Justin Kelly

Justin Robert Kelly (JK)

• Bats Left, Throws Left
• Height 6' 1", Weight 175 lb.

• School University of California, Santa Barbara, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Bakersfield College
• High School Stockdale High School

• Born April 22, 1993 in Bakersfield, CA USA

BR register page

Biographical Information

Justin Kelly has pitched as high as AAA and for the Mexican national team.

Kelly played baseball, basketball and football in high school. He was 6-2 with a 3.50 ERA as a junior and 5-4, 2.90 as a senior. In junior college, he went 5-3, 3.98 as a freshman and 5-4, 3.80 his sophomore season. He allowed 3 runs in 1 1/3 IP at Virginia Tech in 2014 then transferred to UCSB and was redshirted. He had a 3.57 ERA and over a K per inning for the Wisconsin Rapids Rafters in summer ball.

His senior year of college, he was 2-1 with a 3.80 ERA and whiffed 35 in 23 2/3 IP. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim took him in the 33rd round of the 2016 amateur draft. The scout was Ben Diggins. He was 2-1 with a 6.44 ERA and 1.87 WHIP for the Orem Owlz that summer. In 2017, he pitched for five Angels farm teams over all four classifications: Orem (3-0, 1.86 in 8 G), Burlington (2-3, 2 Sv, 2.43 in 11 G), Inland Empire (0-1, 5.79 in 2 G), Mobile (1-0, 7.50 in 2 G) and Salt Lake (11.25 in 2 G).

Justin was then dealt to the Atlanta Braves for long-time major leaguer Jim Johnson and international pool space. He split 2018 between the Florida Fire Frogs (3-2, 3 Sv, 3.05 ERA in 29 G) and Mississippi Braves (1-0, 5.06 in 7 G). He struck out 65 in 55 innings and allowed only 41 hits (just one dinger) but walked 37. On August 1, he relieved Ian Anderson with a no-hitter in progress against the Charlotte Stone Crabs. He kept it going then was succeeded by Brandon S. White. After 10 innings, the no-hitter was broken and the team lost.

The lefty opened 2019 with Florida (1-1, 5.93 in 7 G, 22 K in 13 2/3 IP) then moved up to Mississippi. After two fine outings (5 1/3 IP, 0 R), he was sent to the Acereros de Monclova in Mexico. He was 1-0 with a 2.20 ERA in 28 games as a LOOGY, working 16 1/3 IP and giving up just 9 hits (though walking 11).

He was on the Mexican team for the 2019 Premier 12. He was far from the only American-born player on the team as other players were Jon Jones, Arturo Reyes, Matt Clark, Phillip Evans, Brennan Bernardino, Horacio Ramirez, Ryan Verdugo and Efren Navarro. He pitched two games and wound up with Mexico's highest ERA (27.00; Ramirez was next at 10.38) and WHIP (9.00). He debuted against the Netherlands, relieving Francisco Ríos with a 8-2 lead in the 8th, one on and two out. He allowed a Juremi Profar hit and walked Ademar Rifaela but recovered to retire Calten Daal. Fernando Salas took over as the 8th pitcher of the game. His other game, he relieved Felipe González with the bases loaded, no outs and a 2-1 lead over defending champion South Korea in the 4th. He walked Min-woo Park to force in the tying run then Humberto Castellanos relieved and continued the Mexican meltdown, charging Kelly with a run. Mexico would go on to place 3rd, though, in the event, winning a spot in the 2020 Olympics (though those would be delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic).