Levi Kelly Stats & Scouting Report

IP	140
ERA	3.471
WHIP	1.343
BB/9	5.464
SO/9	10.479

Full name Levi Hunter Kelly
Born 05/14/1999 in St. Albans, WV
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 205 / Bats: R / Throws: R
School IMG Academy, Bradenton, Fla.
Drafted in the 8th round (249th overall) by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 (signed for $350,000).

View Draft Report

Kelly transferred to IMG Academy this spring to play with Blaze Alexander and several other talented 2018 prep prospects. This spring, Kelly's velocity has returned to the range that scouts have seen in the past, as the 6-foot-4 Louisiana State commit was in the upper 80s and low 90s over the summer but has regularly touched 95-96 mph this spring. He consistently pitches in the 91-92 mph range, though his fastball is fairly flat without natural movement. He has a fringe-average slider to go along with his fastball, though scouts note that both of those offerings would play up in the bullpen. With some effort in his delivery and a slight head whack, a reliever profile is what many scouts write down for Kelly, but his natural arm strength is exciting wherever he lands.

Top Rankings

Organization Prospect Rankings

TRACK RECORD: The D-backs took a flier on the projectable Kelly in the eighth round in 2018. He rewarded them with a dominant season in the low Class A Midwest League in his first full season and continued to impress in 2020. Kelly opened eyes at summer camp and continued to pitch well at the alternate training site before tiring at the end of the year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Kelly's fastball sits 94-96 mph and touches 98, but his best weapon is a wipeout slider that was nearly unhittable for much of the summer at the alternate site. He also throws a splitter that serves as a change of pace offering and added a curveball, giving him the potential for a well-rounded starter's arsenal. Kelly's fastball command comes and goes, and some observers would like to see him dial back the intensity in his high-effort delivery, which leads to fringy control. He is highly competitive and has a great work ethic.

THE FUTURE: Kelly needs to tighten up his command and third pitch to remain in the rotation. The D-backs know if starting doesn't work out, he would fit nicely in the back of a bullpen.
TRACK RECORD: The Diamondbacks lean toward conservative when handling high school arms, keeping most at extended spring training their first full season. Kelly was so dominant in spring training he forced his way to low Class A Kane County, where he turned in an overpowering season in the Midwest League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Tall and lean, Kelly features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s along with a slider that some believe already is at least an above-average major league pitch. He switched his changeup grip to a splitter, a pitch that better fits his aggressive mindset, but it remains a distant third offering. Kelly has a max-effort delivery—some coaches think he might benefit from not going all-out on every pitch—and only fair command. Those attributes, combined with his still-developing splitter, lead to projections of a possible future in relief. He earns high marks for his makeup and maturity.

THE FUTURE: If everything comes together, Kelly could settle into a role as a back-end starter. If not, his slider gives him a go-to weapon that would shine in a late-inning relief role.

Draft Prospects

Kelly transferred to IMG Academy this spring to play with Blaze Alexander and several other talented 2018 prep prospects. This spring, Kelly's velocity has returned to the range that scouts have seen in the past, as the 6-foot-4 Louisiana State commit was in the upper 80s and low 90s over the summer but has regularly touched 95-96 mph this spring. He consistently pitches in the 91-92 mph range, though his fastball is fairly flat without natural movement. He has a fringe-average slider to go along with his fastball, though scouts note that both of those offerings would play up in the bullpen. With some effort in his delivery and a slight head whack, a reliever profile is what many scouts write down for Kelly, but his natural arm strength is exciting wherever he lands.

Minor League Top Prospects

Scouting Reports

TRACK RECORD: The D-backs took a flier on the projectable Kelly in the eighth round in 2018. He rewarded them with a dominant season in the low Class A Midwest League in his first full season and continued to impress in 2020. Kelly opened eyes at summer camp and continued to pitch well at the alternate training site before tiring at the end of the year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Kelly's fastball sits 94-96 mph and touches 98, but his best weapon is a wipeout slider that was nearly unhittable for much of the summer at the alternate site. He also throws a splitter that serves as a change of pace offering and added a curveball, giving him the potential for a well-rounded starter's arsenal. Kelly's fastball command comes and goes, and some observers would like to see him dial back the intensity in his high-effort delivery, which leads to fringy control. He is highly competitive and has a great work ethic.

