Kyle McClellan
| IP | 387 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 3.791 |
| WHIP | 1.289 |
| BB/9 | 3.256 |
| SO/9 | 6.047 |
- Full name Kyle William McClellan
- Born 06/12/1984 in Florissant, MO
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 215 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Hazelwood West
- Debut 04/01/2008
- Drafted in the 25th round (762nd overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2002.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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After giving up a scholarship offer from Missouri to sign with his hometown Cardinals, McClellan struggled in his first three pro seasons, going 7-20, 5.24 without advancing past low Class A. It got worse in 2005, when he flipped a curveball that would shred his elbow and radically change his career path. Following Tommy John surgery, McClellan was limited to three starts and seven innings in 2006 before his elbow stiffened on him, requiring another operation to transpose his ulnar nerve. Last season, he ditched starting, embraced relieving and saw his career take off. As his arm regained its strength, McClellan's fastball reached 94 mph with diving sink. Before surgery, he threw mostly in the upper 80s. Now his slider climbs that high at times, and he's willing to throw it in any count to lefties and righties. With his enhanced stuff, he has maintained the ability to throw strikes and locate his pitches. He doesn't have much of a changeup but doesn't require one in his new role. McClellan got bruised a bit by better hitters in the Arizona Fall League and he's still searching for his true niche, as he's more than a specialist but not quite a closer. He went from local kid to full-blown prospect in 2007, pitching his way onto the 40-man roster. McClellan has similar stuff and a similar background as Josh Kinney, and the Cardinals believe he can follow the path Kinney blazed in 2006, opening the year in Triple-A before making major contributions down the stretch.
