, he was on the Covid list and has to ramp back up after 10 days off," Slusser Tweeted. "He'll be pitching in a game within a week."

Whisenhunt was one of eight Giants prospects initially slated to play in the Arizona Fall League, but he has yet to appear in any games through three weeks of the season. So with Whisenhunt out, the Giants sent a ninth player, right-handed pitcher Spencer Bivens, to help fill his place with the Scottsdale Scorpions.

The Giants drafted Whisenhunt in the second round of this summer's draft out of East Carolina. They agreed to pay him a significantly above-slot $1.8 million signing bonus. Whisenhunt was expected to be a first-round pick after an excellent 2021 college season, but he was suspended for violating the NCAA's performance-enhancing drug policy and was not allowed to pitch in college this spring. Instead, Whisenhunt stayed in shape and showcased his abilities a bit at the Cape Cod League.

Whisenhunt made his minor-league debut after he signed, showing off his excellent changeup in a short stint at the Arizona Complex League and Single-A. He was great between both levels, recording 14 strikeouts against just one walk in 7.2 innings pitched (four appearances) without allowing a run.

The Arizona Fall League is generally considered equivalent to High-A or Double-A competition, which signaled the Giants confidence in Whisenhunt's ability to move quickly through the minors. While he has yet to show off his talents, a strong showing could quickly help his prospect stock rise.

It's exceedingly rare for a prospect to appear in the Arizona Fall League the year they are drafted. However, despite missing the past few weeks while he recovered from COVID-19, SF Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt is on the verge of doing exactly that.

Published Oct 26, 2022

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).