MLB teams needed to add prospects to their 40-man roster by 3:00 PM Pacific on Tuesday to prevent eligible players from being selected in this offseason's Rule 5 Draft. So, to avoid losing some talented players from the organization, the SF Giants added left-handed reliever Erik Miller, right-handed pitcher Trevor McDonald, and right-handed pitcher Kai-Wei Teng to the 40-man roster. The front office opted to prioritize pitching over some intriguing young hitters.
Acquired by the Giants in a trade last offseason for Yunior Marte, Miller stayed healthy in 2023 and showcased a high-octance arsenal. There's a lot of heat that's coming out of his left arm and his fastball, slider, and changeup generated plenty of whiffs. He recorded a 2.45 ERA between Double-A and Triple-A this season, with 88 strikeouts and 45 walks in 62.1 innings pitched (54 appearances). The Giants acquired Teng in a trade with the Minnesota Twins back in 2019, and he has quietly climbed the organization's minor-league ranks. This season, Teng was repeating the Double-A level and recorded a 4.75 ERA in 12 starts with 68 strikeouts and 20 walks in 47.1 innings pitched before he was promoted to Triple-A. While his ERA is relatively unimpressive, both FIP (3.45) and xFIP (3.35) suggested Teng was pitching better than his traditional box score numbers. His performance at Triple-A (4.22 ERA with 96 strikeouts and 48 walks in 78 innings) backed that up. McDonald was sidelined by injuries for much of the season, but was absolutely dominant upon his return at High-A Eugene. He was named the Northwest League Pitcher of the Month in August and finished the season with a 1.33 ERA across 14 appearances (47.1 innings pitched) with 51 strikeouts and 11 walks between the Arizona Complex and High-A. He has a deep arsenal, like Teng, with even better command, and could have easily been picked and shifted.
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