SF Giants pitching prospect undergoing exam for elbow soreness

The SF Giants announced that right-handed pitcher Keaton Winn developed right elbow soreness after his last start and will receive an exam.

Marc Delucchi | Jul 28, 2023

SF Giants pitching prospect undergoing exam for elbow soreness /

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San Francisco Giants

The

SF Giants

announced on Friday that pitching prospect Keaton Winn (

Giants Top 9 Prospect

) has developed right elbow soreness after his last start for Triple-A Sacramento and will be examined by Dr. Ken Akizuki in San Francisco on Saturday. An elbow injury for a pitcher is always concerning, but Winn missed the entire 2021 season with reconstructive UCL surgery. Obviously, the Giants hope he avoided a similarly severe injury.

SF Giants pitcher Keaton Winn throws a pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Oracle Park on June 24, 2023. — SF Giants RHP Keaton Winn throws a pitch against the Dbacks at Oracle Park. (2023) / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Winn made his big-league debut with the Giants earlier this season and has a 4.09 ERA with 14 strikeouts and five walks in 22 innings pitched (five appearances) in the majors. He has also been the organization's most consistent starter at Triple-A Sacramento, recording a 4.47 ERA with 61 strikeouts and 25 walks in 52.1 innings pitched (15 games) in the incredibly hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League.

The Giants drafted Winn in the fifth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Iowa Western Community College and signed him away from a commitment to TCU. In college, Winn had flashed mid-90s velocity and an above-average slider but had been unable to sustain his premium velocity. Since turning pro, however, Winn has developed an excellent splitter that pairs well with a fastball that can reach the high-90s.

Winn's injury has some immediate implications for the Giants at the trade deadline. The team has a glut of viable starting pitching options and was expected to consolidate that depth by trading from that depth. However, Winn has looked like the best young option to replace a veteran. With his status up in the air, the Giants may be less likely to part with some of their veterans.

At his best, Keaton Winn has flashed the potential to be a solid mid-rotation arm with a comparable arsenal to former SF Giants ace Kevin Gausman. For now, though, the team's training staff is hoping he has avoided suffering a serious injury.

Published Jul 28, 2023

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).