Who’s he and the place did he come from?
He’s Ryan Watson, a right-handed pitcher. He was acquired yesterday in a commerce with the Athletics, who had simply chosen him from the San Francisco Giants within the Rule 5 Draft. He was born in Auburn, Alabama, and pitched for the Auburn Tigers in faculty. He went undrafted within the shortened 2020 draft and signed with the Baltimore Orioles, reaching Triple A earlier than being traded to the Giants halfway via 2024.
The Giants had 40 different gamers they’d somewhat shield from the 40-man roster, so I wouldn’t anticipate him to turn out to be an All-Star immediately. On the similar time, he’s a aid pitcher, and aid pitchers are fickle beasts. His stuff doesn’t leap off the web page, however there are undoubtedly issues to love.
Like lots of the pitchers the Pink Sox have acquired, he has above-average extension, averaging about seven ft. He additionally throws from a below-average launch peak, partially because of how far down the mound he will get. These elements, amongst others, create a flatter-than-average four-seam fastball form. Pitching exterior of the Pacific Coast League, the place a number of of the stadiums are at excessive elevation, he ought to see marginally extra vertical motion, making the pitch even flatter. That is what occurred to Hayden Birdsong, who pitched in the identical league for a part of 2025 after which noticed his fastball common about an additional inch and a half of vertical motion when he reached the majors. The main league baseball would possibly counteract a few of the environmental positive factors, however there’s an opportunity Watson sees an additional inch or so. At 95 mph, it’s arduous sufficient to be a weapon for him, given the form. Once more, it’s not a Payton Tolle fastball, but it surely’s not a Cooper Criswell fastball both.
When it comes to secondaries, he turns to a slider most frequently in opposition to righties. The form varies; he throws some with extra sweep and others which are tighter. He makes use of the pitch each out and in of the strike zone, so he could also be manipulating the form deliberately in several counts for various functions. The rate additionally ranges from 81 to 87 mph, with slower pitches displaying extra sweep.
Lefties see over 50% fastballs from him, together with his curveball accounting for many of his breaking pitches. It’s not thrown within the zone typically, but it surely misses a ton of bats. The whiff fee in opposition to the pitch was over 40% in Triple-A final season. Once more, this got here within the Pacific Coast League, the place the elevation decreases pitch motion in a number of stadiums throughout the league. In regular situations, he’ll get much more motion, which may make the pitch an excellent higher providing.
Except for nerdy pitch form information, Watson throws strikes. He walked simply seven % of the hitters he confronted in 2025.
So, to reply the query, I don’t know if he’ll be good. He has qualities that play on the main league degree and has proven the power to spin the ball. He’s a reliever, although, and typically they simply don’t work out. If he retains lacking bats and throwing strikes, he’ll carve out a pleasant position within the Pink Sox bullpen.
Tl;dr, simply give me his 2025 stats.
46 G, 50.2 IP, 64 Ok, 16 BB, 5 HR, 4.26 ERA, 3.73 FIP, 4.01 xFIP
Present me a cool spotlight.
Right here he’s in 2023, placing out his seventh batter of the sport. He labored as a reliever for all of 2025, however there’s part of me that wonders if the Pink Sox would toy with the thought of constructing him a long-relief or depth beginning possibility over time. He throws two fastballs and two breaking balls, an arsenal deep sufficient to start out. He’s additionally 6’5”, 225 kilos, the body of a beginning pitcher. He’s 28 and pitching in a minor league bullpen, so he’s in all probability greatest used within the bullpen.
What’s his position on the 2026 Pink Sox?
He’ll be a part of up with the Pink Sox for Spring Coaching, and if he pitches nicely sufficient to make the 26-man roster, he’ll pitch out of the bullpen. His center identify is Traylor, which is apt as a result of he’ll possible start the season pitching in a mop-up capability ought to he make the group.
There’s an opportunity he doesn’t have any position on the 2026 Pink Sox, too. As a result of he’s a Rule 5 decide, he’ll want to stay on the 26-man roster for everything of the season. If the Pink Sox need to take away him from the roster, they’ll want to position him on waivers. If he clears waivers, he’ll be supplied again to the Giants. It’s not totally different than once they acquired Garrett Whitlock or Justin Slaten.
