The San Francisco Giants have made a roster move by optioning right-hander Sean Hjelle to Triple-A Sacramento, recalling fellow righty Carson Seymour as a corresponding measure. This marks an exciting moment for Seymour, who is poised to make his major league debut.
Seymour, 26, initially joined the Giants as part of a trade that sent Darin Ruf to the New York Mets and brought J.D. Davis to San Francisco in 2022. Since then, he has made significant progress through the minor leagues, showcasing impressive performances.
In the 2023 season, Seymour primarily performed as a starter at the Double-A level, accumulating 112 2/3 innings across 23 starts and five relief appearances. He demonstrated a respectable earned run average of 3.99 runs per nine innings while achieving a strikeout rate of 24.5%. His ability to generate ground balls is noteworthy, with a ground ball rate of 49.5%.
Last season, he transitioned to Triple-A, maintaining steady statistics, where he logged 134 1/3 innings with a 22.1% strikeout rate and a 53.5% ground ball rate. The Giants recognized his potential, adding him to their 40-man roster in November last year to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.
Currently, Seymour is ranked as the #18 prospect in the Giants’ system by Baseball America, which highlights his effective two-seamer and his slider as strong pitches, though concerns about his changeup may impact his future role. FanGraphs, on the other hand, is more optimistic about Seymour, ranking him #6 in the system and suggesting that his sinker can help him overcome potential platoon issues as a starter.
With the Giants in the midst of a challenging stretch of 16 consecutive games, bringing Seymour up to the big league level presents an opportunity for him to offer a fresh arm to their bullpen, especially after Hjelle’s recent usage. As he prepares to face major league hitters for the first time, there is anticipation surrounding his debut.
Overall, the Giants’ decision aims to bolster their roster while showcasing a promising talent in Seymour, who has the potential to make an impact in the majors.