Jeff Kinley

Jeffrey Patrick Kinley

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
• School Michigan State University
• High School Heritage High School (Saginaw)

• Born February 15, 1992 in Saginaw, MI USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Jeff Kinley was drafted by the Miami Marlins in the 28th round of the 2015 amateur draft, out of Michigan State University. While he never reached the majors, he had a long career in the minor leagues, including parts of two seasons in AAA.

He pitched in the Marlins system until 2019, exclusively as a reliever. Highlights included going 5-2, 3,16 in 39 games for the Greensboro Grasshoppers of the South Atlantic League in 2016 and 2-0, 1.30 in 21 games for the Jupiter Hammerheads of the Florida State League in 2017. He then split the 2018 season between the AA Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and AAA New Orleans Baby Cakes, combining to go 2-1, 3.02 with 7 saves in 41 games. He was a Southern League All-Star that year after being an FSL All-Star the year before. He was on the brink of the majors at that point, but struggled to an ERA of 11.48 in 8 games for New Orleans in 2019, was sent back to AA as a result, and while he pitched a lot better there, with a 2.93 ERA in 25 games, his opportunity was gone. He was released by the Marlins before the end of the year and ended up with the Somerset Patriots of the independent Atlantic League to finish the season. He continued to do well in Somerset, with an ERA of 2.25 in 16 games, but it was then the COVID-19 pandemic that sent him further astray, forcing him to sit out the 2020 season as the minor leagues were shut down.

When he returned in 2021, he had to take whatever opportunity to play came his way, including a stint in another indy league, the American Association, with the Chicago Dogs, and the Mexican Pacific League for winter ball. In 2022, he became a starter for the first time since college, when he had started a few games his senior year with the Spartans. This time, it became a full-time job after he went 8-3, 2.73 while making 11 starts in 28 appearances with the Dogs. He was a full-time starter for the Algodoneros de Guasave in the Mexican Pacific League in 2022-23. Guasave lost the league championship to the Cañeros de Los Mochis, with Jeff being charged with the loss in the final game on January 28th, but he impressed his opponents enough that he was added to Los Mochis's roster for the 2023 Caribbean Series. It was a good choice as ended up winning both of his starts. The scenario repeated itself the next year: he went 6-0, 2.47 for Guasave, then joined the Naranjeros de Hermosillo for the 2024 Caribbean Series, made one start, and again was a winner. The previous summer, he had played in the Mexican League for the first time, going 4-2, 2.20 for the Olmecas de Tabasco. He did not play any summer ball in 2024, but that winter he pitched for both Guasave and the Toros del Este in the Dominican League.

Related Sites

• Michigan State University bio