Future Giants Reliever Could Become Major League Bargain

The San Francisco Giants have a young prospect that could rise through the ranks and, one day, give their bullpen a boost.

Jul 18, 2023; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; The San Francisco Giants logo on the sleeve of right fielder Michael Conforto (8) during the fifth inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. / Katie Stratman-USA TODAY Sports

UNC Pembroke isn’t known for its baseball prowess. The Division II school in Pembroke, N.C., has only produced one Major League player and he made his MLB debut just a month ago.

River Ryan, a former pitcher for the program, was called up to start for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a game against the San Francisco Giants.

The next UNCP pitcher to get the call may do so for the Giants one day.

Trent Harris wasn’t even drafted when he came out of UNCP after the 2023 college baseball season. The Giants pounced on the right-hander, signing him for a mere $10,000 as an undrafted free agent.

Now, MLB Pipeline believes Harris is the organization’s fastest-rising Top 30 prospect.

The site is preparing to release its updated Top 100 prospects across all of baseball next week. The Giants’ top prospect, first baseman Bryce Eldridge, could give the Giants a Top 100 prospect. Later, the site should revise each franchise’s Top 30.

Harris is not in the Giants’ Top 30 at the moment. He wasn’t listed among Baseball America’s Top 30 prospects when that publication revised its organizational rankings last week.

Because Harris went undrafted and pitched at a Division II school, the Giants started him slow. But he’s gathered speed this season. After starting the year with Class-A San Jose, he earned a promotion to High-A Eugene. Combined he is 8-3 with a 2.01 ERA in 26 games, all in relief. The 25-year-old Cary, N.C., native could emerge as a future closer, as he has four saves in five chances and has a hold.

He has struck out 80 and walked 22 in 58.1 innings.

MLB Pipeline noted that Harris has a mid-90s fastball and has two secondary pitchers that have befuddled hitters. The Giants may have seen that coming. Last year he had a 0.41 ERA in 21 innings with 33 strikeouts and three walks. That performance came with the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team and San Jose.

When the Giants get their new Top 30 from MLB Pipeline, it’s likely that two new players will be in the rankings, both of which were additions at the trade deadline.

Left-handed pitcher Jacob Bresnahan joined the franchise as the return for veteran pitcher Alex Cobb. Third baseman Sabin Ceballos joined the Giants as part of the trade that sent Jorge Soler and pitcher Luke Jackson to the Atlanta Braves.

San Francisco’s draft picks could also play a role in a revised Top 30, including first-round pick James Tibbs III and second-round pick Dakota Jordan. The latter was signed for a much higher slot value.