SF Giants designate pitching prospect Gregory Santos for assignment

The SF Giants designated hard-throwing pitching prospect Gregory Santos for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Sean Manaea.

The SF Giants designated right-handed pitcher Gregory Santos for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for recently-signed starter Sean Manaea. Santos was once considered one of the best pitching prospects in the Giants farm system but has stalled at Triple-A over the past two seasons.

SF Giants pitcher Gregory Santos (2022) / John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports

Santos was initially signed as an international free agent by the Boston Red Sox in the 2015-16 cycle out of the Dominican Republic. A projectable 6'2'' righty, Santos garnered the attention of Giants scouts during a pair of seasons in the Dominican Summer League.

At the 2017 MLB trade deadline, the Red Sox sent Santos and another pitching prospect (Shaun Anderson) in exchange for infielder Eduardo Núñez. Santos continued dominating the DSL competition with the Giants before making his stateside debut in 2018.

The following season, Santos slotted into the Giants Low-A starting rotation before his 18th birthday. He began flashing the ability to reach the upper-90s with his fastball alongside an advanced feel for a slider.

Santos made his full-season debut in 2019 as a teenager, posting a sub-3.00 ERA over eight starts before he was shut down with a shoulder injury. Still, he remained one of the most intriguing prospects in the organization.

With the 2020 minor-league season canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Santos emerged as a breakout prospect at instructional league play in the fall, where he was dominant in shorter relief roles. Eligible to be selected in the Rule 5 Draft that offseason, the Giants protected Santos from being selected by adding him to the 40-man roster.

The Giants tried to expedite Santos' development by moving him to a permanent relief role and sending him straight to Triple-A. Despite his arsenal's potential, Santos was never able to put together a dominant season. Over the past two seasons, Santos has a 4.99 ERA across 48.2 innings pitched (47 appearances) with 49 strikeouts and 29 walks at Triple-A. He's also made five big-league appearances with the Giants, recording five strikeouts and five walks in five appearances with an 11.12 ERA.

The SF Giants will have to clear another spot on the 40-man roster in the coming days for Carlos Correa. For now, Gregory Santos will go on waivers, where he could be claimed by another team. If he goes unclaimed, the Giants could attempt to outright Santos to the minors and keep him in the organization.