Biographical
Mitch Keller PCSS Button No Image Css3Menu.com Pirates Player Cards | Pirates Team Audit | Pirates Depth Chart |
|
2019 Projections (Preseason PECOTA - seasonal age 23)
| IP | ERA | WHIP | SO | W | L | SV | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Login or Subscribe today for access to projections! | |||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||
- 2015
- 2016
- 2017
- 2018
- 0.22019
proj
WARP Summary
MLB Statistics
Historical (past-seasons) WARP is now based on DRA..cFIP and DRA are not available on a by-team basis and display as zeroes(0). See TOT line for season totals of these stats.
Multiple stints are are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | PIT | MLB | 11 | 11 | 48.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 72 | 16 | 65 | 6 | 99 | 13.5 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 12.2 | 41% | .475 | 1.83 | 3.14 | 7.13 | 75 | 4.18 | 85.8 | 0.8 |
| Career | MLB | 11 | 11 | 48.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 72 | 16 | 65 | 6 | 99 | 13.5 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 12.2 | 41% | .475 | 1.83 | 3.14 | 7.13 | 75 | 4.18 | 85.8 | 0.8 | |
Statistics for All Levels
'opp' stats - Quality of opponents faced - have been moved and are available only as OPP_QUAL in the Statistics reports now.Minor league stats are currently shown —Click to hide.
| YEAR | Team | Lg | LG | G | GS | IP | W | L | SV | H | BB | SO | HR | PPF | H/9 | BB/9 | HR/9 | K/9 | GB% | BABIP | WHIP | FIP | ERA | cFIP | DRA | DRA- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | PIR | Rk | GCL | 9 | 8 | 27.3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 13 | 29 | 0 | 6.3 | 4.3 | 0.0 | 9.5 | 0% | .279 | 1.17 | 3.12 | 1.98 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2015 | BRI | Rk | APP | 6 | 6 | 19.7 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 25 | 16 | 25 | 1 | 100 | 11.4 | 7.3 | 0.5 | 11.4 | 0% | .429 | 2.08 | 4.53 | 5.49 | 107 | 7.39 | 162.1 |
| 2016 | WVA | A | SAL | 23 | 23 | 124.3 | 8 | 5 | 0 | 96 | 18 | 131 | 4 | 97 | 6.9 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 9.5 | 48% | .284 | 0.92 | 2.40 | 2.46 | 75 | 2.79 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | BRD | A+ | FSL | 1 | 1 | 6.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 102 | 7.5 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 10.5 | 47% | .333 | 1.00 | 1.41 | 0.00 | 78 | 3.39 | 74.9 |
| 2017 | WEV | A- | NYP | 2 | 2 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 107 | 4.5 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 15.8 | 43% | .286 | 0.75 | 1.43 | 0.00 | 74 | 2.46 | 52.3 |
| 2017 | BRD | A+ | FSL | 15 | 15 | 77.3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 57 | 20 | 64 | 5 | 99 | 6.6 | 2.3 | 0.6 | 7.4 | 55% | .248 | 1.00 | 3.54 | 3.14 | 96 | 3.14 | 66.9 |
| 2017 | ALT | AA | EAS | 6 | 6 | 34.7 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 25 | 11 | 45 | 2 | 97 | 6.5 | 2.9 | 0.5 | 11.7 | 48% | .280 | 1.04 | 2.51 | 3.12 | 69 | 2.41 | 51.3 |
| 2017 | GDD | Wnt | AFL | 6 | 6 | 23.7 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 5 | 13 | 1 | 7.2 | 1.9 | 0.4 | 4.9 | 0% | .257 | 1.01 | 4.11 | 1.52 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 | |
| 2018 | BRD | A+ | FSL | 1 | 1 | 4.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 108 | 15.8 | 2.3 | 0.0 | 4.5 | 69% | .438 | 2.00 | 3.22 | 2.25 | 106 | 6.86 | 145.0 |
| 2018 | ALT | AA | EAS | 14 | 14 | 86.0 | 9 | 2 | 0 | 64 | 32 | 76 | 7 | 89 | 6.7 | 3.3 | 0.7 | 8.0 | 55% | .251 | 1.12 | 3.72 | 2.72 | 99 | 3.55 | 75.1 |
| 2018 | IND | AAA | INT | 10 | 10 | 52.3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 59 | 22 | 57 | 3 | 93 | 10.1 | 3.8 | 0.5 | 9.8 | 35% | .366 | 1.55 | 3.21 | 4.82 | 98 | 6.93 | 146.5 |
| 2019 | PIT | MLB | NL | 11 | 11 | 48.0 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 72 | 16 | 65 | 6 | 99 | 13.5 | 3.0 | 1.1 | 12.2 | 41% | .475 | 1.83 | 3.14 | 7.13 | 75 | 4.18 | 85.8 |
