Giants Option Whisenhunt, Rodríguez to Triple-A Sacramento in Spring Cuts

The San Francisco Giants trimmed their Cactus League roster Wednesday, optioning left-hander Carson Whisenhunt and catcher Jesús Rodríguez to Triple-A Sacramento while reassigning infielders Parks Harber and Buddy Kennedy to Minor League camp. The moves, coming one day after the club sent out right-hander Blade Tidwell and non-roster infielder Jake Holton, left the Giants with 37 rostered players and eight non-roster invitees in big-league camp.

Whisenhunt and Rodríguez remain on the 40-man roster by virtue of being optioned rather than reassigned, a distinction that carries real significance as the Opening Day countdown accelerates.

For Whisenhunt, the No. 12 prospect in the Giants system per MLB Pipeline, the assignment reflects both his ceiling and his current limitations. His spring was defined by a sharp strikeout rate, 14 punchouts across 9.1 innings, undercut by chronic location problems. He allowed eight hits and eight walks, surrendered some of the loudest contact in camp, and posted a 9.64 ERA. The 3.26 FIP suggests the damage was somewhat inflated by poor sequencing, but the command issues were real. Without the upper-tier fastball velocity that teammates Hayden Birdsong, Blade Tidwell, and Keaton Winn carry, Whisenhunt does not fit easily into a relief role, making the Triple-A assignment the right developmental track. The Giants intend to keep him stretched out as a starter so he can step into the rotation when a need surfaces during the season. Vitello, speaking about the young left-hander's maturation, offered pointed advice: "No matter who you are grade school or at this level you need to ultimately take ownership of your own deal and be your best coach. I think he's starting to get a feel for how to do that."

Tidwell, ranked one spot higher at No. 10, was dispatched the day before under the same organizational logic: no rotation opening exists right now, but the Giants expect both arms to contribute at the big-league level before 2026 is finished.

Rodríguez's situation carries a different kind of frustration. The 23-year-old catcher posted a .353 batting average and .964 OPS across 15 spring games, adding a home run and two stolen bases, numbers that would earn roster consideration in most organizations. The problem is not his bat. The Giants already have Rule 5 Draft pick Daniel Susac and veteran Eric Haase competing for the backup catcher job behind Patrick Bailey, leaving no opening for a third option regardless of spring production. Rodríguez also appeared at second base four times and in left field twice, and his positional flexibility figures to be a selling point as his career develops. Behind the plate, he is still refining his craft, and the additional reps at Triple-A Sacramento will serve him well.

Kennedy, one of the two reassigned infielders, had arguably the most eye-catching spring of anyone cut Wednesday. The 27-year-old minor-league free agent signee went 9-for-26 with two home runs, a triple, a double, four walks, and five strikeouts, producing a 1.112 OPS and a 173 wRC+. His four-year track record at the major-league level has not matched that kind of production, but he figures to be a reliable depth piece for Sacramento and a candidate for a call-up if injuries strike the big-league infield.