Caleb Kilian #56

He and his wife, Tessa, welcomed their first child...Starred at Flower Mound (Texas) High School where he was a three-year letter winner. Was part of a squad that won the 2014 Texas State Championship...His father, Joel, ran track at California Lutheran.

2025

Made one start for Triple-A Iowa, allowing six runs in 2.1 innings on April 3...was placed on the IL two days later with a right shoulder strain...Was designated for assignment by Chicago on April 10 and released on April 12...he was then re-signed to a Minor League contract by the Cubs two days later and transferred to the Minor League 60-day IL at Triple-A on April 19...During his rehab, Kilian changed his diet to add more muscle and got his weight up to 215 pounds...He also told the Des Moines Register that he tinkered with his mechanics after talking with roommate and former Giants farmhand Wil Jensen...Jensen had worked closely with Tread Athletics and talked to Kilian about incorporating drift as he loaded up in his delivery...Began a rehab assignment with High-A South Bend on Aug. 10 and was activated from the IL on Aug. 17...Combined with the added weight, Kilian came back from the injury throwing hard like he used to, reaching 100 mph in a sim game in Arizona and touching 97.9 mph in his first outing back in Triple-A...Spent the remainder of the 2025 season in the Iowa bullpen...seven of his eight relief appearances after being activated were scoreless (4 ER, 10.1 IP)...Struck out 13 batters in 12.2 innings as a reliever at Iowa but also walked eight...Averaged 96.7 mph with his four-seam fastball and 96.3 mph with his sinker as a reliever at Iowa...Also missed a week on the temporary inactive list in late September as he and his wife, Tessa, welcomed a baby boy on Sept. 21...Elected free agency in November and signed back with the Giants, the original team that drafted him, on Dec. 14.  

2024

Caleb split the 2024 campaign between Triple-A Iowa and the Cubs...went 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA (5 ER/10.2 IP) in two games (one start) at the Major League level....Missed the majority of Spring Training and was placed on the 60-day injured list with a right shoulder strain at the beginning of the season...was on the IL from March 27-July 31...Pitched in three rehab games with High-A South Bend in July, allowing four runs in 4.0 IP (9.00 ERA)…Held the opponent scoreless in three-straight outings (two starts) from July 28-Aug. 7 (12.0 IP)…Earned his first win of the year with Triple-A Iowa on Aug. 27 vs. Memphis, allowing two runs over 5.1-innings....His 1.88 ERA (5 ER/24.0 IP) in five starts in August was the sixth-lowest ERA in Triple-A during the month (min. 20.0 IP)…Tossed a season-high 6.0 innings and struck out a season high-tying six batters on Sept. 11....Allowed two earned runs or fewer in eight of his last nine appearances in Triple-A from July 28-Sept. 17, posting a 2.21 ERA (10 ER/39.2 IP) during the span....Was recalled from Iowa Sept. 23 and made his season debut in relief that night in Philadelphia, suffering the loss (5 ER/5.2 IP)…Made his lone start of the 2024 campaign in the final game of the season, Sept. 29 vs. Cincinnati (0 ER/5.0 IP)…tossed at least 5.0 scoreless innings for the first time in his career.

2023

Caleb in 2023 went 0-1 with a 16.88 ERA (10 ER/5.1 IP) in three games (one start) with the Cubs...With Triple-A Iowa, went 8-3 with a 4.56 ERA (61 ER/120.1 IP) in 25 games (24 starts)...Recorded 95 strikeouts and 36 walks with a 1.32 WHIP...Earned his first win of the season at Buffalo April 19, tossing 5.0 scoreless innings...From July 4-Sept. 22, recorded 50 strikeouts and allowed two-or-fewer walks in 12 games with Iowa...Recorded a season-high eight strikeouts Sept. 22 at Triple-A Louisville.

2022

Caleb made his major league debut in 2022, making three starts for the Cubs....Spent the majority of the season with Triple-A Iowa, going 5-4 with a 4.22 ERA (50 ER/106.2 IP) in 26 starts....Began the season with the I-Cubs, allowing two or fewer runs in eight-straight starts to begin the campaign ... posted a 1.31 ERA (5 ER/34.1 IP) during that stretch....Had his contract selected and made his major league debut in game two of the doubleheader on June 4 vs. St. Louis (3 ER/5.0 IP)... Retired the first nine hitters he faced in order, tallying four strikeouts, including the first batter he faced (Tommy Edman swinging)....Was optioned back to Iowa on June 5 and recalled on June 15....Made two more starts with the Cubs, June 15 vs. San Diego (5 ER/4.0 IP) and June 20 at Pittsburgh (5 ER/2.1 IP), suffering the loss in both outings....Was optioned to Iowa on June 21, where he made 15 more starts for the I-Cubs to conclude the season....Recorded a season high-tying eight strikeouts twice, May 19 vs. Columbus (0 ER/5.2 IP) and July 23 at Omaha (0 ER/5.0 IP), earning wins in both outings.

2021

Split the 2021 season between High-A Eugene and Double-A Richmond in the Giants organization and Double-A Tennessee in the Cubs organization...Went a combined 7-4 with a 2.42 ERA (27 ER/100.1 IP) and three complete games in 19 starts...Began the season with Eugene, where he pitched to a 3-0 record with a 1.25 ERA (3 ER/21.2 IP) in four starts...struck out 32 batters, compared to one walk...Was named the High-A West Pitcher of the Week twice on May 9, after he allowed one earned run in 9.0 IP the previous week, and May 23, after he tossed 7.0 scoreless innings with 10 strikeouts on May 22 at Tri-City...Earned High-A West Pitcher of the Month for May, going 3-0 with a 1.25 ERA (3 ER/21.2 IPO) in four starts...Was promoted to Richmond May 25...Allowed three earned runs or fewer in all 11 starts with Richmond, going 2-4 with a 2.43 ERA (17 ER/63.0 IP)...Was acquired by the Cubs from San Francisco July 29, 2021 with OF Alexander Canario for INF/OF Kris Bryant...Made four starts with Tennessee, going 1-2 with a 4.02 ERA (7 ER/15.2 IP)...Pitched for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League following the season...Threw 6.0 perfect innings in the AFL championship game, guiding Mesa to the league title.