SF Giants top prospect Kyle Harrison stands out in advanced metric

The SF Giants top prospect has struggled so far at Triple-A, but his arsenal is still standing out according to one metric.

The SF Giants have high expectations for left-handed pitching prospect Kyle Harrison (Giants #1 prospect). The 21-year-old southpaw has quickly ascended through the minor leagues since the Giants drafted him in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft. Beginning this season at Triple-A, Harrison has struggled in his first taste of the highest level of the minors, but that has not stopped his pitch arsenal from standing out amongst his peers. According to a tweet by Eno Sarris of The Athletic, Harrison ranks eighth among all Triple-A starters in Stuff+, a metric designed to encapsulate the nastiness of a pitcher's offerings.

Top ten Triple-A Stuff+ among starters (45+ p/app)
1) Luis Palacios
2) Mason Miller
3) Mike Burrows
4) Taj Bradley
5) Simeon Woods Richardson
6) Grayson Rodriguez
7) Tanner Bibee
8) Kyle Harrison
9) Elvin Rodriguez
10) Jose Chacin

— Eno Sarris (@enosarris) April 19, 2023

Harrison has made three starts so far this season, posting a 7.50 ERA in six innings pitched with seven strikeouts, seven hits, and 10 walks. However, given his youth, there's no reason to sound any alarms yet about his long-term potential. It's also noteworthy to see Harrison rank alongside several other exciting prospects. Mason Miller (Athletics), who ranked second, and Taj Bradley (Rays), who ranked fourth, have both already been called up by their respective organizations and expect to be mainstays in the rotation going forward.

In 2022, Harrison was dominant in seven starts at High-A (59 strikeouts in 29 innings pitched with a 1.55 ERA) before a promotion to Double-A Richmond. Despite his youth, Harrison was immediately one of the best starters in the Eastern League. Harrison recorded a 3.11 ERA with 127 strikeouts and 39 walks in 84 innings pitched (18 starts).

It's unsurprising to see Harrison rank so highly in a metric designed to evaluate the quality of a pitcher's arsenal. Harrison primarily relies on a mid-90s fastball that usually sits between 92-94 mph but plays above its radar gun readings thanks to a deceptive delivery and a unique release point. Harrison pairs his heater with a breaking ball and changeup that have both flashed plus potential as well.

SF Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said last offseason that the team expects Kyle Harrison to make his big-league debut at some point in 2023. While the San Jose, California native has gotten off to a slow start this season, advanced metrics continue to show why he remains one of the highest-ranked pitching prospects in the minor leagues.