Larry Kiser

Larry Grant Kiser

• Bats Right, Throws Left
• Height 6' 4", Weight 220 lb.
• School University of North Carolina
• High School Dobyns-Bennett High School
• Born July 27, 1949 in Kingsport, TN USA

BR Minors page

Biographical Information

Larry Kiser was taken by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 3rd round of a June supplemental phase of the 1971 amateur draft and pitched 7 years in the minor leagues, going 60-57.

Kiser debuted with the 1971 Walla Walla Phillies. He went 7-4 with a 2.86 ERA. He was second in the Northwest League in ERA. Control was an issue, as he walked 44 in 88 innings, but he only gave up one home run. In 1972, Larry split the season between the Spartanburg Phillies (12-3, 3.30, 64 BB and 113 K in 131 IP) and the co-op Burlington Rangers (2-4, 3.83, 10 WP in 40 IP). He had qualified, he would have been fifth in the Western Carolinas League in ERA.

In 1973, the wild left-hander had a 9-9, 3.30 mark for the Reading Phillies. He fired 22 wild pitches and issued 112 walks in 139 innings. He led the Eastern League in wild pitches and was third in walks. Had he qualified, he would have ranked sixth in the EL in ERA. During 1974, Larry's record with Reading was 8-6 with a 3.42 ERA. His control sharpened with 53 walks and 7 wild pitches in 129 IP. He made his AAA debut with the Toledo Mud Hens and he was 1-3 with a 4.67 ERA, though he walked 18 in 27 IP.

At age 25/26, Kiser split time between Reading (6-5, 3.80) and Toledo (3-7, 2.82). In 1976, he spent his first full season at AAA, with the Oklahoma City 89ers. He went 4-5 with a 4.86 ERA, walking 61 in 107 innings of work. Returning to the 89ers in 1977, Kiser was 8-11 with a 4.38 ERA.

Sources include 1972-1978 Baseball Guides