IP | 47.1 |
---|---|
ERA | 4.94 |
WHIP | 1.42 |
BB/9 | 4.75 |
SO/9 | 10.27 |
- Full name Keagan Michael Gillies
- Born 01/27/1998 in Metairie, LA
- Profile Ht.: 6'8" / Wt.: 255 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Tulane
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Drafted in the 15th round (437th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2021 (signed for $50,000).
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Gillies was seen as a potential senior sign last year, but the five-round draft derailed those plans. He should serve the same purpose this season as a lower-cost acquisition and one with some real talent. Gilles has run his fastball up to 96-98 mph at its best and he sits 93-95. A massive (6-foot-8) righthander, Gilles had a microscopic 0.97 ERA working out of the Green Wave bullpen. Opponents hit only .133 against him. The best hope to get to him was to be patient and see if his below-average control would come back to bite him. Gillies blew hitters away with his fastball, relying on it more than his average, 11-to-7 curveball. Gillies’ control has to improve in pro ball, but the stuff is real.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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BA Grade: 45/High
Track Record: Gillies’ fifth season pitching out of the Tulane bullpen was his best, and the Orioles signed him as a 15th-round graduate student in 2021 for $50,000 based on that success. He missed most of 2022 with injury but was a revelation in 2023, striking out 61 in 40.2 innings with a 0.81 WHIP and a strikeout rate of 39.8% between High-A Aberdeen and Double-A Bowie.
Scouting Report: An imposing 6-foot-8 presence on the mound, Gillies works downhill with an over-the-top delivery and boasts an effective three-pitch mix he uses to work north-south. He averaged 93.5 mph on his fastball, but the pitch plays up with plus traits because of the extension he gets off the mound and the carry on the pitch. He tunnels his above-average mid-80s slider and above-average splitter off the pitch well, elevating the quality of his entire arsenal, meaning hitters have to quickly determine what they’re seeing. The pair of secondaries means Gillies has weapons for both righthanded and lefthanded hitters.
The Future: Gillies is already a reliever and won’t move off that path, but his quality pitch mix and ability to throw strikes could help him have a long career in a major league bullpen. He could return to Double-A Bowie in 2024, but may move quickly and could help the Orioles’ bullpen at some point next year.
Scouting Grades Fastball: 60 | Slider: 55 | Changeup: 55 | Control: 50