SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Landen Roupp has been one of the pitching prospects who has generated significant buzz in Giants camp this spring, but the 25-year-old right-hander had to wait longer than usual to get his first taste of Cactus League action.

The Giants slow-played Roupp after he missed three months with a back injury last year, and his spring debut was delayed even further following two consecutive rainouts this week.

Still, Roupp didn’t disappoint once he finally got a chance to take the mound on Saturday afternoon, striking out two while working a 1-2-3 eighth inning in the Giants’ 5-1 win over the A’s at Scottsdale Stadium.

Roupp, the Giants’ No. 12 prospect, coaxed a groundout from Jacob Wilson and then struck out Daz Cameron and Shea Langeliers using his wipeout curveball, which is viewed as one of the best breaking balls in the organization.

“He’s got a chance to be special,” manager Bob Melvin said. “With the movement, the velocity, kind of the angle that he throws from. There’s a real determined look in his face. It seems like he’s quite the competitor.”

A 12th-round Draft pick out of UNC Wilmington in 2021, Roupp sat in the low 90s in college, but he’s enjoyed an uptick in velocity since joining the Giants’ organization. He topped out at 97 mph with his sinker on Saturday, though he suspected the radar gun on the scoreboard may have been running a little hot.

“I don’t even think I’ve ever hit 96, honestly,” Roupp said. “I don’t know where that came from, but I’m glad it came out. When I walked into the dugout and everyone said I hit 97, I didn’t believe them at all because I’ve never even hit 96.”

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While Roupp didn’t possess premium velocity in college, he always had the ability to spin the ball.

“Just grip it and rip it,” Roupp said of his upper-70s breaking ball. “It’s definitely gotten better since college. It’s gotten bigger, sweepier. Just being able to locate it wherever I want and having confidence in it.”

“I don’t know what he calls it, but it’s almost like a sweeper, curveball, slider all combined,” said reliever Austin Warren, Roupp’s former college teammate.

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Roupp also throws a four-seam fastball, a cutter and a changeup, but the key for him will simply be to stay healthy this year. The back issue limited him to only 10 starts at Double-A Richmond in 2023, but he dominated when he was on the mound, logging a 1.74 ERA with 42 strikeouts and nine walks over 31 innings.

Even with the injuries to Alex Cobb, Robbie Ray and Tristan Beck, Roupp likely isn’t a candidate to crack the Giants’ Opening Day rotation out of Spring Training, but he should be in line to contribute to the big league club at some point this year.

“First of all, amazing job by our scouting department,” director of player development Kyle Haines said. “But a lot of credit goes to him. He keeps getting better and better. He refines his pitches. The velo is going up since we got him. The breaking ball seems to be getting better and better. The command gets better and better. He’s super focused, super competitive. … I’m not shocked at all that he’s grabbing eyes.”

Hicks dominates
Right-hander Jordan Hicks struck out six over three scoreless innings in his third spring start. Hicks said he had been feeling under the weather in recent days and was operating at more of a “90 percent effort” level on Saturday, but he still racked up plenty of punchouts using his slider.

“Today was the first time I got through three, and I felt really good,” Hicks said. “I felt like I could have kept going. My legs were a little fatigued, but if I wasn’t fatigued the last few days, I think I would have been asking for more.”

Worth noting
• Jorge Soler made his first appearance in the outfield on Saturday, logging five innings in right field. Soler is expected to be the Giants’ primary designated hitter, but he could get some starts in the outfield to try to open up more playing time for other right-handed bats like Wilmer Flores during the regular season.

“If we can do it once a week during the season, it opens up the DH spot to maybe be able to recycle that a little bit and get some guys half a day off,” Melvin said. “He’s inspired to do it. If he’s able to do it, it would help us out a little bit.”

• Right-hander Mason Black, the favorite to win the fifth spot in the Giants’ rotation, gave up one run on three hits over two innings in his third spring appearance.