| 2019 | IND | AAA | INT | 19 | 19 | 103.7 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 94 | 35 | 123 | 9 | 95 | 8.2 | 3.0 | 0.8 | 10.7 | 46% | .315 | 1.24 | 3.59 | 3.56 | 83 | 3.38 | 69.6 |
Plate Discipline
| YEAR | Pits | Zone% | Swing% | Contact% | Z-Swing% | O-Swing% | Z-Contact% | O-Contact% | SwStr% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 753 | 0.4940 | 0.5166 | 0.7352 | 0.7043 | 0.3333 | 0.8282 | 0.5433 | 0.2648 |
| Career | 753 | 0.4940 | 0.5166 | 0.7352 | 0.7043 | 0.3333 | 0.8282 | 0.5433 | 0.2648 |
Injury History — No longer being updated | Last Update: 12/31/2014 23:59 ET |
| Date On | Date Off | Transaction | Days | Games | Side | Body Part | Injury | Severity | Surgery Date | Reaggravation |
|---|
Compensation
|
|
2019 Preseason Forecast | Last Update: 1/27/2017 12:35 ET |
| PCT | W | L | SV | G | GS | IP | H | BB | SO | HR | BABIP | WHIP | ERA | DRA | VORP | WARP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weighted Mean | ? | ? | ? | ? | ? | 0.0 | ? | 0 | 0 | ? | .000 | 0.00 | 0.00 | ? | 0.0 | 0.0 |
|
|
BP Articles
Click here to see articles tagged with Mitch KellerBP Chats
| Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| 2021-03-26 13:00:00 (link to chat) | I have Mitch Keller at a really low salary in a keeper league that rosters 384 players but I'm tempted to drop him for more hitting depth. Do you think he'll make any positive contributions in April? Or even this year? (stevegoz from Chicago) | While I think Keller is a top-384 player generally, I do not think he should kept in shallow leagues. He has had a rough spring, and, although he likely still makes the rotation, he is more of a watch list player in shallower 12-team formats (32-man rosters = 384). (Jesse Roche) |
| 2020-02-21 13:00:00 (link to chat) | How many consecutive dynasty league seasons is too many to be tanking/rebuilding? I'm entering my fifth year of rebuilding by starting a new rebuild this year and am wondering if I'm doing it wrong. (Elton from Pacific Northwest) | 5 years is probably too many. I normally aim for a 2- to 3-year turnaround. For example, I inherited a team in TDGX last offseason and I plan to position my squad to compete in 2021. I think the error many owners make in rebuilding is not being flexible enough. You do not need to go all prospects and youth. Just get value. I just traded Mitch Keller, a 2021 4, and a 2021 5 for James Paxton, Aaron Hicks, and a 2021 1. I then plan to flip Paxton when he returns to the rotation in May or June for something better than Keller. Actively wheel and deal to slowly, incrementally improve your roster and do not pass on opportunities to buy depreciated 30+ year old talent. (Jesse Roche) |
| 2019-10-02 13:00:00 (link to chat) | The odds of Dylan Cease and Mitch Keller becoming: a #2 / #3 / back-end guy / RP? (The Colonel from Pasadena, CA) | Oof, I don't know. Off the top of my head:
Cease: 15%/40%/20%/25% Keller: 5%/35%/25%/35% I might feel differently a week from now. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-08-23 15:30:00 (link to chat) | Thanks for the chat, Craig. No panic, here, but where do you see Mitch Keller settling in? Hasn't exactly been as advertised, but it's EARLY. Does he reach # 2 status eventually? (Jett from ChiTown) | I think he _can_. My issue is a lack of trust in the Pirates as it pertains to getting the most out of their pitchers. 5 years ago you'd say he needs a more reliable third pitch. Today, two pitches with a breaking ball like he has is a viable approach, but their org hasn't been one to make that profile work, unfortunately. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-08-30 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Mitch Keller is doing much better than his 9 ERA and 2 WHIP, right? He'll have value in 2020 and 2021 around pick 200 in 15 team mixer? (Vic from Baltimore) | Yes, I agree with your premise--he's better than that. As far as draft positionl, let's see what pitchers went around 200 in 15-team leagues this year...we're looking at the Joe Musgroves, Rich Hills, and Jose Quintanas of the world. Sure, that's about the right time to go upside with your starters. (Jon Hegglund) |
