The Giants signed right-hander Cody Stashak to a minor league contract earlier this month, and Stashak made his debut appearance with Triple-A Sacramento yesterday. The 29-year-old had been pitching for the Lancaster Barnstormers of the independent Atlantic League before the Giants purchased his contract.
A 13th-round pick for the Twins in the 2015 draft, Stashek made his big league debut in 2019 and saw some action for Minnesota in each of the next four seasons. Over 72 total innings in the Show, Stashek posted a 4.13 ERA, an impressive 27.6% strikeout rate, and a very strong 4.7% walk rate. That latter stat is all the more impressive considering Stashek’s rough 2021 season that saw him a 13.3% walk rate over 13 2/3 innings, leading to a 6.89 ERA.
Stashak was bouncing back pretty well from that 2021 disappointment when he hit another roadblock — a labrum tear in his throwing shoulder that required season-ending surgery in June 2022. The rehab kept Stashak out of action for over a year, and he’d only made two appearances with Lancaster before the Giants came calling. (Stashak initially became a free agent last November, when he elected to pursue the open market rather than accept an outright assignment to the Twins’ Triple-A affiliate.)
Now that Stashak is apparently healthy again, there’s no risk for the Giants in seeing what the righty do in an affiliated minor league setting, and there’s a chance Stashak could even figure into the club’s bullpen plans down the stretch. San Francisco president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi has hit paydirt on more than a few under-the-radar pitching acquisitions during his tenure in the front office, and Stashak’s (albeit limited) track record of MLB success indicates that he might have something more to offer.
Farhan outside a Lancaster Dunkin Donuts dumpster diving again.
Oh GiantJim, this is so original and hilarious! How on earth did you come up with such a unique take? I’ve never heard this before!
Lololol kidding! So tired of this! Do you not realize that minor league teams need to fill rosters? There are injuries and call ups. Do you not realize that some guys are late bloomers and they need the right coaches, system, atmosphere to thrive? Bravo to Stashak for continuing to pursue his dream and for Zaidi for giving him the opportunity! Go Stashak go!
Can he hit? Asking for a team that can’t.
Good to see him doing well.
Cody Stashak, the Pride of Somers Point, New Jersey!
As a Twins fan, Cody is good people, as well as a good pitcher. Hope he can return.
Sorry Gooch I forgot to Use my sarcastic font. Go Nads! I mean Giants.