SEA · P

George Kirby

Age 28 B/T R/R 6′4″, 215 lb USA MLB debut 2022

40-man Pitch-design idea

Seattle’s roster as it stands #2 starter · 141 IP · 2.1 WAR in the role
Trade read Available at a price: SEA sits on the contender line (47% playoff odds, within a projected win of 50%), so it could buy or sell; control through 2028.

Keystone Stuff 101 52nd pct

2026 fWAR 2.5

Projected 2027 WAR 2.6 at 170 IP · 2.1 in his 2027 role

Pitching · 2026 percentiles

vs. MLB pitchers with 500+ pitches · 2,758 pitches

Keystone Stuff 101

Keystone Location 113

Keystone Pitching 111

Run value (xRV) +0.09

Strikeout % 20.0%

Walk % 6.3%

Whiff % 22.4%

Chase % 34.3%

Fastball velo 96.8

Extension 6.6 ft

174.2 IP4.33 ERA3.90 FIP 34° arm

Arsenal & Pitch Lab

Movement normalized to arm side · Keystone Stuff by pitch

RHP · arm angle 34° · how to read Show suggested pitch

Pitch	Use	Velo	IVB	HB	Stuff	Loc	Whiff	xRV/100
Four-seam28% use	28%	96.7	13.7	+9.1	93	111	23%	−0.02
Sweeper28% use	28%	87.5	−2.8	−10.9	107	106	26%	+0.35
Sinker21% use	21%	96.9	8.1	+16.3	106	112	13%	+1.22
Knuckle curve10% use	10%	84.1	−13.1	−8.9	101	105	23%	−0.09
Changeup5% use	5%	88.8	4.9	+14.7	89	102	26%	−1.57
Cutter4% use	4%	92.9	9.0	+0.4	86	104	30%	−1.00
Splitter3% use	3%	87.3	0.8	+10.6	103	98	24%	−4.35

Pitch design

Built from his own fastball (96.7 mph) plus the typical shape 34 pitchers with his slot (34°) throw: a slider around 87.8 mph, 2.0″ rise, −6.1″ arm-side. On the same model it grades +8 against his knuckle curve, the pitch with the same job (+7 to +14 across the production and three cross-fit models), about 109 on his knuckle curve’s scale; the comps’ own sliders grade 106 at the median, so that sits above 68% of them. A season-long project that may not take: about 1.1 runs a season if it does.

Most similar pitchers

Pitches like Kirby: same hand, shape, slot and mix

Similarity	Player	Stuff	’26 WAR	’27 proj	2027
64	Dustin May MIL · ’97	106	2.8	1.9	Free agent
61	Luinder Avila KC · ’01	100	0.4	0.5	—
60	Shane Baz BAL · ’99	98	3.4	2.5	Signed $7.8M
59	Kyle Bradish BAL · ’96	100	1.5	1.7	Signed $10.0M
58	Troy Melton DET · ’00	101	1.6	1.5	Pre-arb

Dustin May (similarity 64, 1.9 WAR projected for 2027) is a free agent this winter: a similar arsenal available without trading talent, at a free agent’s price. Opportunity Finder →

Same-handed pitchers nearest on fastball velocity and shape, arm angle, extension, pitch mix, secondary shapes, Stuff, whiff rate and workload. 2026 regulars only.

Pitch locations · 2026

Where each pitch finishes, by batter side

Four-seam 32%

48% zone

Sweeper 22%

46% zone

Knuckle curve 17%

37% zone

Sinker 10%

54% zone

Cutter 8%

40% zone

Changeup 8%

40% zone

Splitter 4%

27% zone

Where each pitch finishes, catcher’s view. The bar marks the batter’s side; the box is an average strike zone. Pitches with 40+ thrown to this side.

Contract & projection

Club control (RosterResource) · Keystone projected WAR

2027 2.6 WAR Arbitration $9.6M*

2028 2.4 WAR Arbitration $17.4M*

2029 2.2 WAR Free agent

2030 1.9 WAR Free agent

* projected arbitration or minimum salary. Contract Studio →

Minor leagues

MLB Stats API · public box-score data

SeasonLevel	Level	Team	Age	G	PA / IP	PA / IP ·Line
2025AAA	AAA	Tacoma Rainiers	27	3	10 IP	10 IP · 7.20 ERA · 28.9% K · 4.4% BB

ABS challenges · 2026

Baseball Savant

As pitcher 20% 1/5 won · 0.0 runs