| 2019-08-21 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Any pitchers in the high minors that you’re interested to see debut or make their second or third major league starts after a call-up? A la Mitch Keller, Brock Burke, etc. (ayzzya from Texas League) | This year? Keller, for sure, and I'm still excited to see Brendan McKay continue to adjust to the big leagues. I'm not sure they'll debut this year, but I'm particularly excited to see guys like Graterol, Mize, and Ian Anderson. (JP Breen) |
| 2019-05-17 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Mitch Keller have a value this season? (Vic from Baltimore) | yes, but probably more deeper mixed/NL-only than anywhere else. (Mike Gianella) |
| 2019-04-24 13:00:00 (link to chat) | When do you anticipate Mitch Keller arrives? And can he be above-average from the very beginning? (Vic from Baltimore) | Pirates pitching hasn't been an issue and Keller had a few rough starts to open the season. I can see them holding him til the Super 2 pending injuries. He *can* but I would want to see them let him focus on his two very good pitches rather than force him to implement a 30-grade supplementary option (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-04-17 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Tahnaj Thomas the best Pirates pitching prospect since guys like Taillon? Mitch Keller had hype for a while but he stinks. Too hittable. Tahnaj Thomas seems legitimate. Stuff is filthy. Future SP1 in The 'Burgh? (Paul from Pittsburgh) | I've heard a bit of negativity on Keller from scouts recently, but I think Thomas has a ways to go before even getting to Keller's point. The stuff is exciting as is the body, but it's early days for him. I like your instincts because he's someone to follow, but let's let him get out of the complex before annointing him, huh? (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2019-04-19 18:00:00 (link to chat) | Excluding anyone in the majors currently and also Vladdy dadi... give me your top 5 prospects of your choice to start a dynasty with. (Rocky from Los Angeles ) | I'll stick to guys I've seen, however briefly. Hitters would be Royce Lewis, Alex Kirilloff and Nick Madrigal. All are young, have very advanced hit tools and really understand the strike zone. Pitchers would be Mitch Keller, Brusdar Graterol and Ian Anderson. They each already have the requisite pitches and enough command of each to have pretty high floors and the chance to be great fantasy starters. (Scott Delp) |
| 2019-03-15 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Any rookie starting pitchers catch your eye for big league success this year? (Buddy from Peoria, IL) | I'm trying to grab Jesus Luzardo wherever I can. I think we'll hear from both Forrest Whitley and Joshua James in Houston. Mitch Keller is also a good one, even if there isn't as much upside. (Mark Barry) |
| 2018-12-04 21:00:00 (link to chat) | What kind of pitcher will Mitch Keller turn out to be? (Kevin from Chanahon) | Stated that broadly, who knows. DRA likes his AAA campaign a lot and those are some nice peripherals, especially if the walk numbers can go back down. Don't be surprised if he gets slapped around a bit after a call-up as he learns how to pitch to major league hitters. It's a typical rite of passage. (Jonathan Judge) |
| 2018-12-12 17:00:00 (link to chat) | What kind of pitcher will Mitch Keller eventually be? (Kevin from Chanahon) | He's going to be Mitch Keller. Who else would he be? (Mike Gianella) |
| 2018-12-06 20:00:00 (link to chat) | How high are you on Mitch Keller? (Keith from Buffalo wild wings) | His stock has barely moved in the past few years. He's firmly in the second tier of pitching prospects, and the first tier is Whitley alone. (Jarrett Seidler) |
