This story was excerpted from Maria Guardado's Giants Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

The Giants knew Carson Ragsdale had the talent to develop into an impact arm. The only question was whether the 6-foot-8 right-hander would be able to stay healthy enough to consistently perform on the mound.

Acquired from the Phillies in exchange for Sam Coonrod, Ragsdale recorded a solid 4.43 ERA over 24 starts for Single-A San Jose in his first season in the Giants organization in 2021, but he endured a major setback the following year, when he missed almost the entire '22 campaign after undergoing surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome.

Ragsdale returned to post a 2.93 ERA with 42 strikeouts over 27 2/3 innings in seven starts for High-A Eugene in 2023, but he ended up being shut down again with a right elbow injury and didn’t pitch after May 13. Ragsdale became eligible for the Rule 5 Draft for the first time last fall, but the Giants opted to leave him unprotected since he’d been limited to only 12 appearances over the previous two seasons.

After grinding through more rehab, Ragsdale was finally able to put it together in 2024, when he logged a 4.18 ERA over 27 outings (26 starts) between Double-A Richmond and Triple-A Sacramento. His comeback season finally earned him a coveted spot on the Giants’ 40-man roster on Tuesday, ensuring that he’ll be unavailable to be poached by another team in the Rule 5 Draft next month.

“He’s had a couple of years of really tough injuries,” senior director of player development Kyle Haines said in a phone interview. “He just battled through rehab. It’s a great story of perseverance and also talent. He’s incredibly talented but also just a really, really nice kid. He’s so easy to root for.

"When you see everything that he’s gone through on the injury side, it makes you realize he’s very hungry. It’s a very well-earned honor. He didn’t just do it with his work on the field when he was healthy. To get to the health part was quite the battle for him through multiple issues. What he had to overcome to get to this point has been tremendous. We know he’s going to be strong and healthy and very impactful on the field.”

The Giants have had success developing quality starting pitchers in recent years, with Logan Webb, Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong, Keaton Winn, Landen Roupp and Trevor McDonald among the homegrown arms who made big league appearances this year. Now that he’s on the 40-man roster, the 26-year-old Ragsdale should have a chance to contribute next season, as well.

“He’s a big presence on the mound,” Haines said. “I think that’s the first thing that stands out. He’s definitely a different look for hitters as far as how big he is. Obviously, a higher release height than most and really good extension just because he’s got such long levers.

"You combine it with a mid-90s fastball with multiple offspeed weapons that are plus -- you’re going to see kind of that curveball/splitter offspeed arsenal. He throws a lot of strikes, as well. He’s a big, physical right-handed starter. If you move him to the bullpen, he probably would touch 100 [mph], but he’s also a mid-90s starter.”

Ragsdale was one of two pitching prospects who were added to the 40-man roster this week, joining fellow righty Carson Seymour, who is ranked the Giants’ No. 23 prospect per MLB Pipeline. Acquired from the Mets as part of the Darin Ruf trade in August 2022, Seymour ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League with a 4.82 ERA over 29 appearances (28 starts) for Triple-A Sacramento in 2024.

“He was incredibly consistent throughout the entire year and arguably one of the more consistent starting pitchers in that entire league,” Haines said. “You’re going to look at the ERA and say, ‘Oh, that’s good,’ but when you compare it to the league averages, you realize it’s actually really, really plus performance from a starter when you consider the hitters’ environment. He’s done that consistently ever since we traded for him.

“Once again, he’s big. He’s 6-foot-[6], [260] pounds. You’re looking at mid-to-even-upper 90s fastballs, and then a really good, hard slider. His slider will touch 90-plus [mph] on the radar gun. It’s a power arsenal. Starter frame, starter delivery, starter upside, but once again, in an emergency, if you had to put him in the bullpen, he probably could help the team there, as well.”