• Full name Michael Eugene Kirian
  • Born 02/01/1999 in Findlay, OH
  • Profile Ht.: 6'6" / Wt.: 260 / Bats: R / Throws: L
  • School Louisville
  • Drafted in the 6th round (173rd overall) by the Washington Nationals in 2021 (signed for $200,000).
    View Draft Report
    Louisille had two pitchers drafted in the first round in 2020—lefthander Reid Detmers and righthander Bobby Miller—and so Kirian went from the bullpen role he had pitched in his first three seasons to a starting role this spring. It wasn’t an easy transition, as Kirian pitched to a 4.80 ERA over 69.1 innings, striking out 75 batters (9.7 K/9) and walking 28 (3.6 BB/9) while giving up about a hit per inning. That strikeout rate seems solid with no context, but it was actually the lowest rate of his collegiate career, which will make plenty of scouts think he’s still better suited to a bullpen role at the next level. Kirian has an extra-large frame at 6-foot-6, 260 pounds and a fastball that has been up to 96 mph, though he sits in the 90-92 mph range. He throws a slurvy breaking ball in the 78-82 mph range that he can land for a strike consistently, but scouts wonder how much of a true bat-missing pitch it is. After being mostly a fastball/breaking ball pitcher a year ago, Kirian has thrown a low-80s changeup sparingly this spring, but he has less feel for it than his two primary offerings. While Kirian’s stuff isn’t overwhelming on paper, he does have some deception in his delivery, and he hides the ball well.

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Draft Prospects

Career Transactions

  • Fredericksburg Nationals released LHP Michael Kirian.

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