Kyle Kessel

Kyle Lane Kessel

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 0", Weight 160 lb.
• School Texas A&M University
• High School Mundelein High School

• Born June 2, 1976 in Dixon, IL USA

BR page

Biographical Information

Pitcher Kyle Kessel was drafted by the New York Mets in the 60th round of the 1994 amateur draft out of Mundelein High School in Illinois, where he also played basketball. He signed with the Mets, who also allowed him to attend Texas A&M University, where he played on the basketball team. He started his professional career in 1985, splitting his season between the GCL Mets and the Kingsport Mets of the Appalachian League, finishing at 7-0, 1.80 in 12 starts. That will catch the organization's attention, even for a very low draft pick, and he was given plenty of opportunities to succeed over the next few years as a result.

In 1996, he was 2-6, 4.74 in 13 starts for the Pittsfield Mets of the New York-Penn League and in 1997 had another very nice season, this time with the Capital City Bombers of the South Atlantic League, where he went 11-11, 2.72 in 27 games, logging 168 2/3 innings and striking out 151 opponents. That turned out to be the apex of his pro career, although he would still pitch for a number of years. In 1998, his forward progress was stalled by an injury, as he made just 16 starts for the St. Lucie Mets of the Florida State League, going 2-7, 5.14, also needing a few rehabilitation outings back in the Gulf Coast League. 1999 turned out to be more of the same, with just 8 starts with St. Lucie (1-2, 4.63) and 3 in the Gulf Coast League.

The underlying talent was still there, however, and the Houston Astros decided to take a chance on him when they acquired him in a major league trade on December 23, 1999. The other players involved were all big names: P Mike Hampton and OF Derek Bell heading to New York, and P Octavio Dotel and OF Richard Hidalgo heading the other way alongside Kyle. He was added to the team's 40-man roster and had a good first season in the Astros' system in 2000, starting off back in the FSL with the Kissimmee Cobras and then earning a promotion to the AA Texas League and the Round Rock Express. His combined record was 10-10, 4.10 in 26 games, with 99 strikeouts in 147 innings. In 2001, he made it all the way to the AAA New Orleans Zephyrs of the Pacific Coast League, also pitching with Round Rock, but he struggled badly and was released, finishing the season back in the Mets system, this time in AA with the Binghamton Mets of the Eastern League. His overall results weren't really impressive: 4-10, 6.88 in 31 games, with 70 strikeouts in 107 1/3 innings - but a whopping 151 hits allowed.

He had now exhausted his chances in the affiliated minors, and in 2002 gave baseball one more shot, this time in the independent leagues. He split that season between two teams in the Atlantic League, the Long Island Ducks and the homeless Road Warriors, but he had little left in the tank. His combined mark was 1-6, 9.35 in 10 games, bringing his career to an end.

After baseball, he returned to basketball, working as a coach for the College of Lake County.

Related Sites

• College of Lake County bio