Nathan Kirby
| IP | 144 |
|---|---|
| ERA | 4.438 |
| WHIP | 1.674 |
| BB/9 | 6.438 |
| SO/9 | 9.75 |
- Full name Nathan Winston Kirby
- Born 11/23/1993 in Richmond, VA
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Virginia
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Drafted in the CB-A round (40th overall) by the Milwaukee Brewers in 2015 (signed for $1,250,000).
View Draft Report
Kirby was a coveted prospect out of high school, but opted out of the draft in high school in order to take his talents to Charlottesville, and he played a key role in Virginia's runner-up finish in Omaha in 2014, though his wildness helped lead to a disastrous start in the first game of the CWS Finals. A physically mature 6-foot-2 lefthander, Kirby checks off a lot of boxes for scouts. He showed better velocity as a junior than he had in previous years, working in the low 90s and hitting 94 in nearly every one of his starts. Kirby also showed tremendous progress with his changeup, which has become arguably his best pitch, quite the accomplishment when considering his sharp, late-breaking slider, which registers in the mid 80s. In his best innings, Kirby will show three above-average pitches, and can carve up elite hitters with either pitch in any count. This spring, however, Kirby's fastball command came and went, thanks largely to poor stability in his striding foot. At his best, Kirby pounded both sides of the zone with three pitches; he also at times elevated his fastball and put himself in poor situations. The southpaw walked 4.5 batters per nine this spring before sustaining a lat injury that kept him off the field down the stretch. Some teams soured on Kirby towards the end, but those who like him see an athletic lefthander with correctable issues that could end up in the middle of a big league rotation relatively quickly.
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Organization Prospect Rankings
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It's easy to forget Kirby at this point, because he hasn't thrown a pitch in a real game since 2015. Kirby had Tommy John surgery after throwing only 13 pitches that season, and was forced to sit out all of 2016. Then, just when it appeared that he was ready to return last spring, he began experiencing elbow discomfort again, and had another surgery to reposition the ulnar nerve. That procedure led to yet another full season of inactivity. He threw well in instructional league after the season with no issues. Kirby is far behind schedule, but as an advanced lefty, still has the chance to make an impact in the organization. He pitches in the low-90s with his fastball with good action and knows how to use both sides of the plate with it. His mid 80s slider is an above-average secondary pitch and he also shows a deceptive changeup that he throws with good arm speed. Add it all together and it's a three-pitch mix that should allow Kirby to remain a starter. He's a smart, athletic pitcher. Health will be Kirby's biggest test, with an assignment to high Class A Carolina likely to begin 2018. -
It didn't shock the Brewers when Kirby needed Tommy John surgery after throwing just 13 innings in his pro debut in 2015. He missed much of his junior year at Virginia with a strained lat, and then a post-draft physical turned up elbow issues that reduced Kirby's bonus to $1.25 million. The Brewers planned for him to pitch at low Class A Wisconsin until his elbow forced him to stop, which happened sooner than later. Tommy John surgery forced him to miss the entire 2016 season. Kirby still wasn't ready to face hitters in game action in instructional league but is expected to be ready to go at the outset of 2017. When healthy, he pitches in the low 90s with his fastball, but it has good action and plays better because of his arm angle and ability to pitch to both sides of the plate. His mid-80s slider is a strong secondary pitch, though some wondered if using it so often in college led to the arm issues. Kirby also features an above-average changeup with good deception, giving him a solid three-pitch mix that should allow him to remain a starter. His combination of athleticism and stuff should allow him to move quickly once healthy and make it to the majors as a mid-rotation starter. -
To say the least, Kirby's junior season at Virginia did not go as planned. After playing a key role in the Cavaliers' runner-up finish at 2014 College World Series, he missed much of the 2015 campaign with a strained lat muscle behind his pitching shoulder. Despite Kirby's absence, Virginia again advanced to the CWS championship series, and Kirby pitched the final two innings to clinch the school's first crown. Later came the news that Kirby signed with the Brewers as a sandwich pick for $1.25 million, instead of an agreed-upon, above-slot figure of $1,545,400 because of an undisclosed medical concern. He threw just 13 innings at low Class A Wisconsin before being diagnosed with a torn UCL and having Tommy John surgery that will force him to miss 2016. When healthy, Kirby throws a fastball that sits in the low 90s with good life, an above-average changeup and the late-breaking slider in the mid-80s he used to put away Vandy. That package gives him three above-average pitches that he can throw for strikes. He struggled at times at Virginia with his mechanics and command, but assuming his recovery goes as planned, he is an athletic lefty with correctable issues who could end up in the middle of a big league rotation.
Draft Prospects
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Kirby was a coveted prospect out of high school, but opted out of the draft in high school in order to take his talents to Charlottesville, and he played a key role in Virginia's runner-up finish in Omaha in 2014, though his wildness helped lead to a disastrous start in the first game of the CWS Finals. A physically mature 6-foot-2 lefthander, Kirby checks off a lot of boxes for scouts. He showed better velocity as a junior than he had in previous years, working in the low 90s and hitting 94 in nearly every one of his starts. Kirby also showed tremendous progress with his changeup, which has become arguably his best pitch, quite the accomplishment when considering his sharp, late-breaking slider, which registers in the mid 80s. In his best innings, Kirby will show three above-average pitches, and can carve up elite hitters with either pitch in any count. This spring, however, Kirby's fastball command came and went, thanks largely to poor stability in his striding foot. At his best, Kirby pounded both sides of the zone with three pitches; he also at times elevated his fastball and put himself in poor situations. The southpaw walked 4.5 batters per nine this spring before sustaining a lat injury that kept him off the field down the stretch. Some teams soured on Kirby towards the end, but those who like him see an athletic lefthander with correctable issues that could end up in the middle of a big league rotation relatively quickly.
