Danny Kirwin Signs with the Red Sox Following 98-MPH Throw in Video with Oakland Ballers.
The Boston Red Sox reached a contract agreement with Oakland Ballers pitcher Danny Kirwin on Tuesday.
Pitching for the Ballers, an independent team brought to Oakland in retaliation to the Athletics’ projected transfer to Las Vegas, Kirwin has had his fastball timed at 98 mph. On Saturday, the team uploaded a video of the pitcher throwing a bullpen session.
The first Ballers player to sign a contract with an MLB team is Kirwin. Before going undrafted in 2023, he pitched in minor league baseball for Rider University, where he recorded a 2.32 ERA and 67 strikeouts in 50.1 innings. Assistant general manager Tyler Petersen told Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle, “This is exactly what we wanted to happen.” “In fact, we sort of had an idea that we might lose one or two guys before camp even started, and Danny’s been working so hard for this opportunity that I’m not surprised that happened.” Kirwin’s Red Sox contract has not been disclosed in its entirety.
