Michael Kelly (baseball)

Kelly attended West Boca Raton Community High School in Boca Raton, Florida, and played for the school's baseball team as a pitcher.^[1] The San Diego Padres selected Kelly in the first round, with the 48th overall selection, of the 2011 MLB draft.^[2][3] He made his professional debut in 2012, splitting the year between the rookie-level Arizona League Padres and Single-A Fort Wayne TinCaps. Kelly split the 2013 campaign between Fort Wayne and the Low-A Eugene Emeralds, accumulating a 3-2 record and 5.75 ERA with 49 strikeouts across 56+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[4]

Kelly returned to Eugene in 2014, posting a 7-5 record and 4.05 ERA with 71 strikeouts across 15 appearances (14 starts).^[5] He split 2015 between the High-A Lake Elsinore Storm and Eugene, logging a cumulative 5-9 record and 5.68 ERA with 57 strikeouts over 19 appearances (18 starts).^[6] In 2016, Kelly played for Lake Elsinore, the Double-A San Antonio Missions, and the Triple-A El Paso Chihuahuas. In 25 starts for the three affiliates, he compiled a 9-8 record and 4.34 ERA with 115 strikeouts across 128+2⁄3 innings pitched.^[7]

Kelly split the 2017 season between Double–A San Antonio and Triple–A El Paso. In 28 games (22 starts), he accumulated a 10–4 record and 4.19 ERA with 128 strikeouts in 126+2⁄3 innings pitched. Kelly elected free agency following the season on November 6, 2017.^[8] He pitched for the Padres' organization for six seasons without appearing in the major leagues.

On December 14, 2017, Kelly signed a major league contract with the Baltimore Orioles.^[9] He was designated for assignment on March 29, 2018, and assigned outright to the Double-A Bowie Baysox after clearing waivers on April 5. Kelly split the year between Bowie and the Triple–A Norfolk Tides, accumulating a 1–6 record and 8.42 ERA with 62 strikeouts across 31 appearances. He elected free agency following the season on November 2.^[10]

On April 25, 2019, Kelly signed with the Southern Maryland Blue Crabs of the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, an independent baseball league.^[11] He made 20 appearances (17 starts) for the Blue Crabs, compiling a 3–8 record and 5.34 ERA with 83 strikeouts across 89+1⁄3 innings pitched.^[12]

On May 11, 2021, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Houston Astros organization.^[13] He split the season between the Double–A Corpus Christi Hooks and Triple–A Sugar Land Skeeters. In 41 relief outings between the two affiliates, Kelly accumulated a 5–4 record and 2.70 ERA with 62 strikeouts across 50 innings of work. He elected free agency following the season on November 7.^[14]

On November 28, 2021, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies.^[15] He began the season with the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs. On June 13, 2022, Kelly was selected to the 40–man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.^[16] He made four appearances for the Phillies, recording a 2.25 ERA with four strikeouts across four innings pitched. On July 14, Kelly was removed from the roster and sent outright to Triple–A Lehigh.^[17] He elected free agency on October 14.

On January 4, 2023, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Cleveland Guardians.^[18] The deal included an invitation to the Guardians' 2023 major league spring training camp. He began the year with the Triple-A Columbus Clippers, where he made 18 appearances and recorded a 1.61 ERA with 36 strikeouts and 2 saves in 22+1⁄3 innings pitched. On June 3, Kelly was selected to the major league roster to fill the roster spot vacated by Hunter Gaddis, who had been optioned to Triple-A.^[19] In 14 games for Cleveland, he compiled a 3.78 ERA with 16 strikeouts across 16+2⁄3 innings of work. The Guardians designated Kelly for assignment on November 14, 2023.^[20]

On November 17, 2023, the Oakland Athletics claimed Kelly off of waivers.^[21] In 28 games for Oakland, he recorded a 2.59 ERA with 22 strikeouts across 31+1⁄3 innings pitched. On June 4, 2024, MLB suspended Kelly for one year for violating the league's gambling policies.^[22]

On June 5, 2025, Kelly was activated from the restricted list.^[23]

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