SF Giants acquire OF Jack Larsen in a minor trade with Mariners

The SF Giants added to the team's depth in the upper minors on Friday, acquiring outfielder Jack Larsen in a trade with the Seattle Mariners.

The SF Giants acquired outfielder Jack Larsen in a trade with the Seattle Mariners, according to the league's transaction tracker. No other player was included in the deal. While it is possible the Mariners received a Player to be Named Later in exchange for Larsen, it seems more likely that the Giants parted with minor cash considerations.

Larsen appeared in one game with the Mariners last year but has spent all of this season at Triple-A. While he missed the start of the season after he suffered a fractured hamate bone in spring training, Larsen has hit .313/.466/.338 with nearly as many walks (22) as strikeouts (24) in 103 plate appearances. With that said, Larsen has hit for virtually no power, with two doubles representing his only extra-base hits. It's not uncommon for players to need time to regain their power after suffering a fractured hamate bone.

A left-handed hitter, Larsen has displayed extreme platoon splits this season, which could be part of the reason the Giants were interested in acquiring him. Larsen has just a .368 OPS against southpaws this season but has hit .389/.560/.426 against right-handed pitching. Granted, he has actually showcased reverse splits in the much larger sample over the course of his career.

The Mariners signed Larsen as a nondrafted free agent following his final collegiate season at UC San Diego in 2017. In his pro debut at the Arizona Rookie League, Larsen crushed the younger competition, hitting .312/.417/.541 with four doubles, six triples, and three home runs in 34 games.

Larsen continued to find success as he climbed the minor-league ranks, taking advantage of his added age and experience against most of his competition. In the return from the pandemic in 2021, Larsen easily had his most productive campaign. Larsen hit .295/.405/.524 with 31 doubles and 19 home runs between High-A and Double-A that season. Granted, he was already 26 at that point.

Defensively, Larsen played some center field early in his career but has almost exclusively played the outfield corners and first base over the past two seasons. So, given his age and lack of carrying tools, Larsen has never been considered a prominent prospect in the Mariners' farm system.

Despite that, the Mariners briefly called Larsen up to the major leagues last season directly from Double-A. He appeared in one game and struck out in his lone plate appearance before he was designated for assignment and outrighted back to the minors.

The Giants acquired outfielder Jack Larsen in a minor trade with the Seattle Mariners on Friday and assigned him to Triple-A Sacramento. He will look to become the next minor acquisition by SF Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi to become one of his best trades.