Kyle McGowin


Kyle Keston McGowin is an American professional baseball pitcher in the Washington Nationals organization.

Amateur career

McGowin is from Sag Harbor, New York. He attended Pierson High School, and pitched for the school's baseball team. After graduating in 2010, he enrolled at Savannah State University, and played college baseball for the Savannah State Tigers. In the 2013 Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Baseball Tournament, he was named the tournament's Outstanding Performer after he pitched all ten innings of the championship game, recording 11 strikeouts. The National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association named him a First Team All-American in 2013, his junior year.

Professional career

Los Angeles Angels

The Angels selected McGowin in the fifth round, with the 157th overall selection, of the 2013 MLB draft. After he signed with the Angels, he made his professional debut with the Orem Owlz of the Rookie-level Pioneer League. He pitched for the Inland Empire 66ers of the Class A-Advanced California League in 2014, and was named a Midseason All-Star. He spent the 2015 season with the Arkansas Travelers of the Class AA Texas League, and was invited to spring training in 2016. He began the 2016 season with Arkansas, and was promoted to the Salt Lake Bees of the Class AAA Pacific Coast League.

Washington Nationals

After the 2016 season, the Washington Nationals acquired McGowin and Austin L. Adams for Danny Espinosa. McGowin started the year with the Class-AAA Syracuse Chiefs but was assigned down to the Class-AA Harrisburg Senators on June 16, 2017, after posting a 6.31 ERA and a 1–6 win-loss record in nine starts. He pitched for the Mesa Solar Sox in the Arizona Fall League after the 2017 season, making six starts and striking out 27 batters without a walk allowed.
In 2018, McGowin bounced back, earning a promotion back to Class-AAA midway through the season and putting up a 1.20 ERA down the stretch with the Chiefs as a reliable starting pitcher. He was among several pitchers mentioned by media as potential late-season call-ups by the Nationals.
On September 3, 2018, the Nationals selected McGowin's contract, calling him up to the major leagues for the first time. He made his major league debut on September 5, pitching an inning against the St. Louis Cardinals and giving up a solo home run to Yairo Muñoz.

Pitching style

McGowin pitches right-handed, with a crossfire delivery that adds deception to his pitches. His primary pitch is a fastball that sits at about, with a slider and circle changeup that complement it. He is considered to have above-average control.