| 2018-07-13 15:00:00 (link to chat) | So you're not the least bit concerned w/ Monte Harrison's 38% K rate at Jacksonville this year? He's still a solid regular in CF for you? (JD from Vero Beach) | No, I'm a little concerned and his stock is down, although I don't want to super overreact to ten weeks of baseball given the underlying athletic tools. My larger point is just strict stat line benchmarks for prospects aren't useful. Evaluate the player and the profile. I also don't really care that Mitch Keller is striking out less than a batter per inning for example. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2018-04-20 12:00:00 (link to chat) | Who has a higher ceiling, Corbin Burnes or Mitch Keller? (Jeff from California ) | Keller has a legit shot at being an ace (not saying that's my projection, mind you, but I wouldn't be shocked or anything). Burnes looks more a good #3. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2018-04-13 12:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Mitch Keller's upside? He seems to be a future #2 at worst. Thoughts? (Jeb from Iowa) | No pitcher has ever been a future #2 at worst. Well, maybe Strasburg. We think Keller is one of the best pitching prospects in baseball, but the likely range of outcomes here is more #2 to #3. Is there ace upside? Of course. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2018-04-13 12:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Shane Baa's upside? Could he turn into another Mitch Keller type prospect in a year or two? (Jake from Minnesota) | I don't know if the breaker has the same projection as Keller's did, but as a guy who could eventually jump into the top tier of pitching prospects, sure. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2018-04-23 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Who has the highest ceiling between Corbin Burnes, Mitch Keller or Mike Soroka? All 3 seem to be #2-#3 types so far. (Jeff from California ) | Keller. More K potential with similar control to the other two. (Eddy Almaguer) |
| 2018-04-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | If Mitch Keller were in another organization would he be up already? (James from California ) | Oh good golly no. He barely pitched professionally in 2014 and 2015. 130 innings in 2016, 116 in 2017, at age 21. He entered the season with less than 35 IP above High-A. Trust me, he's not being blocked by Steven Brault. Management is running this fine. (Rob Mains) |
| 2018-04-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Mitch Keller? What is his upside? (Jeb from Iowa) | As you know, Jeb, I'm not a prospects guy, but I am a Buccos guy, so I'll take a stab at it. My buddy Bryan Grosnick, with whom I did the Pirates preview, is really high on him. I'll temper that a little, only because he's a pitcher and I never really believe in pitchers. But he could be really, really good. Like what-we-expected-Cole-to-be (and appears to have become with the Astros, sigh), good. A clear no. 1. Not in the Kershaw/Kluber/Scherzer/prime Verlander class, but one of the top pitchers in the NL.
But he's a pitcher. Don't get your hopes up too high. (Rob Mains) |
| 2018-04-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Shane Baz's upside? Could he be another Mitch Keller in a few years? (Jake from Seattle) | I live in Saratoga Springs. There's a thoroughbred race track here--effectively, Belmont moves up here for the month of August. I don't go anymore, but I used to try to handicap the races. You can infer from the fact that I don't go anymore how well I did. I could read the Racing Form and make some inferences, but I never bet on juvenile races. Two-year-olds have basically no track record, other than bloodline and trainer and jockey, and I wouldn't pretend to know anything about that.
