Kyle Harrison, LHP
DOB: August 12, 2001
BATS: R  /  THROWS: L
ACQUIRED: Drafted 3rd Round (#85), 2020
LAST LEVEL: N/A
VOLATILITY: High

NO STATS

GiantFutures Ranks: #1 Starting Pitcher

Performance: As a 2020 draftee out of high school, there’s not much to say here.  Harrison did get into the instructional league and impressed, with reports saying he was reaching as high as 97 MPH, which was a revelation in itself.

Strengths and Weaknesses: Harrison has a very robust set of tools, which prompted him getting nearly $2.5 million of bonus money despite being a third round pick, to buy him out of a commitment to UCLA.  His best pitch is his slider, a slow slashing pitch in the upper 70’s that has a feel reminiscent of another recent former lefty in the Giants rotation.  He also has the start to a changeup that should be effective.

The pitch that has Harrison getting some helium is his fastball.  In high school, Harrison sat 90-93, with plenty of movement on it.  But with the reports from instructional league that his fastball is up to the mid-90s, that changes Harrison’s profile quite a bit.  The biggest question is how much movement was sacrificed to get that velocity.  Even more tantalizing is if he can control the difference in velocity, with a hard, straight fastball and one with run.

2021 Outlook: With the instructs under his belt, Harrison should start his pro career close to home in Low-A San Jose, where there will be many eyes on his performance and his pitches, and we should get a clear understanding of what kind of pitcher Harrison shall be.

Future Profile: Harrison’s profile has a wide array of landing spots, but Harrison’s floor is very high, especially if his velocity can be pushed in short bursts in relief.  But his ceiling is near the front of a rotation, perhaps being a strong #2 in a good rotation, with a more realistic landing spot being in the middle of a starting five.