Right-hander Hayden Birdsong hasn’t enjoyed the smoothest start to Cactus League play, but the San Francisco Giants remain focused on the bigger picture as they evaluate their young pitching depth this spring.

The 24-year-old is still firmly in the conversation as part of the club’s long-term pitching outlook, even as his early spring outings have produced uneven results.

According to Perla Paredes of MLB.com, Birdsong entered camp hoping to build momentum from parts of his 2025 season.

Early in that year, he impressed while pitching out of the bullpen, posting a 2.31 ERA across his first 11 appearances. Later, he transitioned back into a starting role but struggled to maintain that success, finishing with a 6.17 ERA over 10 starts before being optioned to Triple-A Sacramento.

The ups and downs have continued this spring.

In his first appearance of the spring on Feb. 21, Birdsong endured a difficult outing, retiring only one of the six batters he faced while allowing five runs.

The inning included two hits, two walks, and a grand slam, and he needed 26 pitches before exiting the frame.

His next appearance showed slight improvement but still came with challenges. Birdsong allowed three runs on four hits and a walk while also surrendering a home run, though he did record his first strikeout of the spring.

However, Birdsong displayed a glimpse of his upside during Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.

Entering in the sixth inning and facing the top of Cleveland’s lineup, Birdsong allowed a leadoff double to Brayan Rocchio before retiring Steven Kwan on a groundout.

He then struck out José Ramírez with a 97.9 mph four-seam fastball before getting Chase DeLauter to ground out and end the inning.

For manager Tony Vitello, moments like that matter more than the early stat line.

“It just solidifies that you’re capable of doing it,” Vitello said. “That’s a good thought process, but it helps if you’ve actually done something at a high level ... [and] that’s pretty high level right there.”

Birdsong is part of a larger group of young pitchers competing for opportunities this spring, including Trevor McDonald, Blade Tidwell, and Carson Seymour.

“I would go ahead and lump [Birdsong] with Tidwell and Seymour,” Vitello said. “If you’ve got the ability to potentially start and go through an order for five or six innings ... [and] we just handed you the ball and said go get three outs, it [would] probably be a pretty good setup.”

Birdsong’s versatility could eventually lead him to a variety of roles, whether that’s as a starter, a multi-inning reliever, or even in high-leverage situations out of the bullpen.

“I don’t think anything has been fully decided at this point,” Vitello said. “His potential hasn’t changed.”

Vitello also emphasized the importance of confidence as Birdsong continues developing.

“He’s a good kid,” Vitello said. “Sometimes that can work against you if you try to shoulder the weight of the world and make everybody pleased.”

Ultimately, the Giants see Birdsong’s development as part of the natural progression young pitchers experience.

“He’s had his hands full growing up ... and you all have seen snapshots of what he can do,” Vitello said. “He’s got a fun ride ahead of him, and he’s at the early stages of climbing Camelback Mountain, if you will.”

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