SF Giants promote electric pitching prospect to Double-A
The SF Giants promoted right-handed relief pitcher Ben Madison to Double-A Richmond earlier this week. Madison had spent all season with High-A Eugene. Madison may not be a well-known name to Giants fans because injuries have slowed his development. However, the 25-year-old native of Benton, Arkansas, has an excellent pair of offerings that could give him a chance to stick in the back of a big-league bullpen one day.
On the surface, Madison has been fine this season at High-A, posting a 3.05 ERA with a lot of strikeouts and walks across 22 appearances. However, a pair of ugly outings early in the season have hidden his dominance. Over his last 16 appearances with Eugene, Madison recorded 44 strikeouts against just seven walks in 27.1 innings pitched with a 0.99 ERA.
The Giants drafted Madison in the ninth round of the 2018 MLB Draft out of Central Baptist College (located in Conway, Arkansas). Madison had been a multi-sport star in high school, playing baseball, basketball, football, and track, but focused on pitching once he reached college. Madison dominated NAIA competition, striking out 172 hitters in 96.2 innings pitched in his final season at Central Baptist.
While the regime that drafted Madison seemed to be planning to develop him as a starting pitcher, the changes to the Giants player development apparatus upon president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi's arrival moved him to the bullpen full-time in 2019, although he has consistently been stretched for multiple innings.
Madison has always been effective when healthy as a pro. He has a career 2.99 ERA in the minors with 191 strikeouts (69 walks) in 135.2 innings pitched (79 appearances). However, the pandemic and a major injury cost Madison the 2020 and 2021 minor-league seasons. Set to turn 26 in September, Madison's first appearance with Richmond will be his first experience in the upper minors.
Madison has a fastball that consistently sits in the mid-90s, but his breaking ball is by far his best pitch. Madison has one of the most devastating sliders in the Giants' farm system right now. With a traditional two-pitch power arsenal, it's easy to see Madison reaching the majors.
The SF Giants will have a decision to make regarding Ben Madison's future soon. Eligible to be selected in this coming offseason's Rule 5 Draft, Zaidi will have to decide whether to protect him on the 40-man roster or risk losing him to another team. It's hard to imagine him going unselected if he continues to thrive at Double-A.