THE FUTURE: Kelly needs to tighten up his command and third pitch to remain in the rotation. The D-backs know if starting doesn't work out, he would fit nicely in the back of a bullpen.
TRACK RECORD: The D-backs took a flier on the projectable Kelly in the eighth round in 2018. He rewarded them with a dominant season in the low Class A Midwest League in his first full season and continued to impress in 2020. Kelly opened eyes at summer camp and continued to pitch well at the alternate training site before tiring at the end of the year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Kelly's fastball sits 94-96 mph and touches 98, but his best weapon is a wipeout slider that was nearly unhittable for much of the summer at the alternate site. He also throws a splitter that serves as a change of pace offering and added a curveball, giving him the potential for a well-rounded starter's arsenal. Kelly's fastball command comes and goes, and some observers would like to see him dial back the intensity in his high-effort delivery, which leads to fringy control. He is highly competitive and has a great work ethic.

THE FUTURE: Kelly needs to tighten up his command and third pitch to remain in the rotation. The D-backs know if starting doesn't work out, he would fit nicely in the back of a bullpen.
TRACK RECORD: The D-backs took a flier on the projectable Kelly in the eighth round in 2018. He rewarded them with a dominant season in the low Class A Midwest League in his first full season and continued to impress in 2020. Kelly opened eyes at summer camp and continued to pitch well at the alternate training site before tiring at the end of the year.

SCOUTING REPORT: Kelly's fastball sits 94-96 mph and touches 98, but his best weapon is a wipeout slider that was nearly unhittable for much of the summer at the alternate site. He also throws a splitter that serves as a change of pace offering and added a curveball, giving him the potential for a well-rounded starter's arsenal. Kelly's fastball command comes and goes, and some observers would like to see him dial back the intensity in his high-effort delivery, which leads to fringy control. He is highly competitive and has a great work ethic.

THE FUTURE: Kelly needs to tighten up his command and third pitch to remain in the rotation. The D-backs know if starting doesn't work out, he would fit nicely in the back of a bullpen.
TRACK RECORD: The Diamondbacks lean toward conservative when handling high school arms, keeping most at extended spring training their first full season. Kelly was so dominant in spring training he forced his way to low Class A Kane County, where he turned in an overpowering season in the Midwest League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Tall and lean, Kelly features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s along with a slider that some believe already is at least an above-average major league pitch. He switched his changeup grip to a splitter, a pitch that better fits his aggressive mindset, but it remains a distant third offering. Kelly has a max-effort delivery—some coaches think he might benefit from not going all-out on every pitch—and only fair command. Those attributes, combined with his still-developing splitter, lead to projections of a possible future in relief. He earns high marks for his makeup and maturity.

THE FUTURE: If everything comes together, Kelly could settle into a role as a back-end starter. If not, his slider gives him a go-to weapon that would shine in a late-inning relief role.
TRACK RECORD: The Diamondbacks lean toward conservative when handling high school arms, keeping most at extended spring training their first full season. Kelly was so dominant in spring training he forced his way to low Class A Kane County, where he turned in an overpowering season in the Midwest League.

SCOUTING REPORT: Tall and lean, Kelly features a fastball that sits in the mid-90s along with a slider that some believe already is at least an above-average major league pitch. He switched his changeup grip to a splitter, a pitch that better fits his aggressive mindset, but it remains a distant third offering. Kelly has a max-effort delivery—some coaches think he might benefit from not going all-out on every pitch—and only fair command. Those attributes, combined with his still-developing splitter, lead to projections of a possible future in relief. He earns high marks for his makeup and maturity.

THE FUTURE: If everything comes together, Kelly could settle into a role as a back-end starter. If not, his slider gives him a go-to weapon that would shine in a late-inning relief role.