Red Sox sign Indy Ball flame thrower who tops out at 98 mph
The Red Sox signed hard-throwing right-hander Danny Kirwin to a minor league deal, the Oakland Ballers announced on social media.
The Oakland Ballers will begin their season on May 21st without Kirwin, who becomes the latest Indy Ball pitcher to land with the Red Sox organization.
Kirwin trended on social media Sunday after Ballers skipper Micah Franklin posted a video of the righty hitting 98 mph on the radar gun. Three days later, Boston inked the 24-year-old, and he is expected to join Low-A Salem once the deal becomes official.
Kirwin originally signed with the Ballers back in December after spending five years at Rider University. The righty went undrafted after posting a 2.32 ERA with 67 strikeouts to 36 walks over 25 appearances (50 1/3 innings) and earning MAAC Relief Pitcher of the Year honors in 2023.
Last summer, Kirwin pitched for the Mahoning Valley Scrappers of the MLB Draft League and the Tri-City Chili Peppers of the Coastal Plain League. He also spent the winter working out at the popular Tread Athletics in North Carolina.
While he was working out at Tread, Kirwin’s velocity increased. Lucas Still, one of the performance coaches, posted a video on X where the hurler was hitting between 95 and 97 mph and his fastball was topping out at 97.7 mph.
The 6-foot-2, 205-pound also throws a cutter, a sweeper/slider mix, a sinker, and a changeup to go along with his four-seam heater.
Kirwin becomes the latest pitcher to sign with the Red Sox out of Indy Ball. Last summer, Boston signed left-hander Zach Penrod, and he has been fantastic since joining the organization. The Red Sox also signed righty Cooper Adams back in January; he went undrafted and also worked out at Tread Athletics prior to signing with the club.
