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Brad Keller (baseball)

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For the volleyball coach and player, see Brad Keller (volleyball).
Brad Keller
Kansas City Royals – No. 56
Pitcher
Born: (1995-07-27) July 27, 1995 (age 29)
Flowery Branch, Georgia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
March 29, 2018, for the Kansas City Royals
MLB statistics
(through 2022 season)
Win–loss record35–49
Earned run average4.25
Strikeouts475
Stats at Baseball Reference Edit this at Wikidata
Teams

Brad Michael Keller (born July 27, 1995) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Kansas City Royals of Major League Baseball (MLB).

Amateur career

Keller attended Flowery Branch High School in Flowery Branch, Georgia, playing for their baseball team, the Falcons. He was drafted by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the eighth round of the 2013 MLB draft.[1] He had committed to play college baseball at Presbyterian College, but chose to sign with the Diamondbacks rather than attend college.[2][3]

Professional career

Arizona Diamondbacks

Keller made his professional debut that year with the Arizona League Diamondbacks and was later promoted to the Missoula Osprey.[2][4] In 15 games (13 starts), he posted a 7–3 record and 2.44 ERA. In 2014, he pitched for the Arizona League Diamondbacks, Missoula and Hillsboro Hops,[5] going 6–4 with a 4.31 ERA over 15 games (12 starts). Keller pitched for the Kane County Cougars in 2015, going 8–9 with a 2.60 ERA over 26 games (25 starts), the Visalia Rawhide in 2016 where he went 9–7 with a 4.47 ERA in 24 starts, and 2017 with the Jackson Generals,[6] where he posted a 10–9 record and 4.68 ERA in 26 starts.[7]

Kansas City Royals

On December 14, 2017, Keller was selected by the Cincinnati Reds in the Rule 5 draft and immediately traded to the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations.[8][9]

Keller made the 25-man roster for the Royals in 2018[10] and had his MLB debut on Opening Day, March 29, pitching an inning of scoreless relief against the Chicago White Sox; he struck out the first batter he faced, Adam Engel.[11] He split time between the bullpen and the rotation, leading the team in ERA (3.08) and tied for first on the team in wins (9). He struck out 96 batters in 140+1⁄3 innings. On April 19, 2019, Keller received a five-game suspension by Major League Baseball, which concluded he intentionally threw a pitch that hit Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox.

On July 7, 2020, it was announced that Keller had tested positive for COVID-19.[12] Ten days later, he was cleared to return to the Royals’ Summer Camp after producing two negative tests at least 24 hours apart.[13] On September 13, 2020, Keller pitched the first complete game shutout of his career against the Pittsburgh Pirates, allowing five hits (only one for extra bases) and one walk, striking out two batters.[14] With the 2020 Kansas City Royals, Keller appeared in nine games, compiling a 5–3 record with 2.47 ERA and 35 strikeouts in 54+2⁄3 innings pitched.[15] In 2021, he started 26 games and posted an 8–12 record, a 5.39 ERA and 120 strikeouts in 133+2⁄3 innings.

References

  1. ^ Blomert, Mitch (June 7, 2013). "Flowery Branch's Keller drafted in 8th round by Arizona Diamondbacks". The Gainesville Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  2. ^ a b Blomert, Mitch (June 4, 2014). "Flowery Branch grad Keller making progress in Diamondbacks system". The Gainesville Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  3. ^ "Brad Keller". Baseball America Enterprises.
  4. ^ Thackham, David (June 24, 2015). "Flowery Branch graduate Brad Keller impressing for Single-A baseball team Kane County Cougars". The Gainesville Times. Archived from the original on June 6, 2021. Retrieved June 6, 2021.
  5. ^ Johnson, Paul (May 4, 2015). "Cougars pitcher Brad Keller's progress speeding up". Aurora Beacon-News. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018 – via the Chicago Tribune.
  6. ^ http://www.gainesvilletimes.com/archives/110494/ [dead link‍]
  7. ^ "Brad Keller Stats, Highlights, Bio". Minor League Baseball. Archived from the original on 2015-07-03. Retrieved January 28, 2018.
  8. ^ Flannagan, Jeffrey (December 14, 2017). "KC adds pair of high picks in Rule 5 Draft". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on 2017-12-14. Retrieved December 14, 2017.
  9. ^ Torres, Maria (March 23, 2018). "The Royals almost drafted this Rule-5 pitcher in 2013. Now he might join their bullpen". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on August 26, 2018.
  10. ^ Torres, Maria (March 29, 2018). "Hours before opener, Royals announce 25-man roster, cut Kyle Zimmer, Wily Peralta". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on March 29, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  11. ^ "White Sox vs. Royals – Box Score". ESPN. March 29, 2018. Archived from the original on March 21, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  12. ^ "Royals' Brad Keller, Ryan O'Hearn test positive for COVID-19". ESPN. Associated Press. July 7, 2020. Archived from the original on July 10, 2020. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  13. ^ Flanagan, Jeffrey (July 17, 2020). "KC notes: Keller returns; 2 test positive". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on July 20, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  14. ^ Worthy, Lynn (September 13, 2020). "A career-first for pitcher Brad Keller as Royals complete sweep and win sixth straight". The Kansas City Star. Archived from the original on October 20, 2020.
  15. ^ "Brad Keller #56". Major League Baseball. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08.
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