Shane Baz is, basically, a two-year-old. I mean, he's 18, not two, and he's a person, not a horse. But I'm not going to pretend to infer anything from < 25 innings of rookie ball. Our prospects guys like him, not as much as Keller. But I'd totally defer to them about everything Baz-related. (Rob Mains) |
| 2018-04-19 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Am I wrong to think that if the Pirates are in playoff contention come August-September, that Mitch Keller could come up and help? (Tom from Iowa) | No, you're not. I think we've learned, Tom, that if the Pirates are in contention we can't count on ownership to spend money to make the team better. No trade deadline deals for Machado or Donaldson. But calling up a blue-chipper costs nothing but the service time clock, and with the Pirates, who knows what they'll be by the time someone like Keller is arb-eligible. I was DM'ing Matthew Trueblood about the Pirates pitching staff and he suggested, and I didn't disagree, that they have only three reliable starters: Taillon, Williams, and Nova. If Keller tears up AA and AAA and the Pirates are in contention, I think we'll see him. (Rob Mains) |
| 2017-11-03 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Do you see any of these pitchers as likely to be a #1: Michael Baez, Mitch Keller, Forrest Whitley, Mackenzie Gore, Michael Fulmer, Justus Sheffield. Which ones? I’ve got them listed in my draft order . What do you think? (temple from Madison WI) | I'd probably drop Baez behind the first two (and we have people that lurrrrrve Gore internally as well), but I also maybe wouldn't argue he has the best chance to be a #1 there. You could also argue Fulmer is actually the closest to *being* a 1, and you would of course be right, but his elbow situation is worrisome. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-09-14 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Rank these pitchers and if you keep two who do keep: Mitch Keller, Triston McKenzie, Chance Adams, Sixto Sanchez, Jason Groome? Thanks JP (Jquinton82 from NY) | Based on my very limited expertise in fantasy/prospect stuff: Sixto, Keller, Groome, McKenzie, Adams. Keep an eye on Groome's injury, though. Keep Sixto and Keller. (Nicolas Stellini) |
| 2017-08-21 13:00:00 (link to chat) | My farm consists of Gleyber Torres, Vlad Guerrero Jr, Franklin Barreto, Austin Meadows, Scott Kingery, Mickey Moniak, Blake Rutherford, Michael Kopech, Mitch Keller and Tyler Mahle. Plus recently graduated Amed Rosario, Bradley Zimmer and Clint Frazier.
Is there any positions or areas I should focus on as I work to be competitive in 2019? (Trip from SC) | Trip. Dude. You're kidding me, right? That is a ridiculous farm system, and seems pretty well-timed for your 2019 target date. I mean, really.
Just to be sure, I checked with Scooter Hotz of our prospects team. His take: "I agree with your assessment. I would also add that with prospects, don’t worry about positional need. Focus on getting the best prospects regardless of position. If you end up with a surplus of players at a position in the majors, use the trade market to re-organize your roster positionally. That will give you more value than prioritizing positional need over getting the best player available." (I will note that Scooter and I are in a fantasy league together. I've spent the entire year with a surplus of OFs and a lack of RPs, and he had a surplus of RPs and a lack of OFs, and we never got it together to make a trade. So do as we say, not as we do) (Rob Mains) |
| 2017-07-18 14:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Mitch Keller's upside? Could he be a really good #2, Taillon type of pitcher? (Blackburn from Des Moines) | I saw Keller earlier this season, you can find my Ten Pack narrative on his player card page. Though the fastball is what people would say really good and the breaking ball, too, there is currently no third piece. The change up was a work in project. would need to develop a third to reach #2 starter label. (Javier Barragan) |
