Born in Aruba, Antwone Kelly pitched for the Netherlands during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Later that year, he had a year in the FCL, posting a 2.95 ERA and striking out 47 in 39.2 innings pitched.
It was an up-and-down year in 2024 for Kelly, which included a stint on the injured list. The ERA ballooned up to 4.43 (4.27 xFIP), striking out 65 in 69 innings pitched. The walks also jumped over the 11% mark. On May 2, he tossed five no-hit innings, followed by striking out six in five two-run frames in his May 8 start (the video is from that game). It was a rough go-around in his three games returning from the IL, allowing nine earned runs in nine innings.
Kelly averaged 94.2 mph with his fastball in 2024, which showed good life on it, but his best pitch was his changeup, which he threw 24.3% of the time and got a whiff rate of 35.7%.
There is some arm talent there, as Bradenton manager Jim Hornerraved about Kelly when I talked to him during the season. With the Pirates' success with pitchers, there is some upside there, but he remains more of a lottery ticket at this point.
For more on the Pirates' system, follow Bucs on Deck.
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THE ASYLUM
Anthony Murphy
1:01 pm - 01.03.2025Gordonsville, Va.Today's prospect: Antwone Kelly
Born in Aruba, Antwone Kelly pitched for the Netherlands during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Later that year, he had a year in the FCL, posting a 2.95 ERA and striking out 47 in 39.2 innings pitched.
It was an up-and-down year in 2024 for Kelly, which included a stint on the injured list. The ERA ballooned up to 4.43 (4.27 xFIP), striking out 65 in 69 innings pitched. The walks also jumped over the 11% mark. On May 2, he tossed five no-hit innings, followed by striking out six in five two-run frames in his May 8 start (the video is from that game). It was a rough go-around in his three games returning from the IL, allowing nine earned runs in nine innings.
Kelly averaged 94.2 mph with his fastball in 2024, which showed good life on it, but his best pitch was his changeup, which he threw 24.3% of the time and got a whiff rate of 35.7%.
There is some arm talent there, as Bradenton manager Jim Horner raved about Kelly when I talked to him during the season. With the Pirates' success with pitchers, there is some upside there, but he remains more of a lottery ticket at this point.
For more on the Pirates' system, follow Bucs on Deck.
Want to participate in our comments?
Want an ad-free experience?
Become a member, and enjoy premium benefits! Make your voice heard on the Steelers, Penguins and Pirates, and hear right back from tens of thousands of fellow Pittsburgh sports fans worldwide! Plus, access all our premium content, including Dejan Kovacevic columns, Friday Insider, daily Live Qs with the staff, more! And yeah, that's right, no ads at all!
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