George Kirby (baseball)

George Joseph Kirby (born February 8, 1998) is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Seattle Mariners organization.

George Kirby
Seattle Mariners
Pitcher
Born: (1998-02-08) February 8, 1998
Rye, New York
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

Amateur career

Kirby graduated from Rye High School in Rye, New York, where he played baseball. As a senior, he went 6–0 with a 0.32 ERA and 73 strikeouts in 43+1⁄3 innings.[1] He was selected by the New York Mets in the 32nd round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign and instead chose to attend Elon University to play college baseball for the Elon Phoenix.[2]

As a freshman at Elon in 2017, Kirby appeared in 16 games (five starts) and pitched to a 1–3 record with a 4.84 ERA, striking out 55 batters in 61+ 1⁄3 innings.[3] He was named to the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) All-Rookie Team.[4] In 2018, as a sophomore, Kirby appeared and started in 15 games, going 10–3 with a 2.89 ERA and 96 strikeouts in 90+ 1⁄3 innings.[5] He earned a spot on the All-CAA Second Team.[6] After the season, Kirby played in the Cape Cod Baseball League for the Harwich Mariners where he posted a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings.[7] Prior to the 2019 season, Kirby was named a preseason All-American by both Baseball America and Perfect Game.[8][9] He was named the 2019 CAA Pitcher of the Year after going 8–2 with a 2.75 ERA in 14 starts, striking out 107 batters and walking only six in 88+1⁄3 innings.[10][11]

Professional career

Considered to be one of the top prospects for the 2019 Major League Baseball draft, Kirby was drafted by the Seattle Mariners with the 20th overall pick.[12][13] He signed with Seattle for $3.24 million.[14] After signing, he was assigned to the Everett AquaSox of the Class A Short Season Northwest League, with whom he spent all of the 2019 season.[15][16] Over nine games (eight starts), Kirby compiled a 2.35 ERA, striking out 25 over 23 innings.[17] Kirby did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.[18] To begin 2021, he returned to Everett, now members of the High-A West.[19] In August, he was promoted to the Arkansas Travelers of the Double-A Central.[20] Over 15 starts between the two clubs, Kirby compiled a 5–3 record and 2.53 ERA, striking out eighty batters over 67+2⁄3 innings.[21]

Kirby returned to Arkansas to open the 2022 season.[22]

References
  1. "Rye's George Kirby 'anxious' heading into MLB draft". lohud.com. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  2. "RYE'S KIRBY DRAFTED BY NY METS IN 32ND ROUND". MyRye.com. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  3. "George Kirby could be Elon's highest-ever draft pick". The 3rd Man In. February 11, 2019. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  4. "UNCW'S GOLDEN HEADLINES ALL-CAA BASEBALL TEAM". caasports.com. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  5. "Kyle Brnovich, George Kirby Are Attracting MLB Scouts' Attention At Elon". Baseball America. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  6. "MCCONNELL, ROONEY HEADLINE 2018 ALL-CAA BASEBALL TEAM". caasports.com. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  7. "2018 Cape Cod League Top Prospects 41-50". Baseball America. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  8. "Wallner, Ginn, Caracci earn preseason All-American honors from Baseball America". WTVA. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  9. "College Preseason All-Americans". Perfect Game. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  10. "Elon's Kirby, Kennedy collect major CAA baseball honors". The Times-News. Retrieved May 31, 2019.
  11. "Baseball: Rye's George Kirby ready for life-changing 2019 MLB draft". lohud.com. Retrieved June 3, 2019.
  12. Johns, Greg (June 3, 2019). "Mariners select college arms on Day 1 of Draft". MLB.com. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  13. Jude, Adam (June 3, 2019). "Mariners select Elon pitcher George Kirby in first round of MLB draft". The Seattle Times. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  14. "MLB Draft Tracker". MLB.com.
  15. "Top draftees, prospects begin short-season play". MLB.com.
  16. "M's top pick Kirby slated to start pitching for AquaSox in July". June 22, 2019.
  17. Smith, Lauren (August 10, 2020). "Mariners prospect George Kirby is on the mound in Tacoma and pitching 'with a lot of intent'". The News Tribune. Tacoma. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  18. "2020 Minor League Baseball season canceled". MLB.com.
  19. Smith, Lauren (April 30, 2021). "Mariners announce minor league rosters for 2021 — that means Kelenic and Gilbert in Tacoma". The News Tribune. Tacoma. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  20. "2 exciting Mariners prospects hit Double-A". MLB.com.
  21. Gilberto, Gerard (November 9, 2021). "Prospect season in review: Mariners' Kirby". MLB.com. Retrieved March 29, 2022.
  22. https://twitter.com/MsPlayerDev/status/1512126299900239876/photo/2
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