SF Giants sign former Guardians prospect Raymond Burgos to milb contract
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The SF Giants signed left-handed pitcher Raymond Burgos to a minor-league contract that includes an invitation to MLB Spring Training.
The SF Giants have signed left-handed pitcher Raymond Burgos to a minor-league contract with an invitation to MLB spring training. Burgos has spent his entire career in the Cleveland Guardians organization, but he has never pitched above High-A.
The Guardians drafted Burgos in the 18th round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of high school. Burgos’ early-career development was stalled by UCL surgery which kept him from making his professional debut until 2018. Despite solid numbers, Burgos struggled to stay healthy with a starter’s workload.
This season, Cleveland shifted Burgos to a multi-inning relief role to lessen his workload. It resulted in the best season of his career. Burgos recorded a 2.08 ERA in 37 appearances with 67 strikeouts and 22 walks in 65 innings pitched at High-A Lake County. He set a single-season career high in both appearances and innings pitched. Over his career, Burgos has a 3.04 ERA in 171.2 innings pitched with 184 strikeouts and 55 walks.
Burgos is a lanky 6’5” southpaw who works from a low three-quarters arm slot. While Burgos has experimented with a slider, he primarily relies on a standard fastball/changeup/curveball mix. His curveball and changeup both have flashed plus potential with impressive movement.
Burgos’ fastball tends to sit in the low-90s but has reached 93-96 mph in the past. Since the Giants offered Burgos an invitation to big-league camp, they likely will shift him to a more traditional relief role. Given his advanced feel for secondary pitches, the Giants are likely hoping that his fastball will sit in the mid-90s in shorter usage.
The SF Giants have had some good success with minor-league free-agent signings in recent years. After giving longtime Cleveland Guardians prospect Raymond Burgos an invitation to MLB Spring Training, the organization hopes Burgos can be the next success story in 2023.