Casey Patrick Kelly Bio
Casey Patrick Kelly (born October 4, 1989) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a free agent. He has played in Major League Baseball for the San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves, San Francisco Giants, Cincinnati Reds, and Arizona Diamondbacks. Kelly also enjoyed a highly successful six-year stint in the KBO League with the LG Twins, where he became a fan favorite and established himself as one of the top foreign pitchers in Korean baseball history.
Early Life and Background
Casey Patrick Kelly was born on October 4, 1989. He grew up in Sarasota, Florida, where he attended Sarasota High School. Kelly was a two-time regional player of the year as a quarterback in high school and was also offered a football scholarship to play at the University of Tennessee. His athletic prowess extended beyond the gridiron, as he was also an accomplished baseball player.
Baseball ran in the Kelly family. His father, Pat Kelly, appeared in three major league games as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox during the 1970s. This family legacy would later come full circle when Casey made his major league debut on August 27, 2012, which coincidentally fell on his father is 57th birthday.
Path to Professional Baseball
Despite his football talents, Kelly chose baseball as his career path. He was selected by the Boston Red Sox in the first round, 30th overall, in the 2008 Major League Baseball draft. Kelly received a $3 million signing bonus, which was $700,000 more than the sixth player in the draft received, reflecting the high expectations the organization had for him. Initially drafted as a pitcher, Kelly split his first professional season between the Greenville Drive and Salem Red Sox in 2009, appearing both on the mound and at shortstop. He was elected to play in the All-Star Futures Game that year and hit .222 while striking out 27 percent of the time at the plate.
Kelly announced in December 2009 that he would focus exclusively on pitching. He posted a remarkable 6-1 record with a 1.12 earned run average during his time as a pitcher in Single-A. In 2010 with the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, he appeared in 21 starts and was ranked as the 10th-best minor league prospect by ESPN and 24th by Baseball America mid-season.
Casey Patrick Kelly Career
Boston Red Sox (2008-2010)
Kelly began his professional journey in the Red Sox minor league system after being selected in the first round of the 2008 MLB draft. He split his time between the Greenville Drive and Salem Red Sox in 2009, showcasing his two-way abilities. His decision to become a full-time pitcher in late 2009 marked a turning point in his development trajectory.
Entering the 2010 season, Kelly was considered one of the top prospects in all of minor league baseball. His strong performance with the Portland Sea Dogs solidified his status as a premium pitching prospect, though his 5.31 ERA indicated areas for continued development.
San Diego Padres (2012-2015)
On December 6, 2010, Kelly was traded along with Anthony Rizzo, Reymond Fuentes, and Eric Patterson to the San Diego Padres in exchange for three-time All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez. Kelly was considered the top prospect in the Red Sox organization at the time of the trade and was ranked 22nd among the Top 50 Prospects by MLB.com entering the 2011 season.
Kelly began the 2011 season with the Double-A San Antonio Missions, where he posted a 3.98 ERA with 105 strikeouts in 27 starts across 142 and one-third innings. He was promoted to Triple-A Tucson in 2012 but strained his elbow in his second start, requiring rehabilitation work in the rookie league and with San Antonio before joining the Padres major league rotation.
Kelly made his MLB debut on August 27, 2012, earning a win after pitching six shutout innings in a 3-0 victory over the Atlanta Braves. He also recorded his first major league hit in that game. Kelly appeared in six starts for the Padres that season, going 2-3 with a 6.21 ERA. In March 2013, he was diagnosed with micro tears in his ulnar collateral ligament and underwent Tommy John surgery on April 2, which sidelined him for an extended period.
Kelly returned from injury in 2014 but made only a few minor league appearances. In 2015, he was converted into a reliever, appearing in 20 games with San Antonio before joining the El Paso Chihuahuas, the Padres Triple-A affiliate.
Atlanta Braves (2016)
On December 10, 2015, the Padres traded Kelly and Ricardo Rodriguez to the Atlanta Braves for Christian Bethancourt. Kelly was assigned to the Triple-A Gwinnett Braves and was recalled to the major leagues on April 20, 2016. He appeared in 10 games with Atlanta that season, struggling to an 0-3 record and 5.82 ERA with just 7 strikeouts across 21 and two-thirds innings. On November 2, he was removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Triple-A Gwinnett before electing free agency.
San Francisco Giants (2017-2018)
Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Chicago Cubs in January 2017 but was released in July after posting a 5-2 record with a 4.65 ERA in 12 games for Triple-A Iowa. He signed with the San Francisco Giants in late July 2017 and spent the remainder of that season with their Triple-A Sacramento River Cats affiliate.
Kelly re-signed with the Giants on a new minor league deal in February 2018 and was called up to the major league team in mid-August. In seven games including three starts, he went 0-3 with a 3.04 ERA over 23 and two-thirds innings pitched. He was removed from the 40-man roster following the season.
