Kevin’s mother, Terri, studied computer science and taught him basic programming concepts at a young age…He attended James Madison University to play baseball and study computer science…As part of a group project, he created a web application to improve the NCAA statistics website…After beginning his professional career with Cleveland, he returned to James Madison and graduated in Dec. 2019...Kevin experimented with a sidearm delivery when he was younger while throwing with his father, Mark…His dad encouraged him to show the lower arm angle in a game...Kelly played forward for the varsity soccer team at Paul VI Catholic (Va.) High School...Kevin and his wife, Sarah, were married this past offseason in Virginia…The two met while attending James Madison...Prior to the Rays final home game of the season, Kevin took the field for batting practice in a full Baker Mayfield Buccaneers uniform, complete with a helmet and shoulder pads, at the direction of his veteran teammates…Mayfield attended Game 2 of the Rays AL Wild Card Series donning a No. 49 Kevin Kelly Devil Rays jersey a couple of weeks later...Selected by Cleveland in the 19th round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of James Madison University…Was 15-13 with a 3.37 ERA (189.2IP, 71ER) in 54 appearances (26GS) over three seasons...Anchored the James Madison pitching staff as a junior, leading the team with 94 SO while going 7-7 with a 3.26 ERA (88.1IP, 32ER) in 15 starts...Following his sophomore season, had a league-best 1.25 ERA (36.0IP, 5ER) in 13 games (2GS) for the Orleans Firebirds in the Cape Cod League.
2023
Made 57 appearances during his rookie campaign, going 5-2 with a 3.09 ERA (67.0IP, 23ER)…Was on the 15-day injured list from Aug. 16-Sept. 1 with a left ankle sprain...Voted the club’s Outstanding Rookie by the Tampa Bay Chapter of the BBWAA...Yielded only two HR over 67.0 IP, good for 0.27 HR/9.0 IP, the second-lowest mark in the Majors (min. 60.0IP) behind DET Jason Foley (0.26)…Signaled the fifth-lowest mark in Rays history under the same parameter...His 57 appearances were eighth most by a rookie in Rays history, including the most since Ryne Stanek in 2018 (59G)...His 11 holds were tied for second-most among Rays relievers behind Colin Poche (22) and were fifth most by a rookie in club history…Also tied for fifth most among AL rookies...Posted a 1.77 ERA (35.2IP, seven ER) in 28 home appearances compared to a 4.60 ERA (31.1IP, 16ER) in 29 road appearances...Began the season with a 5.06 ERA (21.1IP, 12ER) in his first 15 appearances from April 1-May 12…Posted a 2.17 ERA (45.2IP, 11ER) in 42 games from May 14 on...Worked more than 1.0 IP in 24 of his 57 appearances…Recorded 10 relief appearances of 2.0+ IP, tying Yonny Chirinos and Cooper Criswell for the club lead and tying for seventh-most among AL rookies...Limited opponents to a .205 (46-for-224) average on his sinker/sweeper compared to .320 (8-for25) on his cutter...Recorded 10 HBP, the most among AL relievers and most by a reliever in Rays history...Began his career with 42.0 homerless innings, the second-longest such streak by a rookie in franchise history behind Álex Torres (42.2IP)…Saw the streak come to end on July 19 at TEX (Jonah Heim)...Made his first career Opening Day roster...On April 1 vs. DET, made his MLB debut, permitting an Austin Meadows RBI-single in the sixth inning before retiring the side in order in the seventh…Fanned his final batter faced, Nick Maton, for his first career strikeout...On April 13 vs. BOS, worked a career-high 2.2 IP, yielding one run on a Justin Turner RBI-single...On April 28 at CWS, earned his first career save after inducing a Luis Robert Jr. fly out…Became the 12th pitcher (16th instance) in Rays history to record a save on two pitches or fewer...Threw 20.1 scoreless innings spanning 21 appearances from May 14–July 15, holding opponents to a .092 (6-for-65) average during that span…It marked the second-longest such run by a rookie in club history, behind Álex Torres (25.0IP; 2011-13)…The 21 consecutive scoreless outings tied the third-longest streak in Rays history, trailing Pete Fairbanks (30G) and J.P. Howell (24G)...On July 6 vs. PHI, collected a career-best four SO over 2.0 IP to preserve a 1-1 tie…Fanned Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos and Bryce Harper in the sixth frame.
2022
Made 48 apps (one start) in the Minors in his last season in the Guardians organization…tied for 1st among Guardians minor leaguers in apps...Went 5-2 with a 2.04 ERA (57.1-IP, 13-ER) and 75 SO between Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus, earning a May 30 promotion...Yielded one HR against 251 BF between the two levels…held righties to a .157 avg. (23-for-147), while lefties hit .275 (19-for-69) against him...Struck out 28.9 pct. (43 of 149) of batters faced at the Triple-A level…according to Baseball America, had a 62.2 pct. ground ball rate after his promotion to Columbus...Selected by the Rockies with the No. 8 pick in the major league phase of the Rule 5 Draft and traded to the Rays for cash considerations...Ranked by Baseball America as the No. 27 prospect in the Rays system following the season.
2021
Spent the entire 2021 season with Class-A Lake County…tied for 2nd among Cleveland farmhands with 40 apps and ranked third with seven saves.
2020
In 2020, was not part of the Cleveland 60-man player pool and did not play following the cancellation of the minor league season.
2019
In 2019, began his professional career in the Arizona League…went 1-0 with a 2.08 ERA (17.1- IP, 4-ER) in 14 apps between two affiliates.
