This is one in a series of stories breaking down PBN's Top 30 Pirates prospects .
Eight players made their MLB debuts for the Pirates this season. Right-handed pitching prospect Antwone Kelly was among them.
Kelly became just the seventh player from Aruba to reach the big leagues when he made his debut at PNC Park on June 12. The 23-year-old totaled eight relief appearances for the Pirates in 2026.
Each of Kelly's first four appearances were followed by being sent back to Triple-A Indianapolis. But after being recalled on Sep. 10, he remained on the active roster for the rest of the season.
Kelly did not get a win or a loss and finished his first stint in the big leagues with a 4.82 ERA. He allowed 10 runs on 19 hits with eight walks and 14 strikeouts in 18.2 innings.
In addition to what he did in the big leagues, Kelly made 23 appearances/17 starts with Indianapolis. In Triple-A, he went 5-6 with a 4.24 ERA. Kelly, who averages a strikeout an inning for his minor-league career, only struck out 71 batters in 91.1 innings with Indianapolis this year.
Overall, it was a down year for Kelly. In 2025, he posted strong numbers with both High-A Greensboro and Double-A Altoona but did not fare as well in Triple-A or the big leagues this year.
For his minor-league career, Kelly is 15-19 with a 3.63 ERA in 100 appearances/74 starts across six levels.
Although he's only 5-10, Kelly throws a four-seam fastball that can reach triple digits. However, the pitch does not generate many whiffs. As Kelly continues to develop, he'll need to refine an arsenal that also includes a sweeper, changeup, slider and sinker.
Although he was used exclusively as a reliever this season, Kelly is another prospect capable of providing some rotation depth in a pinch.
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