Relatively unknown until breaking out as a Mississippi high school senior in 2019, McDonald signed for second-round money ($797,500) as an 11th-rounder. He has performed well throughout his pro career but worked just 223 innings in his first five years as a pro because of the pandemic shutdown in 2020 and persistent hamstring injuries that cost him most of the first four months of last season. He was spectacular in High-A after returning, posting a 0.96 ERA with 39/8 K/BB and 4.86 groundout/flyout ratios in 37 2/3 innings, and San Francisco added him to its 40-man roster in November.
McDonald continues to add strength and velocity each year, with his fastball sitting at 93-96 mph and topping out at 98 in 2023. While his heater has more sink down in the zone than trendy carry up top, it misses enough bats and elicits a lot of groundouts. His low-80s curveball improved last season, and it's now a consistent plus pitch with good shape, while his tight mid-80s slider flashes similar upside.
Besides getting innings and experience, McDonald's biggest needs are to continue refining his sinking mid-80s changeup and his command. Some scouts don't love his short arm action, but he has improved his delivery and continues to provide more and higher quality strikes. If what he showed late last season is real, he could be on the path to becoming a No. 3 starter.
McDonald broke out as a Mississippi high school senior in 2019, touching 95 mph at a January showcase, dominating two-sport star Jerrion Ealy in a March matchup and striking out 30 over two playoff starts. The Giants took him in the 11th round and signed him away from a South Alabama commitment for $797,500, the equivalent of second-round money. The pandemic shutdown in 2020 delayed his development but he thrived in his first extended taste of full-season ball last year, recording a 2.31 ERA with 120 strikeouts in 101 1/3 innings, mostly in Single-A.
Added strength has helped McDonald pick up a couple of ticks of velocity since turning pro, and he now works at 92-95 mph and reaches 97, albeit with more life down in the zone than the carry at the top that's more in vogue. His breaking pitches get mixed reviews from scouts, with some thinking his low-80s curveball and tight mid-80s slider/cutter could become solid offerings and others believing they're more fringy. His mid-80s changeup has decent sink but could use more velocity separation from the fastball.
While some evaluators express concern about McDonald's lack of size and arm action, the Giants think his strength and athleticism will allow him to remain a starter. He has cleaned up his delivery since signing and is throwing more and better strikes. If he continues to improve his secondary pitches and control, he could become a No. 4 starter.
McDonald's stock soared in the six months leading up to the 2019 Draft when he touched 95 mph at a January showcase, overmatched two-sport star Jerrion Ealy in a March showdown and fanned 30 in two Mississippi high school playoff starts. The Giants selected him in the 11th round and signed him away from a South Alabama commitment for $797,500, the equivalent of second-round money. San Francisco has brought him along slowly because of his youth and the lost 2020 season, but he has thrived in his first real taste of full-season ball this year.
McDonald has added about 2 mph of fastball velocity since turning pro and now operates at 93-95 and touches 97, though it features more downward movement than the carry that's in vogue. His best secondary pitch is a mid-80s slider that sometimes turns into a harder cutter. He also has an average low-80s curveball with more depth and a mid-80s changeup with decent sink.
Though concerns about whether McDonald's lack of size and long arm action are suitable for a big league starter date back to his amateur days, the Giants believe in his strength and athleticism. They've helped him clean up his delivery and throw more strikes, boosting his chances of remaining in the rotation. He also could be useful coming out of the bullpen and relying more heavily on his fastball and slider.
2021
After flying under the radar, McDonald boosted his stock for the 2019 Draft by hitting 95 mph at a January showcase, dominating highly touted two-sport star Jerrion Ealy in a March matchup and striking out 30 in two Mississippi high school playoff starts in April. The Giants took him in the 11th round and signed him away from a South Alabama commitment for $797,500, the equivalent of second-round money. He has yet to pitch much in pro ball, working four Rookie-ball innings in his debut and attending instructional league last fall.
McDonald operated at 91-93 mph with running action on his fastball in high school and has started to get stronger since signing, allowing him to touch 95 mph more regularly during instructs. His low-80s slider has the makings of a solid pitch but needs more consistency. He also utilizes a curveball with depth and a changeup with sink, both of which project as average offerings as he uses them more often.
Scouts who saw McDonald as an amateur had some concerns about his size, listed at a generous 6-foot-2, but San Francisco believes he has the strength and athleticism to remain a starter. His arm action is a bit long but he repeats his delivery well and provides strikes. He has the ceiling of a No. 4 starter and also could wind up as a useful bullpen piece.
McDonald surprised scouts by running his fastball up to 95 mph at a showcase in January 2019, then continued to raise his profile with a strong senior season. He dominated two-sport star Jerrion Ealy in a March matchup and totaled 30 strikeouts in a pair of playoff starts a month later. His South Alabama commitment worried clubs and knocked him down to the 11th round, where the Giants signed him for $797,500, the equivalent of supplemental second-round money.
McDonald already operates at 91-94 mph and touches 96 with his fastball, which features riding action and should add more velocity as he matures physically. His low-80s slider lacks consistency but shows the makings of a solid second offering, and he also throws a distinctly different curveball with promising depth. His changeup has some sink and should improve as he uses it more often in pro ball.
While McDonald has some length to his arm action, he still repeats his delivery and finds the strike zone. The biggest concerns about him are his size -- some scouts think his listed height of 6-foot-2 is generous -- and lack of history against quality competition. San Francisco sees him as a low-mileage arm with the potential for a legitimate four-pitch mix.
George County High (Lucedale, Miss.) spawned fifth-rounders in both 2014 (Justin Steele) and 2016 (Walker Robbins), and has another player who could go in the same territory this June. That prospect was supposed to be catcher/right-hander Logan Tanner, but he has been surpassed by McDonald, who broke out by reaching 95 mph in a January showcase. He acquitted himself well during the spring, dominating highly touted Jerrion Ealy and Jackson Prep in March and fanning 30 in a pair of playoff starts in April.
McDonald regularly sits at 91-93 mph with running action on his fastball and should hold his velocity deeper into games as he gets stronger. His low-80s slider isn't as reliable yet but projects as a second solid offering, and he also owns a curveball with good depth. Though he hasn't needed a changeup very often, he has shown the makings of a decent one with some sink.
McDonald's arm action is a bit long but he repeats his delivery well and generally throws strikes. He comes with some concerns about his size, listed at what scouts believe is a generous 6-foot-2, and his lack of history against quality competition. He's also a good student who may be difficult to sign away from a South Alabama commitment.
How this works:
This section shows two different ways to evaluate pitch movement.
On the left, “Total Movement” shows the real-world movement of a pitch, including the forces of gravity, which affects every pitch thrown.
Since gravity requires time, and slower pitches aren't 'better' just because they have more time to move, a pitch's movement is compared to other pitches of the same pitch type, within +/- 2 MPH and +/- 0.5 feet of extension/release.
On the right, Induced Movement (or IVB) is reported without gravity, and attempts to isolate movement created by the pitcher's ability to spin and manipulate the ball.
! Note: Shifts are through the 2022 season, Shaded starting from the 2023 season, Shift:
three or more infielders are on the same side of second base, Shade: positioned outside of
their typical responsible slices of the field. Learn more about
how positioning is defined here
SF