LG Twins KBO Era (2019-2024)
On November 20, 2018, Kelly signed a one-year, $1 million contract with the LG Twins of the KBO League. He made an immediate impact in his debut 2019 season, compiling a 14-12 record and 2.55 ERA with 126 strikeouts across 180 and one-third innings pitched in 29 starts. Kelly established himself as a reliable workhorse for the Twins rotation.
He continued his strong performance in 2020 with a 15-7 record and 3.32 ERA while logging 173 and one-third innings with 134 strikeouts. The 2021 season saw him make 30 starts, posting a 13-8 record with a 3.15 ERA and 142 strikeouts across 177 innings.
Kelly reached the peak of his KBO career in 2022. Named a KBO All-Star, he went 16-4 with a remarkable 2.54 ERA and 153 strikeouts in 166 and one-third innings across 27 starts. His 16 wins led the entire KBO League that season. In 2023, Kelly contributed to the LG Twins Korean Series championship, making 30 starts and posting a 10-7 record with a 3.83 ERA and 129 strikeouts across 178 and two-thirds innings, earning the winning pitcher honor in Game 5 of the Korean Series finals.
Kelly returned for the 2024 season on a one-year contract but struggled, compiling a 5-8 record with a 4.51 ERA in 19 starts before the Twins announced their departure from him on July 20, 2024.
Cincinnati Reds and Arizona Diamondbacks (2024-2025)
On August 7, 2024, Kelly signed a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. After two starts for Triple-A Louisville Bats, the Reds selected his contract and added him to their active roster on August 24. In two games for Cincinnati, he allowed 3 runs on 5 hits with 4 strikeouts over 5 and one-third innings before being designated for assignment on August 29.
Kelly signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks on February 25, 2025. He performed adequately in the minors with the Triple-A Reno Aces, compiling a 2-5 record with a 5.82 ERA in 18 appearances including 14 starts. The Diamondbacks selected his contract on August 6, adding him to their active roster. He made two scoreless appearances for Arizona before being removed from the 40-man roster and sent outright to Reno on November 6, elect ing free agency the same day.
Casey Patrick Kelly Career Wins
Casey Kelly has accumulated wins across both Major League Baseball and the KBO League throughout his professional career. His MLB career includes a 2-11 win-loss record with a 5.34 ERA and 60 strikeouts. His most extensive success came in Korea, where he established himself as a durable and effective starting pitcher for the LG Twins.
KBO League Highlights
Kelly is best known for his dominant stretch with the LG Twins from 2019 through 2024. Across six KBO seasons, he accumulated a 73-46 win-loss record with a 3.25 ERA and 753 strikeouts. His finest individual season came in 2022 when he earned KBO All-Star honors and led the league with 16 wins while posting a 2.54 ERA. The 2023 season brought the pinnacle of team success when he helped guide the LG Twins to the Korean Series championship, securing the winning pitcher decision in the clinching game of the finals. His durability as a starter was remarkable, consistently logging over 170 innings per season while maintaining an ERA under 3.50 in his peak years.
MLB Career Summary
Kelly made his major league debut with the San Diego Padres in August 2012, earning a win in his debut start against the Atlanta Braves. Across parts of six MLB seasons with the Padres, Braves, Giants, Reds, and Diamondbacks, he appeared in 27 games with 13 starts, posting a career 2-11 record. His MLB career was interrupted by Tommy John surgery in 2013, which affected his trajectory and limited his extended opportunities at the highest level.
| League | Record | ERA | Strikeouts |
|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 2-11 | 5.34 | 60 |
| KBO | 73-46 | 3.25 | 753 |
Family
Family Background and Baseball Lineage
Casey Patrick Kelly comes from a baseball family. His father, Pat Kelly, appeared in three major league games as a catcher for the Boston Red Sox during the 1970s. This family connection to professional baseball undoubtedly influenced Casey is path to the sport and created a unique moment when he made his major league debut on October 4, 2012, his father is 57th birthday.
Personal Life
Kelly maintains a presence on social media under the handle @the_real_ck3. He is a Sarasota, Florida native and attended Sarasota High School, where his dual-sport excellence in football and baseball drew significant collegiate interest before he chose baseball professionally. The competitive nature that made him a highly recruited quarterback translated well to his pitching career.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025 season represented another chapter in Casey Kelly is ongoing professional journey. After beginning the year in the Arizona Diamondbacks minor league system with the Triple-A Reno Aces, Kelly earned a call-up to the major league roster in August. He appeared in two scoreless relief appearances for Arizona during his brief time on the active roster.
Kelly is value as an experienced starting pitcher who can provide depth and innings when needed remains recognized across the industry. His career in Korea demonstrated his ability to perform at a high level over full seasons, and his experience in Major League Baseball gives him a unique background among available arms. At 35 years old, he continues to work toward securing another opportunity at the highest level of professional baseball.