Jacob Bresnahan Emerges As Well-Rounded Lefty For Giants
Lefthander Jacob Bresnahan put together an excellent 2025 season with Low-A San Jose.
He allowed just two home runs In 93 innings, while striking out 124 batters and allowing just 67 hits. Giants farm director Kyle Haines was asked which of those numbers he found most impressive.
“The combo is really what makes it interesting,” Haines said. He mentioned that it’s relatively easy to find a Class A pitcher who can put up excellent numbers in one of those categories, but it’s extremely rare to find one who thrives in all three.
“Just to see the well-roundedness of the domination in many categories,” Haines said, “whether it be via swing-and-miss, whether it be getting weak contact, keeping the ball in the ballpark in a league in which homers come in bunches at times—it’s all really impressive.”
The Giants acquired the 6-foot-4 Bresnahan in a 2024 trade deadline deal with the Guardians in which Alex Cobb went to Cleveland. The Guardians had drafted Bresnahan from Sumner High in Washington in the 13th round in 2023.
In seven starts with San Jose in 2024, Bresnahan struggled to a 10.98 ERA. His ERA in 22 starts this year was 2.61.
The 20-year-old had eight starts of at least five innings in which he did not allow a run in 2025.
Haines said Bresnahan’s improvement stemmed mainly from two pitches. His fastball “velo is good, but the pitch quality—the carry, the life on the fastball—is special.”
Bresnahan developed a changeup this year. “It resembles a split-finger in how well it’s effective and how much it moves,” Haines said.
One part of Bresnahan’s 2025 season is of at least mild concern: his 11.3% walk rate.
“Yeah, the walks are maybe a hair high,” Haines said, “but when you need to cut the walk rate in half, that’s when you get really concerned.
“When you just need to take one good step forward in your command, you feel like with more repetition . . . you’re going to end up with a little better” result.
