Cole Waites and his 100-mph fastball are heading from Richmond to Sacramento.
The Giants promoted Waites, 24, to Triple-A on Tuesday. The right-handed reliever has dominated at the Double-A level, carrying 12 consecutive scoreless appearances to his new new team.
San Francisco’s bullpen has been a cause for concern for weeks, if not months. Camilo Doval and John Brebbia have delivered, but the rest of the relievers have struggled, leading to a 4.36 bullpen ERA — 25th in MLB.
The Giants led MLB in bullpen ERA last season with a 2.99 mark.
San Francisco selected Waites in the 18th round of the 2019 draft. The 2020 pandemic disrupted his and every other prospect’s development, but he’s now rising through the farm at a meteoric pace.
Waites started at High-A Eugene this season, but graduated after 13 games. He struck out 19.2 batters per nine innings with the Emeralds. Then with the Flying Squirrels, Waites posted a 1.71 ERA, striking out 38 in 21 innings.
Command has been an issue for Waites, but his swing-and-miss stuff has allowed him to avoid damage.
If Waites continues to produce at a similar level for the River Cats, the Giants could potentially add him to the big-league roster for a late-season jolt. But since Waites isn’t on the 40-man roster, elevating him would require a roster move.
In addition to promoting Waites, the Giants also claimed former Astros prospect Jonathan Bermudez off waivers. Bermudez is a starter who has struggled in Triple-A this year, but was Houston’s 2021 Organization All-Star in 2021.
The Giants optioned Bermudez to Triple-A and put Gregory Santos on the 60-day injured list with a groin strain.