| 2017-07-06 12:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Mitch Keller's upside? Cole/Taillon territory? (Justin from Iowa) | Not quite that high, but #2 starter is in play. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-06-20 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Mitch Keller's upside? A good #2? Seems like he is in a Taillon type of mold. (Justin from IC, Iowa) | As I said, we're now in our Pirates segment. Keller's only 21, but yeah, he could be good. We rated him no. 4 in the top-heavy Bucs systems. Taillon may be a stretch, but if Keller doesn't have any hiccups as he progresses, he could be a solid #3, maybe #2. Our prospects team was torn as to whether to rate Glasnow or Keller higher this spring, and certainly nothing Keller's done in Bradenton dims his star. (Rob Mains) |
| 2017-06-22 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Mitch Keller? What is his ceiling? (Bill Scott from Wells Fargo) | Lot of Pirates fans chatting today, eh? Keller seems like a low ceiling high floor kinda guy. Someone with strong odds of settling in as a mid-rotation guy long term. He's also only 21, though, so who the hell knows? (Collin Whitchurch) |
| 2017-06-27 20:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Mitch Keller? Future #2? (Jeb from IC) | Yep. There are about three or four guys with a case as the best pitching prospect in baseball and Keller is one of them. Back injury is a small but existent red flag though. (Jarrett Seidler) |
| 2017-06-13 12:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Mitch Keller's ceiling a good #2? Seems like a Taillon type of pitcher. (Tim from Alaska) | I think that's the ceiling, yeah. I'm very high on Keller. (Craig Goldstein) |
| 2017-05-10 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Mitch Keller. Next big time pitching prospect? (Justin from Iowa City, Iowa) | Are you talking from a Pirates perspective? He'd better be. With Taillon and Glasnow in Pittsburgh, he's the only top Pirates prospect who's a pitcher. May not have Glasnow's stuff but his control's better.
If you're talking about the majors overall, I like Francis Martes more, but he's really struggled at AAA. (Rob Mains) |
| 2017-05-18 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What is Mitch Keller's upside? Frontline starter or more of a good #2? (Tim from Kentucky) | I would argue that a good #2 is a frontline starter, but he's more future 2 than ace for me. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-05-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Mitch Keller? How does he compare to Cole, Taillon, and Glasnow as a prospect? (Bob from Arkansas) | He has as much ceiling as that troika, but is going to need a changeup at some point. Advanced arm though, and all the other stuff is legit. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-05-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Mitch Keller. Just looking at his minor league stats, he appears to be an extreme control pitcher. He ranked very well in BP's Top 101 Prospect List. Please tell me something good about his raw stuff, so I stop worrying that he will only project to be the next incarnation of Bob Tewksbury. (Paul from DC) | He struck out more than 1/4 of the batters he faced last year. Yes, he doesn't walk anyone either. I fail to see the issue here. Anyway it's a potential 7 FB, 7 breaker so... (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-05-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Did I make a mistake drafting Gsellman instead of Mitch Keller? (Mike from Milwaukee) | Only history can judge us, Mike (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2017-04-05 23:00:00 (link to chat) | 20-team dynasty league: I'm arguably the best team n the league, but with no farm system prospects are eating at my bench. A rebuilding team sent me an offer: I give Eloy Jimenez, Lucas Giolito, and Mitch Keller, I get back Max Scherzer or Yu Darvish. If it pus me over the top, I have to do it, right? Would you take Max or Yu? (AJ from Phoenix) | I'd probably do that deal in that context, yeah. First I'd try to counter for a deal that Eloy isn't in - see if you can replace him with a less-important-to-you MLB bat? I know he's on the DL in A ball, but man do I like that kid's swing almost as much as I don't like the thought of moving him (but yes, you probably do that deal if you're all-in, titles in a 20-teamer don't happen that often). I think I narrowly prefer Scherzer.
