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Pirates Calling Up Pitching Prospect Antwone Kelly, Will he Have a Starting Role?
The Pittsburgh Pirates are calling up right-handed pitching prospect Antwone Kelly from Triple-A Indianapolis on Friday, sources told Alex Stumpf of MLB.com. According to MLB Pipeline, Kelly is the Pirates' No. 7 prospect. The 22-year-old native of Aruba made one relief appearance for Pittsburgh earlier this year on June 12 against the Miami Marlins and struggled, allowing two earned runs on two hits (one homer) while walking one and striking out a batter. In 17 appearances (12 starts) for Indy, Kelly has a 4.85 ERA and 1.50 WHIP with 54 strikeouts and 33 walks in 68 2/3 innings pitched. The 5-foot-10, 238-pounder is undersized for a starter, but he makes up for it with strength and can reach triple digits with his fastball. For as hard as he throws, though, Kelly doesn't generate a ton of swing and miss, and his command hasn't been great on the farm in 2026. Now that he's back with the big-league club, Kelly will most likely pitch out of the bullpen again to give the Bucs some length heading into next week's All-Star break.
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
Source: MLB.com - Alex Stumpf
