Hayden Birdsong Bio
Hayden Birdsong (born August 30, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball (MLB). Standing 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing around 215 pounds, the right-hander has been a member of the Giants organization since being selected in the 2022 MLB Draft. He played college baseball for the Eastern Illinois Panthers and made his major league debut in 2024.
After developing through the Giants’ farm system as both a starter and a reliever, Birdsong has built a reputation for a powerful fastball and a sharp curveball. His rapid climb from college pitcher to big-league starter highlighted the organization’s confidence in his arm talent.
Early Life and Background
Birdsong grew up in Illinois and attended Mattoon High School in Mattoon, where he played baseball. As a junior in 2019, he helped the Mattoon team capture the Apollo Conference Championship and was recognized for his performance with a spot on the All-Apollo Conference First Team. Those early years in high school competition helped him develop the foundation he would later lean on as a professional pitcher.
His family has been a steady presence throughout his baseball journey. Birdsong’s parents, Stacey and Paula, along with his sister, Hayley, attended his 2024 MLB debut in person, a moment that reflected the family’s consistent support of his athletic career.
Path to Baseball
Following high school, Birdsong spent one season at Lake Land College in 2020, where he struck out 20 batters in 15 innings over four games, including three starts, before the season was cut short by the COVID-19 pandemic. He then transferred to Eastern Illinois University to play for the Panthers, beginning his climb toward a higher level of competition.
At Eastern Illinois, Birdsong worked through the growing pains of adjusting to college-level hitting. He posted a 9.76 ERA in 2021 before showing significant improvement in 2022, when he led the team with a 3.35 ERA over 45 2/3 innings, earned First Team All-Ohio Valley Conference honors, and posted a 1.40 ERA in conference play. That summer, he also pitched for the Lakeshore Chinooks in the Northwoods League, where he went 2-0 with a 4.15 ERA and 31 strikeouts in 17 1/3 innings, drawing the attention of MLB scouts.
Hayden Birdsong Career
Early Career (2022-2023)
The San Francisco Giants selected Birdsong in the sixth round, with the 196th overall pick, of the 2022 Major League Baseball Draft. He signed for an under-slot bonus of $187,500 and was assigned to the rookie-level Arizona Complex League Giants and Single-A San Jose Giants, where he struck out 23 batters in 11 2/3 innings in his first professional season.
In 2023, Birdsong pitched across three minor-league levels, including Low-A San Jose, High-A Eugene, and Double-A Richmond. He combined for a 2-5 record, a 3.31 ERA, and 149 strikeouts in 100 2/3 innings, finishing the year with the best ERA among Giants minor leaguers who had thrown at least 100 innings. On July 4, 2023, while pitching for Eugene, he delivered five no-hit innings with a career-high 11 strikeouts as part of a combined no-hitter against the Tri-City Dust Devils, a performance that underscored his growing reputation as a strikeout pitcher.
Major League Debut and Rookie Season (2024)
Birdsong began the 2024 season with Double-A Richmond and was promoted to the Triple-A Sacramento River Cats after logging a 2.05 ERA with 61 strikeouts across 11 starts. On June 26, 2024, the Giants selected his contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time.
That same day, Birdsong made his major league debut at Oracle Park against the Chicago Cubs, starting the game and allowing three runs in 4 2/3 innings. He went on to make 16 starts for the Giants during his rookie campaign, finishing with a 5-6 record, a 4.75 ERA, and 88 strikeouts across 72 innings pitched, establishing himself as a depth option in the team’s starting rotation.
San Francisco Giants Era (2025-Present)
Birdsong opened the 2025 season working out of the Giants’ bullpen and posted a 2.31 ERA in his first 11 relief appearances, showing immediate effectiveness in shorter stints. On May 20, he made his first start of the year against the Kansas City Royals, pitching five scoreless innings, allowing five hits with no walks, and striking out four to earn the win in a 3-2 Giants victory.
His transition back into the starting role proved more difficult, as he recorded a 6.17 ERA with 27 walks in 42 1/3 innings over 10 starts. On July 22, 2025, the Giants optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento as the team reshuffled its pitching staff.
Driving Style and Strengths
Birdsong is a 6-foot-4, 215-pound right-handed pitcher who throws four different pitches. His primary offering is a four-seam fastball that sits in the mid-90s, typically 93-97 mph and reaching as high as 99 mph, with both riding and running action that makes it difficult to square up. His main secondary pitch is a curveball in the upper-70s to low-80s that features significant depth and is considered his best bat-missing pitch, while he also mixes in a mid-80s slider and a changeup to keep hitters off balance. Initially developed as a starter by the Giants, he has shown he can also contribute in a relief role when needed.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining early moments of Birdsong’s professional career came on July 4, 2023, when he threw five no-hit innings with 11 strikeouts for High-A Eugene in a combined no-hitter against the Tri-City Dust Devils. His MLB debut on June 26, 2024, at Oracle Park, attended by his parents and sister, marked the realization of a lifelong goal. He added another highlight on May 20, 2025, when he delivered five scoreless innings against the Kansas City Royals to earn a win in his first start of that season.
Hayden Birdsong Career Wins
Across his time with the San Francisco Giants organization, Hayden Birdsong has compiled a growing list of victories at multiple levels. His professional wins span the minor leagues and Major League Baseball, with his major league debut win coming during the 2024 season and additional victories added during 2025, including a strong start against the Kansas City Royals.
Major League Highlights
Birdsong made 16 starts for the Giants during his 2024 rookie season, finishing with a 5-6 record while logging 88 strikeouts in 72 innings. He added to that total in 2025, including a five-inning, scoreless outing against the Kansas City Royals on May 20 that produced a win in a 3-2 Giants victory. His ability to miss bats and absorb innings has been central to his value as a young starting pitcher in the organization.
Hayden Birdsong Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Birdsong comes from a close family that has supported his baseball career from his high school days in Mattoon, Illinois, through his MLB debut with the San Francisco Giants.
Personal Life
Birdsong’s parents, Stacey and Paula, and his sister, Hayley, were in attendance at his MLB debut on June 26, 2024, at Oracle Park. The family has remained a visible source of encouragement throughout his progression from Eastern Illinois University to the Giants’ major league roster.
2025 Season Performance
Birdsong’s 2025 campaign has been a study in adaptation, beginning with a strong run out of the bullpen before a return to the starting rotation. Through his first 11 relief appearances, he posted a 2.31 ERA, showing the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that had defined his minor-league resume. His May 20 start against the Kansas City Royals, in which he threw five scoreless innings to secure a 3-2 win, suggested that he was ready to handle a starter’s workload again.
The transition back to starting proved uneven, as Birdsong logged a 6.17 ERA with 27 walks across 42 1/3 innings in 10 starts. The Giants optioned him to Triple-A Sacramento on July 22, 2025, to allow him to refine his command and mechanics on a regular schedule. The organization remains committed to his long-term development as a starter, given his fastball velocity and curveball depth, and his path back to the major league rotation will likely depend on his ability to limit free passes and pitch deeper into games.