Austin Kitchen

Austin Kitchen
Seattle Mariners
Pitcher
Born: (1997-02-11) February 11, 1997 (age 27)
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Bats: Left
Throws: Left
MLB debut
July 30, 2024, for the Miami Marlins
MLB statistics
(through 2024 season)
Win–loss record0–1
Earned run average14.14
Strikeouts4
Teams

Austin Kitchen (born February 11, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Seattle Mariners of Major League Baseball (MLB). He debuted in MLB in 2024 for the Miami Marlins.

Career

Early career

Kitchen attended Mt. Lebanon High School in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania, and played for the school's baseball team.[1] He enrolled at Coastal Carolina University, where he played college baseball for the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers from 2016 through 2019. Kitchen was a member of the 2016 College World Series champions.[2] That year, he was named a freshman All American by Louisville Slugger.[3] In 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball for the Cotuit Kettleers of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[4][5] He missed the entire 2018 season after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee while working out in a weight room.[6] He returned to the Chanticleers in 2019, leading the team in hits and runs allowed and sharing the team lead with 6 wins. He did not pitch in college in 2020.[7]

After college, Kitchen was not selected in the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball draft and spent the summer with the Steel City Slammin' Sammies of the independent Washington League. In nine games, he recorded a 1.50 earned run average (ERA) with 11 strikeouts across 12 innings pitched.[8] On February 9, 2021, Kitchen signed with the Washington Wild Things of the independent Frontier League.[9]

Colorado Rockies

On April 20, 2021, Kitchen signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies organization.[10] He pitched 19 games for the Single–A Fresno Grizzlies, compiling a 4.97 ERA with 38 strikeouts across 50+23 innings.[11] Kitchen started 2022 with the High–A Spokane Indians and was promoted to the Double–A Hartford Yard Goats at the end of July. In 36 total games, he posted a cumulative 5–2 record and 3.32 ERA with 71 strikeouts across 81+13 innings pitched. Kitchen spent the 2023 season back with Hartford, also making two appearances for the Triple–A Albuquerque Isotopes. In 43 games out of the bullpen for Hartford, he recorded a 3.62 ERA with 54 strikeouts and 3 saves across 59+23 innings of work.[12][13]

Kitchen began 2024 with Hartford and was promoted to Albuquerque after 5 games. In 18 games for the Isotopes, Kitchen registered a 3.65 ERA with 18 strikeouts.[14]

On June 22, 2024, Kitchen was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[15] He did not make an appearance for the Rockies before he was designated for assignment the following day to make way for Kyle Freeland, becoming, for a time, a phantom ballplayer.[16]

Miami Marlins

On June 25, 2024, Kitchen was claimed off waivers by the Miami Marlins[17] and optioned to the Triple–A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.[18] The Marlins promoted Kitchen to the major leagues on July 26,[19] but he was optioned to back to Jacksonville the next day, without pitching for Miami.[20] He was promoted once more on July 30.[21] He made his major league debut that day, allowing 3 runs in 2 innings in a loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.[22] Kitchen made four appearances for the Marlins, with a 14.14 ERA, one loss, and four strikeouts over seven innings.[23] He was designated for assignment by Miami on September 7.[24]

Seattle Mariners

On September 9, 2024, Kitchen was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners.[25][26] He was optioned to the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers,[18] where he pitched four times, posting an unsightly 14.73 ERA in 3+23 innings. His combined pitching line for three Triple-A teams in 2024 was a 6–1 record with a 4.33 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 43+23 innings.[12]

References

  1. ^ Harlan, Chris (April 30, 2015). "Without home field, Mt. Lebanon baseball team finds success on road". TribLive.com. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Anderson, Shelly (August 17, 2016). "A good start". Mt. Lebanon Magazine.
  3. ^ "Austin Kitchen - Baseball". Coastal Carolina University Athletics. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  4. ^ "#38 Austin Kitchen - Profile". pointstreak.com. Retrieved July 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "Dormont duo reunites for the summer in Cape Cod League". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
  6. ^ Bendel, Joe (April 10, 2019). "Mt. Lebanon grad Austin Kitchen overcomes injury to become a pitching force at Coastal Carolina". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Tri-State Sports & News Service. Archived from the original on June 23, 2024.
  7. ^ "Austin Kitchen - Baseball Stats - The Baseball Cube". TheBaseballCube.com. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  8. ^ "Austin Kitchen Signs With Rockies Organization". washingtonwildthings.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  9. ^ "Mt. Lebanon, Coastal Carolina Product Austin Kitchen Signed". washingtonwildthings.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  10. ^ "Mt. Lebanon alum Austin Kitchen to sign with Colorado Rockies organization". triblive.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  11. ^ "Austin Kitchen - Stats - Pitching". fangraphs.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  12. ^ a b "Austin Kitchen College, Amateur, Independent & Minor Leagues Statistics". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  13. ^ "Colorado Rockies Roster Moves: Austin Kitchen, Geoff Hartlieb". thereportonsports.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  14. ^ "Rockies' Austin Kitchen: Contract selected by Colorado". cbssports.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  15. ^ "Rockies Select Austin Kitchen". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 22, 2024.
  16. ^ "Rockies Reinstate Kyle Freeland From 60-Day Injured List". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 23, 2024.
  17. ^ "Marlins Claim Austin Kitchen From Rockies". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  18. ^ a b "Austin Kitchen Stats, Age, Position, Height, Weight, Fantasy & News". MLB.com. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  19. ^ "Marlins' Austin Kitchen: Called up by Marlins". cbssports.com. Retrieved July 26, 2024.
  20. ^ "Transactions". MLB.com.
  21. ^ "Transactions". MLB.com.
  22. ^ "Former Jumbo Shrimp Kitchen debuts for Marlins". MiLB.com.
  23. ^ "Austin Kitchen 2024 Pitching Game Logs". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved September 29, 2024.
  24. ^ "Marlins Announce 11 Roster Moves". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 7, 2024.
  25. ^ PR, Mariners (September 9, 2024). "Mariners Claim LHP Austin Kitchen Off Waivers from Miami". Medium. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  26. ^ "Mariners Claim Austin Kitchen". mlbtraderumors.com. Retrieved September 9, 2024.