Camilo Doval

Doval signed with the San Francisco Giants as an international free agent at 18 years of age in October 2015, for a signing bonus of $100,000, as a shortstop.[4][5][6][7] In 2016 as a pitcher he had a 2–0 win–loss record with one save and a 1.66 earned run average (ERA) for the Rookie-level DSL Giants in the Dominican Summer League.[8] In 2017 he was 1–2 with one save and a 3.90 ERA, and had 14.2 strikeouts per 9 innings (2nd in the Arizona League) for the Rookie-level AZL Giants.[8]

In 2018 he was 0–3 with a 3.06 ERA and had 11 saves (5th in the South Atlantic League) in 44 games (2nd), as he struck out 13.2 batters per 9 innings (3rd).[8][9] Doval was a 2018 MiLB.com Organization All-Star, pitching for the Class A Augusta Greenjackets.[10][8] In 2019 he was 3–5 with a 3.83 ERA in 45 relief appearances (3rd in the league) for the Class A-Advanced San Jose Giants, as he allowed only 6.6 hits per 9 innings and struck out 12.8 batters per 9 innings.[8][11] He was a 2019 California League Mid-Season All-Star.[10] Doval averaged 12.8 strikeouts per 9 innings in his first four minor league seasons.[2]

Doval did not play in 2020 due to the cancellation of the Minor League Baseball season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[12] The Giants added him to their 40-man roster after the 2020 season.[13]

He split 2021 between the Triple-A West Sacramento River Cats and the major league Giants.[9] In July, pitching for the River Cats, Doval threw a pitch that was timed at 104.5 mph.[14] For the 2021 season for the River Cats, he was 3-0 with one save and a 4.99 ERA, and averaged 12.9 strikeouts per 9 innings over 28 relief appearances covering 30.2 innings.[15]

On April 16, 2021, Doval was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[16] He made his MLB debut at 23 years of age on April 18, pitching a scoreless inning of relief with 2 strikeouts against the Miami Marlins.

In September 2021 he became the second Giants pitcher since Statcast started tracking in 2008 to throw a pitch faster than 102 mph, joining Brian Wilson.[17] That same month, he became the youngest Giants pitcher, at 24 years and three months old, to record a save since Rod Beck in 1992.[18] Doval was named the National League Reliever of the Month for September/October after throwing 14.1 scoreless innings. He struck out 20 and walked only three batters in those appearances, and by the end was serving as the team’s closer.[19]

In the 2021 regular season with the Giants, Doval was 5-1 with three saves and a 3.00 ERA. In 29 relief appearance he pitched 27 innings in which he struck out 37 batters, averaging 6.3 hits and 12.3 strikeouts per 9 innings with a 1.037 WHIP.[20]

In the post-season, Doval threw a scoreless ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 4-0 win in Game 1 of the 2021 National League Division Series.[21] He next pitched two perfect innings to save the Giants 1-0 win over the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS. He became the first rookie to have a two-plus inning save in the postseason without allowing a baserunner since saves became an official statistic in 1969. It extended his scoreless streak to 19.1 innings, in which he allowed 8 hits, walked 3, and struck out 25.[22]

His four-seam fastball reaches 104 mph, and he also throws a high-80s hard slider and an occasional change-up.[1][6][8] He throws from a very low, nearly sidearm arm slot.[23]