Carson Whisenhunt

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #4 prospect in 2024
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Whisenhunt’s junior year at East Carolina ended before it began. The lefthander tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance and was suspended for the entirety of the season. The Giants were convicted enough by their previous looks and a cameo in the Cape Cod League to draft him with their second-round pick in 2022. In his first full season in 2023, Whisenhunt raced from Low-A to Double-A--with a stop at the Futures Game as well--before his season ended with tightness in his left forearm.
  
  Scouting Report: The crown jewel of Whisenhunt’s arsenal is his changeup--or, more accurately, his changeups. He has three variations of the pitch--differentiated by the placement of his fingers--that he can use to vary the depth of its break and land it in the zone for a called strike, add a touch of fade or let the bottom completely fall out. He complements the changeup with a four-seam fastball and curveball. The former averaged 94 mph and topped at 97 while showing excellent life through the zone. Now, the key is the development of Whisenhunt’s curveball, which is a 1-to-7 bender with decent power at an average of 79 mph. He threw the pitch just 12% of the time, a figure that will need to be increased to help Whisenhunt gain more trust in the pitch and make it more of a viable weapon. Evaluators inside and outside the organization believe adding a cutter could be helpful. Whisenhunt has potentially above-average control.
  
  The Future: Whisenhunt didn’t pitch after July 22 but had recovered well enough to begin a throwing program in the offseason. His future hinges on the development of the breaking ball. If he can find one that becomes a true third option, he could fit as a No. 4 starter with a chance at a bit more.
  
  Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 40 | Changeup: 70 | Control: 55
• 
  Ranked San Francisco Giants #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Under normal circumstances, Whisenhunt might have used his junior season at East Carolina to cement himself as one of the top pitchers on the 2022 draft board. However, he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance before the season and was banned for the year. He didn't get back on the mound until the Cape Cod League, where he added enough to his previous body of work--which included two stellar starts with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. The Giants selected him in the second round, signed him for $1,866,220 and then sent him to the Arizona Complex League and Low-A San Jose. After recovering from a bout of Covid, Whisenhunt made three short starts in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: In his stints on the Cape and as a pro, Whisenhunt showed off a largely intact arsenal of three average or better pitches. He starts with a low-90s fastball that peaked at 94 mph both on the Cape and during the minor league season. The pitch also features riding action. The gem of Whisenhunt's arsenal is a dastardly changeup with nearly 10 mph of separation from his fastball and the trapdoor action to flummox hitters. The pitch got whiffs at a 35% rate on the Cape and an eye-popping 74% rate in the low minors. The changeup, thrown in the low 80s, is a true double-plus weapon that should get plenty of whiffs as he moves up the ladder. Whisenhunt rounds out his mix with an average, high-70s curveball with two-plane break. The Giants have worked with Whisenhunt to tinker with the grip on the curveball to help him get a better feel for spin. He should have above-average control.
  
  The Future: Whisenhunt threw 38.1 innings between the Cape, the minor leagues and the AFL, so he'll have to be managed carefully in 2023. He has the ceiling of a solid No. 4 starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 55

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #28 prospect in 2022 draft
  School: East Carolina Committed/Drafted: Never Drafted
  Age At Draft: 21.8
  BA Grade: 50/High
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50 | Curveball: 50 | Slider: - | Changeup: 70 | Cutter: | Control: 55
  A year after East Carolina produced a first-round arm in righthander Gavin Williams, the program has a chance for another with lefthander Carson Whisenhunt. However, Whisenhunt didn’t throw a pitch for the program in 2022 after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA after a positive drug test. Whisenhunt said the positive result was from supplements he took over the winter break. Because of that, the only in-game looks scouts will be able to see from the 6-foot-3, 205-pound lefthander will come in the Cape Cod League. As the Pirates’ No. 2 starter in 2021, Whisenhunt posted a 3.77 ERA over 13 starts and 62 innings, while striking out 30.9% of batters faced and walking 8.6%. Last year, Whisenhunt operated with a three-pitch mix that included a fastball, changeup and curveball. His heater averaged 92 mph and touched 95, while his curveball sat in the upper 70s with two-plane break. His best offering is a low-to-mid-80s changeup, which is one of the better changeups in the entire draft class. He throws it frequently (26% of the time in 2021) and generated whiffs at a 59% rate with the pitch in 2021. He has tremendous feel to land the pitch and regularly buries it at the bottom of the strike zone for whiffs and ground balls when hitters do manage contact. He throws the pitch with fastball arm speed, and it will fall off the table hard and sneak under barrels regularly with around nine mph of velocity separation from his fastball. Whisenhunt projects as a starter with good pitching ability and a three-pitch mix, but he is a bit of a wild card after missing his junior season. How he performs in the Cape Cod League will heavily impact his draft stock. If he comes out pitching with similar stuff that he showed in 2021, he should be a first-rounder with a chance to be one of the first college arms off the board. If not, a missed draft year could hurt him, but overall Whisenhunt has a well-rounded and safe profile.