BTW, just saw the Lindor GS, and I'd like formally submit legislation to add him to my security council of players where I will pause whatever I'm doing to watch an at-bat. (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2017-03-22 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Who are some names to watch in the FSL this season? (Jordan from Florida) | Without looking closely: the aforementioned Mateo and Kaprielian seem destined to start there for the Yankees. Like eight guys on Atlanta's affiliate. Mitch Keller. Franklyn Kilome. (Jarrett Seidler) |
| 2017-01-18 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Mitch Keller the best arm in the Minors with the biggest upside (outside of Reyes and Glasnow)? (Beaux from New Orleans) | No, but he's a good prospect. (Bret Sayre) |
| 2016-12-05 20:00:00 (link to chat) | Anything you can do for my fantasy baseball itch right now? Still too far away!!!!!!! who are your top 5 must stash prospects for keeper leagues? Thanks for your time tonight! (James from OKC) | I'll give you five names off the top of my head that aren't like consensus at the top of any prospect lists: Eloy Jimenez, Brent Honeywell, Josh Hader, Mitch Keller, Isan Diaz (George Bissell) |
| 2016-11-11 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Mitch Keller the next big time pitching prospect for the Pirates? (Sam from Pitt) | Yep. (Jeffrey Paternostro) |
| 2016-09-08 19:00:00 (link to chat) | Tirado, Tuki, and Mitch Keller, who's primed for the bigger step forward and who has the bigger upside? (Jquinton82 from NY) | Keller for me and it's not that close. He was exceptional (2.35 ERA with 131 strikeouts and just 18 walks in 130 IP) at West Virginia in the South Atlantic League. He's only 20-years-old and I trust the Pirates development system. They've churned out a ton of quality arms recently. Obviously Taillon & Glasnow head that list but Chad Kuhl and others have come through and made an impact as well. (George Bissell) |
| 2016-09-21 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Josh Bell, James Taillon, Tyler Glasnow, Austin Meadows, and Mitch Keller? Seems as though the Pirates have a lot of young talent in that farm system year after year. (Jeb from Iowa) | It's a very strong system. Bell could start at first next season, Taillon has locked up a rotation spot, and I'm fascinated to see what they do with their outfield this offseason. There's a legitimate case for trading Andrew McCutchen. (Brendan Gawlowski) |
| 2016-09-12 23:00:00 (link to chat) | I'll just toss some names at you who I find very interesting heading into 2017: Frank Kilome, Kolby Allard, Erick Fedde and Mitch Keller. They're all available in my deep fantasy league, should I just get nutty and grab them all!? Thanks, I enjoy these chats! (Jmax from Niagara, Ontario) | Yeah, that's a pretty good short list of emergent pitching prospects this year. Kilome was dreadful in a few cold April starts, but has been just delightful since. Power fastball, his. Allard scares me more than most on account of the back issues, but he looked like the dictionary definition of projectable when I saw him in high school, and David Lee's report last week was optimistic about the stuff if not the health. And speaking of the medical ward, if Fedde's healthy he's a higher floor option with a nice, straight path to the middle of a rotation. Pittsburgh's for-them-aggressive promotion of Keller late in the season should tell you how high they are on him. If you've got the roster space or all those dudes then yeah, do it up, though if there are similar bats on the wire too, I'd lean in that direction.
Allard: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=466 Keller: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=377 Kilome: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=30075 Fedde: http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=383 (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2016-08-11 14:00:00 (link to chat) | Rank the following prospects: Mitch Keller, Fernando Romero, Mike Soroko, Joey Wentz. Thanks! (Jeb from Johnson City) | I'm a huge fan of Mitch Keller. I'd go Keller, Soroka, Wentz, Romero -- with a gap between Wentz and Romero. (J.P. Breen) |
| 2016-08-18 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Are Mitch Keller and Ke'Bryan Hayes the next two big time prospects for the Pirates? (Dave from Chicago) | I think Keller could be, and Hayes is a good prospect, too. Keller has really impressed, though. It took some time, but he's finally living up to the promise he showed in high school. Even with the graduates, this is still a very good system. (Christopher Crawford) |
| 2016-07-22 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Any favorite pitchers in Low-A? (Darryl from New York) | Mike Soroka, Mitch Keller, Anderson Espinoza, Jacob Nix, Jon Harris all come to mind, not necessarily in that order. I like Soroka a whole lot though because of his frame/stuff paired with the strikethrowing he's showed throughout this season. (Adam McInturff) |
| 2016-06-20 16:00:00 (link to chat) | Mitch Keller and Ke'Bryan Hayes could be headed to Bradenton later this year. What are your thoughts on those two? (Jim from Texas) | My thoughts on them are that I would like to see them in Bradenton this season. I don't have much on either player.
