Bob Melvin believes Kyle Harrison still will become a top-end starter for the Giants.
The San Francisco manager explained the high expectations placed on Harrison when he entered MLB as the top pitching prospect in 2023.
“That’s a lot to have on your shoulders when you get to the big leagues,” Melvin told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic at the MLB Winter Meetings in Dallas. “Now, there’s such an expectation level. And I think it was his start against the [Cincinnati] Reds [in 2023] when he had such a great start. I remember seeing him, we banged him around a little bit in San Diego the next start [in 2023].
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“But the ceiling is still there. I think he’s hungrier now knowing that he can have success. And it’s just about putting together a consistent season. I do agree with you on the injury, he did come back and probably wasn’t the same, probably favoring a little bit and that affected his numbers somewhat. But there’s still a very high ceiling for Kyle Harrison and we expect him to be a top-of-the-rotation guy.”
Harrison has flashed brilliance during his time with the Giants but has struggled with injuries and consistency. The young left-hander pitched a career-high in innings during the 2023 season, resulting in shoulder inflammation that ended his season early.
Still only 23 years old, Harrison has time to develop the endurance and strength required to be a major-league-caliber starter for the Giants.
San Francisco is awash with young pitching talent, with Cy Young candidate Logan Webb sitting atop the rotation, but the organization has not ruled out adding other free-agent arms. The franchise reportedly is viewed as a frontrunner for ace right-hander Corbin Burnes, so Harrison could enter 2024 as the No. 4 or No. 5 starter.
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Still, Melvin and the rest of the Giants brass believe in Harrison’s potential to positively impact the team.