Jon Keller
| IP | 147 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.796 |
| WHIP | 1.299 |
| BB/9 | 4.592 |
| SO/9 | 9 |
- Full name Jon Michael Keller
- Born 08/08/1992 in Cedar Rapids, IA
- Profile Ht.: 6'5" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Tampa
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Drafted in the 22nd round (669th overall) by the Baltimore Orioles in 2013 (signed for $100,000).
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An Iowa prep product, Keller spent two years in Nebraska's rotation before transferring for his junior season to Division II Tampa. He helped the Spartans reached the D-II College World Series, improving as the season went along and going 4-3, 4.19. He's most notable for his 6-foot-5, 215-pound body and fastball that can sit in the 90-94 mph range from a fairly easy delivery He throws downhill and didn't give up a home run in 54 innings. Keller had some soreness that limited him early, and his secondary stuff remains fringy, as evidenced by his 40 strikeouts.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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The Kellers are a power pitching family. Keller's younger brother Mitch was the Pirates' second-round pick in 2014 out of high school. Jon was drafted by the Mariners in the 11th round in 2010. He did not sign and went to Nebraska. After two years in the Cornhuskers rotation, he transferred to Tampa and led the NCAA Division II team to the College World Series. A power pitcher, Keller fell to the Orioles in the 22nd round in 2013 due to medical concerns. He had thoracic outlet syndrome surgery in spring 2012 and also has dealt with an elbow strain in his past. He ended 2014 with a torn oblique muscle that did not require surgery. He is expected to be at full health for spring training. Keller pounds the zone with a fastball that works often in the low 90s but touched 96 mph. He features a solid delivery and throws with good downhill angle. He throws a hard slider that could be a plus pitch. His changeup is a distant third pitch at this point. Keller moved from low Class A Delmarva to high Class A Frederick in July and might have even made Double-A Bowie if he had not gotten injured. Keller appears destined to stay in the bullpen, where he could move fast. Look for him to begin 2015 in Frederick and then possibly move up. -
The Mariners drafted Keller in the 11th round out of an Iowa high school in 2010, but opted to attend Nebraska instead. He transferred to Tampa after two seasons and led the Spartans to the Division II College World Series in 2013. He fell to the Orioles in the 22nd round due to medical questions and signability, though he ultimately signed for $100,000. He had surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome in spring 2012 and has dealt with an elbow strain in the past, but he made all his college starts in 2013 and finished the year healthy in instructional league. A strong-bodied power pitcher, Keller throws a fastball, slider and changeup and had one of the better fastballs in the 2013 draft class among college starters. He pitched often at 92-93 mph and touched 97 in a late-season outing at short-season Aberdeen. The Orioles believe in his slider, which has above-average potential. He has a good delivery, throws downhill and gets movement to spare on his fastball. Despite his stuff, however, he has never posted big strikeout numbers. Some see his future in the bullpen, and he would move faster in that role, but one scout compared him to Brandon Morrow and thought he had the potential to pitch toward the front of a rotation. Keller probably will begin 2014 in the low Class A Delmarva rotation to continue to refine his pitches.
Draft Prospects
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An Iowa prep product, Keller spent two years in Nebraska's rotation before transferring for his junior season to Division II Tampa. He helped the Spartans reached the D-II College World Series, improving as the season went along and going 4-3, 4.19. He's most notable for his 6-foot-5, 215-pound body and fastball that can sit in the 90-94 mph range from a fairly easy delivery He throws downhill and didn't give up a home run in 54 innings. Keller had some soreness that limited him early, and his secondary stuff remains fringy, as evidenced by his 40 strikeouts.