Adam McInturff does have thoughts on Keller though. http://www.baseballprospectus.com/prospects/eyewitness_pit.php?reportid=377 (Steve Givarz) |
| 2016-06-17 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Mitch Keller an SP2 in the making for the Bucs? With Taillon and Glasnow on the way I think he is being overlooked. (Howdy from Doody) | Our prospect team is likely better able to answer this one, but from what I've read, Keller certainly has that type of upside. Sometimes younger/lower-level arms can get overshadowed by upper-level blue-chippers in deep farm systems, and that might be the case here. (Daniel Rathman) |
| 2016-05-16 23:00:00 (link to chat) | Is Mitch Keller worth the recent hype on him? (Kyle from Laredo) | I called in Adam McInturff on this one. Quick and dirty: "I've seen a start. It looked like a very promising mix of frame/fastball/breaking ball/delivery. There's a reason to let players of this demo prove it at higher levels, but he's been a 'step forward' guy." (Wilson Karaman) |
| 2016-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Hey Chris. Was hoping to get your thoughts on some Low Minor Pitchers off to strong starts: Stephen Gonsalves & Mitch Keller? Should there strong start adjust our perspectives on them or too early? (Jerry from Earth) | Both are people you should be paying attention to, in particular Keller. He showed filthy stuff as a prep in Iowa, and flashes of brilliance (and a lot of not so brilliant) as a pro. It really seems to be coming together, and it gives the Pirates ANOTHER potential stud in their rotation. They're getting good at this. (Christopher Crawford) |
| 2016-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Could Mitch Keller be shaping into something much more than a back-end starter? Could he be a 2? (gumby from WI) | It is not out of the realm of possibility that Keller is a top of the rotation guy, but I'd bet on something slightly lower. Mid-rotation guy. (Christopher Crawford) |
| 2016-05-12 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Do you like Pedro Payano or Mitch Keller better? (Larry from New Castle) | Like Payano, but Keller by a wide margin. (Christopher Crawford) |
| 2016-05-31 19:00:00 (link to chat) | Thanks James. Could you rank these Low-A starters in terms of ceiling? Cody Reed (Ariz), Mitch Keller and Phil Bickford... (Keith from Farmington, CT) | Lots of questions on the D-Backs Cody Reed so far so I'll start off by saying I think he's legit and will touch on him in more depth later on but give me Bickford, Reed, then Keller. (James Fisher) |
| 2016-05-04 13:00:00 (link to chat) | What are your thoughts on Pirates starting pitching prospect Mitch Keller? (Silverback38 from VA) | He sounds like a protagonist of heavily whitewashed 1990s TV. You probably want more insight, though, so I recommend talking to one of our prospect gurus. I'm the furthest thing from that. (Matthew Trueblood) |
| 2014-11-24 13:00:00 (link to chat) | Which pair of draftees would you prefer to have: Mitch Keller / Trey Supak or Carson Sands / Justin Steele? (Mario66 from Pittsburgh) | I love this question. My suggested allotments for each pairing was separated by about $400 K, with Keller/Supak getting the nod. Sands has best probability, I think Keller has the best blend of potential impact stuff and likelihood to stick as a starter. (NL Central Top 10s With Nick Faleris) |
BP Roundtables
No BP Roundtables have mentioned this guy.
PITCHf/x Pitcher Profile
A Collaboration between BrooksBaseball.net and Baseball Prospectus - Pitch classifications provided by Pitch Info LLC
Mitch Keller has thrown 10,081 pitches that have been tracked by the PITCHf/x system between 2019 and 2024, all of them occuring in Spring Training. In 2024, he has relied primarily on his Fourseam Fastball (94mph) and Sinker (93mph), also mixing in a Slider (84mph), Cutter (89mph) and Curve (79mph). He also rarely throws a Change (90mph).
BP Annual Player Comments
The rest of this card is restricted to Baseball Prospectus Subscribers.
Not a subscriber? Click here for a free card so you can see what's missing.
Click here for more information on Baseball Prospectus subscriptions or to subscribe and get instant access to the best baseball content on the web.