Antoine Kelly named Rangers Minor League Reliever of the Year
FRISCO, Texas (September 21, 2023) – Frisco RoughRiders pitcher Antoine Kelly was named the Texas Rangers Minor League Reliever of the Year, the Rangers announced on Thursday as part of the 2023 minor league award winners. Kelly, 23, went 3-1 with 11 saves, a 1.96 ERA (12 ER/55.0 IP), and
FRISCO, Texas (September 21, 2023) – Frisco RoughRiders pitcher Antoine Kelly was named the Texas Rangers Minor League Reliever of the Year, the Rangers announced on Thursday as part of the 2023 minor league award winners.
Kelly, 23, went 3-1 with 11 saves, a 1.96 ERA (12 ER/55.0 IP), and 76 strikeouts in 47 relief outings between Frisco and Triple-A Round Rock in 2023.
He is the 11th RoughRiders pitcher to win the award and the first since Chase Lee in 2022.
Kelly ranked among Texas minor league pitchers (min. 50.0 IP) in ERA (1st), saves (1st), and strikeouts per 9.0 innings (5th, 12.44). The left-hander spent most of the campaign with Frisco, where his 1.95 ERA (11 ER/50.2 IP) in 43 appearances placed second in the Texas League (min. 50.0 IP).
The southpaw had the longest streak in Double-A of appearances without an earned run in 2023, lasting 20 games and 21.2 innings from June 13th to August 11th.
Kelly was also honored by the Rangers in July as the Minor League Relief Pitcher of the Month.
The Chicago native was acquired by the Rangers from Milwaukee in a three-player trade involving pitcher Matt Bush on August 2nd, 2022. Kelly was drafted by the Brewers in the second round in 2019.
Kelly and the other honorees will be presented with their awards in a ceremony prior to Saturday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.
Texas Rangers Minor League Award Winners:
Tom Grieve Player of the Year – 1B/OF Abimelec Ortiz
Nolan Ryan Pitcher of the Year – RHP Jose Corniell
Reliever of the Year – LHP Antoine Kelly
Defender of the Year – OF Daniel Mateo
True Ranger Award – INF Blaine Crim
For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, visit RidersBaseball.com or call 972.731.9200.
About the RoughRiders
The Frisco RoughRiders are the Double-A affiliate of the Texas Rangers and the 2022 Texas League champions. In 2023, the team is celebrating its 20th anniversary and has consistently finished in the top five among all Double-A franchises in attendance yearly. In August 2014, the RoughRiders were purchased by an ownership group led by Chuck Greenberg. Since then, the new ownership group, together with the City of Frisco, has spearheaded numerous major franchise enhancements, investing over $8 million in a wide array of facility upgrades and improvements, including a state-of-the-art HD video board, sound system, Bull Moose Saloon, Bullpen Bar, Riders Outpost Team Store and the world's largest water feature in a sports facility, the massive Lazy River. These enhancements earned the Riders and the City of Frisco Ballpark Digest's prestigious "Best Ballpark Renovation" award for two consecutive years (2015 and 2016). More than 190 former RoughRiders players have gone on to play Major League Baseball including current Rangers Josh Jung, Evan Carter and Martin Perez. For more information on the Frisco RoughRiders, please visit RidersBaseball.com or contact [email protected].