Wednesday/Thursday BP: Carson Whisenhunt joins the AFL

When the San Francisco Giants announced their eight players who would be playing in the Arizona Fall League this year, it included left-handed pitcher Carson Whisenhunt (along with right-handed pitchers Will Bednar, Hunter Dula, and Tyler Myrick, catchers Andy Thomas and Adrian Sugastey, first baseman Logan Wyatt, and center fielder Luis Matos).

But when the Giants players actually joined the Scottsdale Scorpions and started playing games, Whisenhunt was nowhere to be found, and right-handed pitcher Spencer Bivens had taken his place.

It was unclear why. Information on prospects is hard enough to come by as is, let alone this time of year.

But now we know. According to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser, Whisenhunt was placed on the COVID list. He’s now getting prepared to start pitching again, and will rejoin the AFL.

Whisenhunt was the team’s second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft, and was considered by most prospectors to be the best prospect that the team selected in the draft. He played 7.2 innings in his debut season, splitting time between the Arizona Complex League and Low-A, and he allowed just six hits, one walk, and no runs, with 14 strikeouts.

Baseball America ranks Whisenhunt as the organization’s No. 3 prospect, while Fangraphs has him at No. 5, and MLB Pipeline slots him in at No. 7. Hopefully he’ll get some chances to show out in the AFL before the season ends. If nothing else, he’s certainly a prospect to keep an eye on in 2023.