Mitch Keller

Mitch Keller's Biography

Mitch Thomas Keller is an esteemed American professional baseball player, best known as a remarkable pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates, a reputed Major League Baseball (MLB) team. Born on April 4, 1996, Keller hails from a family that’s profoundly passionate about baseball, with his brother, Jon Keller, having played in the Baltimore Orioles organization.

Keller’s journey into professional baseball started early on, right from his high school days at Xavier High School, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, when he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the second round of the 2014 Major League Baseball draft. Initially committed to playing college baseball with the North Carolina Tar Heels, Keller decided to sign with the Pirates on June 14, 2014, for a substantial signing bonus of $1,000,000. Ensuing the signing, Keller made his bracing professional debut with the Gulf Coast League Pirates, spending all of 2014 playing with them. He displayed immense potentials, recording a commendable 1.98 ERA in 27+1⁄3 innings.

In 2015, Keller was moved to the short-season A Bristol Pirates, marking an essential progression in his career. Though his stint with Bristol was initially challenging with a 0–3 record and a 5.49 ERA in six starts, he demonstrated significant improvement in 2016 with the Low-A West Virginia Power, finishing with an 8–5 record and a 2.46 ERA in 23 starts. He even pitched a game with the High-A Bradenton Marauders at the end of that season.

The year 2017 saw Keller beginning the season with Bradenton. Following an impressive 6–3 record with a 3.14 ERA from 15 starts, he was promoted to the Altoona Curve in August, ending the season with a 2–2 record and a 3.12 ERA from six starts. With this, his career took a promising turn as MLB.com listed him as Pittsburgh’s top prospect. He began 2018 with Altoona, displaying consistent performances leading to a promotion in June that year to the AAA Indianapolis Indians.

One of Keller’s career highlights was his impressive performance at the All-Star Futures game in July 2018, where he was the starting pitcher for the United States. He struck out a remarkable scoreless first inning, leading the Pirates to add him to their 40-man roster post-season. Keller returned to Indianapolis at the start of the 2019 season, proving himself yet again by maintaining a 5–0 record with a 3.45 ERA in the initial nine games. This paved the way for his promotion to the major leagues on May 27, 2019.

Upon joining the major leagues, Keller made his debut against the Cincinnati Reds in a doubleheader at the Great American Ball Park. Although there were initial challenges, he only improved, wrapping up the season with a 7.13 ERA over 12 starts and 48 innings pitched. His stellar performance allowed him to secure a spot in the opening Day roster for the shortened 2020 season, despite an injury stint limiting his performance.

Despite a challenging start in 2021 with a 7.04 ERA over his first dozen starts, Keller bounced back impressively after being despatched to AAA Indianapolis in June. His return to form was evident when he rejoined the Pirates’ rotation at the end of July, wrapping the season with a 5–11 record and a 6.17 ERA from 92 strikeouts in 100+2⁄3 innings.

The year 2022 was a comeback year for Keller. The introduction of a sinker to his repertoire markedly enhanced his performance. After some early hiccups with a 6.61 ERA in the opening seven appearances, he rallied impressively, tossing for a 3.21 ERA and 3.67 FIP across the remaining 126+1⁄3 innings. He was also the pitcher on the unique occasion of Albert Pujols’ 703rd and final home run on October 4, 2022.

Coming into 2023, Keller’s reputation as a master pitcher was firmly established. He began the year with a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Pirates, valued at $2.4375 million, and was subsequently named the team’s Opening Day starting pitcher. Following this honor, Keller went on to bag his first MLB complete-game shutout against the Colorado Rockies and was acclaimed as the National League Player of the Week. He ended the season on a high note by posting a career-high 210 strikeouts while registering a 13–9 record and 4.21 ERA.

In recognition of his impressive career progression and performance, the Pittsburgh Pirates rewarded Keller, signing him up for a five-year, $77 million contract extension in February 2024 and appointing him once again as the Opening Day starting pitcher.

Away from his successful professional life, Keller found love and settled down with his wife, Clancy, encapsulating the perfect blend of personal and professional fulfillment.