Giants Sign Sean Newcomb To Minor League Deal

The Giants announced their invitees to Major League Spring Training on Monday, revealing within that they’ve inked left-hander Sean Newcomb to a minor league pact.

It’ll be the third organization in the past calendar year for Newcomb, a former top prospect who was the centerpiece of the Braves’ return for Andrelton Simmons back in Nov. 2015. Newcomb spent the 2016-22 seasons in the Braves organization, getting several looks at the MLB level but never replicating the promise he showed early in his career, when he logged a 3.87 ERA through his first 332 1/3 big league innings (2017-19). Command was an issue even then, and the Braves moved Newcomb to the bullpen in 2019, but it was nonetheless a promising start to Newcomb’s time in the Majors.

The following three seasons proved difficult, to say the least. Newcomb pitched to a 6.71 ERA across 51 innings with the Braves from 2020-22, walking 37 of the 246 batters he faced in that time (15%) and plunking another five. With Newcomb unable to be sent to Triple-A due to his lack of remaining minor league options, the Braves designated him for assignment and flipped him to the Cubs in exchange for veteran Jesse Chavez. Chicago surely hoped to be able to unlock something in Newcomb, who’s controllable through the end of the 2024 campaign, but the trade didn’t work out at all as they’d hoped.

To the contrary, Newcomb was tagged for 23 earned runs in 22 2/3 innings with the Cubs. He walked 13.8% of his opponents there as well, an ugly rate that was compounded by a sudden susceptibility to home runs at a previously unseen rate. Newcomb yielded a jarring seven home runs with the Cubs despite facing just 108 hitters; his 2.78 HR/9 mark with the Cubs ranked among the highest of any pitcher to throw at least 20 innings in 2022. Chavez, meanwhile, was highly effective in a reunion tour with the Braves, pitching to a 2.72 ERA with plus strikeout and walk rates in 53 frames.

For all Newcomb’s struggles, he still carries a career 3.12 ERA and 28.4% strikeout rate in the minors, including a 2.72 ERA and 31% strikeout rate in parts of four Triple-A seasons. Walks have always been an issue, but Newcomb is still 29 years old, misses bats in bunches and has plenty of success in the upper minors. The Giants have developed a reputation for rehabilitating pitchers and revitalizing their careers, and Newcomb will hope to add his name to a growing list of San Francisco success stories.