6. George Kirby
Minors (A-): 23 innings, 2.35 ERA, 1.043 WHiP, zero walks, 25 strikeouts
Before the Seattle Mariners selected George Kirby with the 20th overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft, Elon University had never had a player taken before the fourth round. That has obviously changed.
Kirby truly broke through as a prospect during his time in the Cape Cod League, where he excelled as a reliever. He continued that dominance during his junior year in college, especially in the control department, as he issued just six walks in his 88.1 innings. That command continued during his professional debut. Not only did he strike out over a batter per inning, but he did not issue a single walk.
Yet, Kirby is far more than a control artist. The righty has four solid offerings, each of which has the potential to be at least major league average. Presently, his best pitch is his fastball, which sits in the lower 90s, but can tough 98 MPH. As he gains strength, the velocity is likely to improve. His curve and slider both have high spin rates, with the curve looking like a future strikeout pitch. His change has plenty of sink, but still needs refinement.
However, that can be said for all of Kirby’s secondary stuff. He has had a great deal of success with his fastball, to the point where he really did not need to use his other pitches. Although they all flash as possible plus offerings, he still needs to find more consistency with his breaking and offspeed pitches.
Given his command, George Kirby has the floor of a middle of the rotation arm. However, if his secondary pitches improve, he could become an impressive top of the rotation starter.