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Under normal circumstances, Whisenhunt might have used his junior season at East Carolina to cement himself as one of the top pitchers on the 2022 draft board. However, he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance before the season and was banned for the year. He didn't get back on the mound until the Cape Cod League, where he added enough to his previous body of work--which included two stellar starts with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. The Giants selected him in the second round, signed him for $1,866,220 and then sent him to the Arizona Complex League and Low-A San Jose. After recovering from a bout of Covid, Whisenhunt made three short starts in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: In his stints on the Cape and as a pro, Whisenhunt showed off a largely intact arsenal of three average or better pitches. He starts with a low-90s fastball that peaked at 94 mph both on the Cape and during the minor league season. The pitch also features riding action. The gem of Whisenhunt's arsenal is a dastardly changeup with nearly 10 mph of separation from his fastball and the trapdoor action to flummox hitters. The pitch got whiffs at a 35% rate on the Cape and an eye-popping 74% rate in the low minors. The changeup, thrown in the low 80s, is a true double-plus weapon that should get plenty of whiffs as he moves up the ladder. Whisenhunt rounds out his mix with an average, high-70s curveball with two-plane break. The Giants have worked with Whisenhunt to tinker with the grip on the curveball to help him get a better feel for spin. He should have above-average control.
  
  The Future: Whisenhunt threw 38.1 innings between the Cape, the minor leagues and the AFL, so he'll have to be managed carefully in 2023. He has the ceiling of a solid No. 4 starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 55
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 50/High
  
  Track Record: Under normal circumstances, Whisenhunt might have used his junior season at East Carolina to cement himself as one of the top pitchers on the 2022 draft board. However, he tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance before the season and was banned for the year. He didn't get back on the mound until the Cape Cod League, where he added enough to his previous body of work--which included two stellar starts with USA Baseball's Collegiate National Team. The Giants selected him in the second round, signed him for $1,866,220 and then sent him to the Arizona Complex League and Low-A San Jose. After recovering from a bout of Covid, Whisenhunt made three short starts in the Arizona Fall League.
  
  Scouting Report: In his stints on the Cape and as a pro, Whisenhunt showed off a largely intact arsenal of three average or better pitches. He starts with a low-90s fastball that peaked at 94 mph both on the Cape and during the minor league season. The pitch also features riding action. The gem of Whisenhunt's arsenal is a dastardly changeup with nearly 10 mph of separation from his fastball and the trapdoor action to flummox hitters. The pitch got whiffs at a 35% rate on the Cape and an eye-popping 74% rate in the low minors. The changeup, thrown in the low 80s, is a true double-plus weapon that should get plenty of whiffs as he moves up the ladder. Whisenhunt rounds out his mix with an average, high-70s curveball with two-plane break. The Giants have worked with Whisenhunt to tinker with the grip on the curveball to help him get a better feel for spin. He should have above-average control.
  
  The Future: Whisenhunt threw 38.1 innings between the Cape, the minor leagues and the AFL, so he'll have to be managed carefully in 2023. He has the ceiling of a solid No. 4 starter.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 55
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  August Update: A year after East Carolina produced a first-round arm in righthander Gavin Williams, the program has a chance for another with lefthander Carson Whisenhunt. However, Whisenhunt didn&#39t throw a pitch for the program in 2022 after being ruled ineligible by the NCAA after a positive drug test. Whisenhunt said the positive result was from supplements he took over the winter break. As the Pirates&#39 No. 2 starter in 2021, Whisenhunt posted a 3.77 ERA over 13 starts and 62 innings, while striking out 30.9% of batters faced and walking 8.6%. Last year, Whisenhunt operated with a three-pitch mix that included a fastball, changeup and curveball. His heater averaged 92 mph and touched 95, while his curveball sat in the upper 70s with two-plane break. His best offering is a low-to-mid-80s changeup, which is one of the better changeups in the entire draft class. He throws it frequently (26% of the time in 2021) and generated whiffs at a 59% rate with the pitch in 2021. He has tremendous feel to land the pitch and regularly buries it at the bottom of the strike zone for whiffs and ground balls when hitters do manage contact. He throws the pitch with fastball arm speed, and it will fall off the table hard and sneak under barrels regularly with around nine mph of velocity separation from his fastball. Whisenhunt projects as a starter with good pitching ability and a three-pitch mix.
  
  Scouting Grades: Fastball: 50. Curveball: 50. Changeup: 70. Control: 55.