Hayden Birdsong Is Just Getting Better and Better!

SF Giants Minor Lines, August 29, 2023

Apparently the theme of the week is great pitching! One night after Kyle Harrison’s electrifying home debut, we came oh-so-close to seeing the first no hitter in ever so long! Why don’t we go back to that “no hitter a year” pace. I liked that!

Anyhoo, as the minors are wont to do, the echo of that theme sounded throughout the farm last night. There was strong starting pitching lined up from the top of the farm to the bottom. Possibly the top two right-handed pitching prospects in the org — how hot a take would it be if I said “arguably the top two pitching prospects in the org” — toed the rubber at the upper levels. And both A ball teams responded with an assortment of interesting arms, as well.

It feels like an arm rich organization right now — certainly hitting was in somewhat short supply in three of the four locals last night — but in part that’s due to the rapid pace at which top hitters have been promoted this year. The series with Cincinnati has featured four different Giants who were part of the High-A Eugene squad within the calendar year, which is still kind of crazy to think about. What a changeover we’re seeing this season, with a wave of one-year talent washing up to the top like we haven’t seen, maybe ever in franchise history!

HITTER of the NIGHT: Aeverson Arteaga (Eug), HR (17), 2b, 2 R, 3 RBI, 1 BB
PITCHER of the NIGHT: Hayden Birdsong (Rich), 4.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K

Anyway, we gather today to mostly talk about pitching, although it’s certainly possible that we’ll find some examples of a pitcher’s best friend as well, so let’s give the gloves some love!