Orion Kerkering
Orion Kerkering | |
---|---|
Philadelphia Phillies – No. 50 | |
Pitcher | |
Born: Huntington Beach, California, U.S. | April 4, 2001|
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
MLB debut | |
September 24, 2023, for the Philadelphia Phillies | |
MLB statistics (through September 10, 2024) | |
Win–loss record | 5–2 |
Earned run average | 2.11 |
Strikeouts | 71 |
Teams | |
|
Richard Orion Kerkering (/oʊˈraɪɒn/ oh-RY-on;[1] born April 4, 2001) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2023.
Career
[edit]Kerkering attended Venice High School and the University of South Florida, where he played college baseball for the South Florida Bulls for three seasons. He began his junior season as a starting pitcher before becoming the Bulls' closer. Kerkering made 19 appearances with 10 starts and went 5–7 with three saves and a 5.72 ERA while striking out 91 batters over 67+2⁄3 innings pitched.[2] In 2021, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[3]
The Philadelphia Phillies selected Kerkering in the fifth round of the 2022 Major League Baseball draft.[4] After signing with the team, he was assigned to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Phillies and was later promoted to the Single-A Clearwater Threshers.[citation needed]
Kerkering was returned to Clearwater at the beginning of the 2023 season and was promoted to the High-A Jersey Shore BlueClaws after pitching 10+1⁄3 scoreless innings with 18 strikeouts over nine relief appearances to begin the season.[5] Kerkering was later promoted to the Double-A Reading Fightin Phils, and then to the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs.[6] In 49 combined appearances with Clearwater, Jersey Shore, Reading, and Lehigh Valley, Kerkering accumulated a 4–1 record and 1.51 ERA with 79 strikeouts and 14 saves in 53+2⁄3 innings pitched. Kerkering was named the winner of the organization's Paul Owens Award for pitcher for the 2023 season.[7]
On September 22, 2023, Kerkering was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[8] He made his MLB debut two days later pitching a 1-2-3 8th inning, including two strikeouts, against the New York Mets.[9] On September 27, he picked up his first Major League win, after pitching a scoreless inning in a 7–6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.[citation needed] Kerkering would be named to the team's Wild Card Series roster, and in Game 2 facing the Miami Marlins he pitched another 1-2-3 inning, again occurring in the 8th inning.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Kerkering shares his given first name, Richard, with his father and paternal grandfather, but they all go by their middle names, all of which are different.[11]
References
[edit]- ^ Orion Kerkering (profile) – MLB.com. Retrieved June 8, 2024
- ^ Portell, Vinnie (June 21, 2022). "Kerkering awaits MLB Draft fate". Sun Newspapers. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ "#44 Orion Kerkering". pointstreak.com. Retrieved June 25, 2023.
- ^ "Phillies select USF pitcher Orion Kerkering in 5th round of MLB draft".
- ^ "Phillies prospect Orion Kerkering: Plus slider, triple-digit fastball, and a fast-riser?".
- ^ Coffey, Alex (September 17, 2023). "Phillies promote Mick Abel, Orion Kerkering, and two other pitchers to triple-A Lehigh Valley". The Philadelphia Inquirer. The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
- ^ Seidman, Corey (September 21, 2023). "Breakout rookie and ascending reliever honored as Phils' minor-leaguers of 2023". NBC Sports Philadelphia. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
- ^ "Phillies' Orion Kerkering: Gets call to majors". cbssports.com. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (September 24, 2023). "With tears in his dad's eyes, Kerkering shines in MLB debut". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
- ^ Seidman, Corey (October 3, 2023). "Phillies wild-card roster includes multiple rookies, no Lorenzen". NBCSports Philadelphia. NBCUniversal Media, LLC. Retrieved October 3, 2023.
- ^ Zolecki, Todd (September 23, 2023). "Kerkering expected a callup in a few years -- then, his phone rang". MLB.com. MLB Advanced Media, LP. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
External links
[edit]- Career statistics and player information from MLB, or ESPN, or Baseball Reference, or Fangraphs, or Baseball Reference (Minors), or Retrosheet
- South Florida Bulls bio
- 2001 births
- Living people
- Baseball players from Huntington Beach, California
- Clearwater Threshers players
- Florida Complex League Phillies players
- Jersey Shore BlueClaws players
- Lehigh Valley IronPigs players
- Major League Baseball pitchers
- Orleans Firebirds players
- Philadelphia Phillies players
- Reading Fightin Phils players
- South Florida Bulls baseball players