The 11th round -- the first round where specific slot bonuses go away -- is where teams try to pick up some quality talents who may have dropped in the Draft process. That’s where the D-backs got Giesting out of UNC Charlotte in 2022, signing him for $400,000 ($275,000 of which counted toward their bonus pool). The left-hander spent all of his first full season with High-A Hillsboro, where he fanned 124 in 117 innings, and he returned to the Northwest League for even more dominance this year (1.50 ERA, 67 K, 13 BB in 60 IP). He was promoted in late June to Double-A Amarillo, where the Sod Poodles’ hitter-friendly home has done him no favors.
The 6-foot-4 hurler sets up on the first-base side of the rubber and throws from a three-quarters arm slot. His fastball only sits 89-91 mph (touching 93), but his delivery allows for some flat angle to the pitch and some ability to spot it high and armside (i.e., up and in to lefties, far and away from righties). His best pitch is easily his 78-82 mph slider, a sweeping breaking ball that batters from both sides have difficulty picking up. As of late July, it was getting whiffs on half of the swings it generated at Double-A. Giesting also has a tight upper-80s cutter he uses to spot for a strike. His feel for spin helps him flash an upper-70s curveball, while his mid-80s changeup is rarely used.
Giesting posted his best control numbers in his Hillsboro return, but Double-A batters have done a better job of laying off his stuff outside the zone, causing his walks to balloon again. The slider alone will fuel his rise toward Arizona and could make him an effective reliever.
