Nathan Kirby


Nathan Winston Kirby is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Milwaukee Brewers organization. He was drafted 40th overall by the Brewers in the 2015 MLB Draft.

Amateur career

Kirby attended James River High School in Chesterfield County, Virginia. As a senior, he was the Virginia Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year after going 9–1 with a 1.24 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 56.2 innings pitched. He declared himself ineligible for the 2012 Major League Baseball Draft after electing not to fill out certain drug tests and medical forms that are required by Major League Baseball.
As a freshman at the University of Virginia in 2013, Kirby pitched in 24 games and made two starts. He finished the season 4–1 with a 6.06 earned run average and 37 strikeouts in innings. Kirby was one of Virginia starting pitchers as a sophomore in 2014. On April 5 he pitched a no-hitter with 18 strikeouts against Pittsburgh. He was named the co-Atlantic Coast Conference Pitcher of the Year and was named to the All-ACC First Team. He was also an All-American by Louisville Slugger and Baseball America. In 18 starts in 2014, he was 9–3 with a 2.06 ERA. As a junior in 2015 he compiled a 5–3 record and 2.53 ERA in 12 games. He was named to the All-ACC First Team for the second year in a row.

Professional career

On June 8, 2015, Kirby was selected 40th overall by the Milwaukee Brewers in the 2015 MLB Draft. The Brewers finalized his signing on July 17, 2015, a few hours before the signing deadline. After five appearances in the minors for the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, where he posted a 5.68 ERA in 12.2 innings, it was announced that Kirby would need Tommy John surgery. Kirby missed the 2016 and 2017 seasons due to injury as well.
Kirby spent 2018 with the Carolina Mudcats, going 3-5 with a 4.82 ERA in 27 games.