Youthful King Continues to Impress October 24, 2026 – Kelly King has always had that look about him, even back in Lumberton Texas where he went to high school until his mother got another job in Missouri, and moved him there. And even when she got another job in Derry, Maine and moved him there. He was that kinda guy—tall and athletic, a kid with more angles than Isosceles himself, and he had that swing. Yes, that long, beautiful swing that drives balls into gaps that lets him see the bottoms of outfielder’s cleats as they chase after them.
“That’s my favorite part of the game,” he said. “I like that feeling of watch a guy bend down an pick up the ball as I’m cruising into second base.”
It was that swing that got him noticed, and that swing that got him picked up by the Nine as their first pick in the 2021 draft as he came straight out of high school. No more Maine for him.
But when you’re 18 and on your own, the world is a different beast. He did fine in his first pro stint (70 games in Alamagordo), hitting 4 homers and slashing .279/.318/.401. Fine enough for an under-aged kid, but not quite what he was expecting of himself. Worse, it was obviously a bit less than the organization was expecting, too, though no one said anything.
“It was tough, that off-season. I wanted to go to the Fall League to prove I could rip, but the coaches just wanted me to chill.” Turns out that Kelly King does not chill. Instead, he talked to people. Talked to his teammates and talked to his coaches. “I just wanted to know how everyone was thinking, you know? I wanted to learn how I should be doing things. What was normal.”
Whatever he did, worked, which is a common theme in Kelly King’s life. He has that look, you know? And, yeah, he works at it hard enough. But that look. That aura … his promotion to A-ball saw that OPS+ rise to above league average and give him another quick bump to AA, where he dumped a whole lotta TNT on opposing pitchers, registering a .911 OPS (9-11, right, you can’t make this stuff up). He was 19, and he hit 12 homers in three levels of minors combined…including the Fall League.
Some scouts are still not convinced, of course. Some still see him as limited, even after King’s call up last year resulted in 17 homers in 278 plate appearances, and a 159 OPS+. Even after less than half a season netted 2.3 WAR they suggest he’s missing patience, or that he’s not going to make contact enough to make those numbers stick. Some scouts say the league will adjust.
But then, others say he’s got that look.
Still, and always. He’s got that look.
As his team enters the off-season, they make no bones that they wouldn’t mind a 40 homer first baseman hanging around. But those don’t grow on trees, and they aren’t as ripe for the picking as his $500K minsal contract will be. He’s going back to Derry Maine this winter to be with his mother (she’s trying to set me up with a girl there, he says, but I don’t think that’ll work out). He’s hoping to work out a bit, and he’s planning to talk to a lot of folks. First basemen mostly, guys who have been in the league a while. Guys who are new. He’s invited Felipe Ramos, his hitting coach up to meet his mom (there’s a twist for you, eh?) and to talk about the league.
So don’t be surprised if the Nine don’t go too deep looking for a first sacker.
By all appearances, they’ve already got one.
Though our budget should jump this year...so we'll see.