| Caleb Kilian | |
| Team: | Chicago Cubs |
| Number: | 45 |
| Position: | Pitcher |
| Birth Date: | 2 June 1997 |
| Birth Place: | Anaheim, California, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | June 4 |
| Debutyear: | 2022 |
| Debutteam: | Chicago Cubs |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Stat1label: | Win–loss record |
| Stat1value: | 0–3 |
| Stat2label: | Earned-run average |
| Stat2value: | 12.42 |
| Stat3label: | Strikeouts |
| Stat3value: | 14 |
| Teams: |
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Caleb John Kilian (born June 2, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Kilian attended Flower Mound High School in Flower Mound, Texas, and Texas Tech University, where he played college baseball for the Texas Tech Red Raiders. He was drafted by the Baltimore Orioles in the 20th round of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft but did not sign and returned to Texas Tech.[1] He was then drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the eighth round of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft and signed.[2]
Kilian spent his first professional season in 2019 with the rookie–level Arizona League Giants and Low–A Salem-Keizer Volcanoes and did not allow an earned run over 16 innings. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] Kilian started 2021 with the High–A Eugene Emeralds before being promoted to the Double–A Richmond Flying Squirrels.[4]
On July 30, 2021, the San Francisco Giants traded Kilian along with Alexander Canario to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Kris Bryant.[5] He was assigned to play for the Tennessee Smokies, but missed the final month of the 2021 season due to injury. Over 19 starts between Eugene, Richmond, and Tennessee, he went 7-4 with a 2.42 ERA and 112 strikeouts over innings.[6] After the season, Kilian played for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League. He won the AFL Championship Game's MVP Award after throwing six perfect innings, retiring all 18 batters he faced.[7] He opened the 2022 season with the Iowa Cubs.[8]
On June 4, 2022, Kilian was selected to the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues for the first time to start against the St. Louis Cardinals.[9] He made 3 starts for Chicago in his rookie campaign, struggling to an 0-2 record and 10.32 ERA with 9 strikeouts in 11.1 innings pitched.
Kilian was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to begin the 2023 season.[10] He made three appearances for the big–league club, struggling to a 16.88 ERA with 5 strikeouts across innings of work.
On March 7, 2024, it was announced that Kilian would miss several months as a result of a teres major strain.[11] He was activated from the injured list on July 31.[12]