Cole Waites
| Cole Waites | |
|---|---|
| San Francisco Giants – No. 76 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: June 10, 1998 Lawrenceville, Georgia | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| September 13, 2022, for the San Francisco Giants | |
| Teams | |
|
Cole Robert Waites (born June 10, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB).
Amateur career
Waites attended Archer High School in Lawrenceville, Georgia. He played college baseball, primarily as a starter, at the University of West Alabama, where his 118 strikeouts as a junior led the Gulf South Conference.[1][2] He was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the 18th round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.[3]
Professional career
Waites made his professional debut with the Arizona League Giants. He did not play for a team in 2020 due to the Minor League Baseball season being cancelled because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Waites returned in 2021 after missing most of the season recovering from knee surgery for torn meniscus to pitch for the Arizona Complex League Giants and San Jose Giants.[4][5] In 2021 as a reliever he was a combined 2-0 with two saves and an 0.68 ERA, as in 13.1 innings he gave up one hit and struck out 31 batters.[6] After the season, he pitched in the Arizona Fall League.[7][8] Waites started 2022 with the Eugene Emeralds before being promoted to the Richmond Flying Squirrels and Sacramento River Cats, pitching out of the bullpen.[9]
On September 12, 2022, the Giants selected Waites' contract and promoted him to the major leagues.[10] At the time of his call-up, between the three minor league teams in 2022 he was 4-3 with a 1.99 ERA as in 40.2 innings he gave up 25 hits and had 75 strikeouts.[11] In his minor league career to that point, in 71.1 innings he had a 45.12% strikeout rate (averaging 16.9 strikeouts per 9 innings) and 2.78 ERA, with a 13.8% walk rate.[12]
Pitching style
Waites relies primarily on a mid-90s fastball that has reached 100 mph, and an above-average slider.[13]
References
- ^ "'Electric fastball' powering Squirrels' Waites through Giants system".
- ^ "Cole Waites strikes out school record in UWA baseball win".
- ^ "UWA baseball's Waites drafted by Giants".
- ^ "'Electric fastball' powering Squirrels' Waites through Giants system".
- ^ "SF Giants call up hard-throwing pitching prospect Cole Waites".
- ^ "Cole Waites College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics".
- ^ "How Luciano, Giants prospects played in Arizona Fall League".
- ^ "Seven SF Giants prospects get important invitations to Fall League". October 6, 2021.
- ^ "Cole Waites College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics".
- ^ "Archer grad Cole Waites called up to majors by San Francisco Giants".
- ^ "Cole Waites College, Amateur, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics".
- ^ "Giants Make Five Roster Moves".
- ^ "SF Giants call up hard-throwing pitching prospect Cole Waites".
External links
- Career statistics from Baseball Reference (Minors)