Antwone Kelly

Antwone Kelly
Kelly with the Indianapolis Indians in 2026
Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 62
Pitcher
Born: (2003-09-01) September 1, 2003
Oranjestad, Aruba
Bats: Right
Throws: Right
MLB debut
June 12, 2026, for the Pittsburgh Pirates
MLB statistics
(through July 31, 2026)
Win–loss record0–0
Earned run average6.14
Strikeouts4
Stats at Baseball Reference 
Teams

Antwone Thyshon Kelly (born September 1, 2003) is an Aruban professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2026. Kelly has also pitched for the Netherlands national team in international competitions.

Professional career

Kelly signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates as an international free agent on January 15, 2021. He made his professional debut that year with the Rookie League Dominican Summer League Pirates and played the 2022 season with the Rookie League Florida Complex League Pirates. Kelly opened the 2023 season in the Complex League before being promoted to the Single-A Bradenton Marauders near the season's end. In 2024, he spent the season with Bradenton and went 1–6 with a 4.43 ERA and 65 strikeouts over 69 innings.[1]

Kelly opened the 2025 season with the High-A Greensboro Grasshoppers and was promoted to the Double-A Altoona Curve in June.[2][3] Over 25 starts between the two teams, he went 3–3 with a 3.02 ERA and 116 strikeouts.[4] On November 18, the Pirates added Kelly to their 40-man roster to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.[5]

Kelly began the 2026 season with the Triple-A Indianapolis Indians.[6] He was named the team's player of the month for May.[7] On June 12, the Pirates promoted him to the major leagues for the first time. Across 13 games (ten starts) with the Indians at the time of his promotion, he had a 3-4 record, a 4.50 ERA and 47 strikeouts over 54 innings.[8] Kelly made his MLB debut that night in relief against the Miami Marlins and pitched 2+1⁄3 innings in which he gave up two runs on two hits while recording his first MLB strikeout against Jakob Marsee.[9] He became the fourth Aruban-born pitcher in MLB.[10] Kelly was optioned back to Indianapolis the next day.[11]

International career

Kelly debuted for the Netherlands in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), pitching one scoreless inning.[12] He was the ace for the Netherlands in the 2026 WBC.[13] He took the loss against Venezuela, allowing two runs in three innings.[14][15] His younger brother Jaitone also pitched for the Dutch in 2026.[16][17]

References

  1. ↑ "Fastball Command Helps Pirates' Antwone Kelly Take Next Step". Baseball America. May 2, 2025.
  2. ↑ "Pirates farm report: David Bednar dominating early on in Triple-A". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  3. ↑ "Pitching delivers for Altoona Curve in win over Harrisburg Senators". Altoona Mirror.
  4. ↑ "Pirates' Antwone Kelly: Joins 40-man roster". CBS Sports. November 18, 2025. Retrieved 2025-11-27.
  5. ↑ "Pirates Designate Four Players For Assignment". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved November 22, 2025.
  6. ↑ "Harrington, Bidois among moves as Pirates trim roster". mlb.com. Retrieved March 23, 2026.
  7. ↑ Cho, Emma. "Antwone Kelly Named Indians May Player of the Month". MiLB.com. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  8. ↑ "Pirates to call up hard-throwing prospect Kelly (source)". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-06-12.
  9. ↑ Stepansky, Aiden. "Pirates prospect Kelly brings triple-digit heat to MLB debut". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
  10. ↑ Demilio, Danny (2026-06-12). "'It Means Everything,' Antwone Kelly Set to Be 4th Aruban Pitcher MLB History". Pittsburgh Baseball Now. Retrieved 2026-06-22.
  11. ↑ "Pirates' Antwone Kelly: Sent back to Triple-A". CBS Sports. June 13, 2026. Retrieved 2026-06-15.
  12. ↑ "Antwone Kelly Minor & WBC Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  13. ↑ "Every MLB team's participants in 2026 World Baseball Classic". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-02-24.
  14. ↑ "MLB Gameday: Netherlands 2, Venezuela 6 Final Score (03/06/2026)". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  15. ↑ "In packed Pool D, Venezuela opens with important win over Netherlands". MLB.com. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  16. ↑ "Jaitoine Kelly Minor & WBC Leagues Statistics". Baseball Reference. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
  17. ↑ "Jaitoine Kelly: "Ik kijk uit naar op het veld staan met mijn broer en big leaguers!"". HonkbalSoftbal.nl (in Dutch). 2026-03-05. Retrieved 2026-03-09.
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