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Mitch Keller Named International League Most Valuable Pitcher

August 27, 2019 - International League (IL1)
Indianapolis Indians News Release


INDIANAPOLIS - Today the International League announced its 2019 postseason All-Star team and two Indianapolis Indians - starting pitcher Mitch Keller and second baseman Jake Elmore - were named to the squad. Keller was also elected as the IL's Most Valuable Pitcher to join Fritz Ackley (1963), Ben Hendrickson (2004) and Steven Brault (2017) as the only Indians to win the prestigious award.

Keller, 23, went 7-5 with a 3.56 ERA (41er/103.2ip), 123 strikeouts, 1.24 WHIP and .243 average against (94-for-387) in 19 starts for Indianapolis. He began the season 5-0 through his first nine starts and picked up his fifth career outing with 10-plus strikeouts on April 27 at Charlotte (5.0ip, 10k). He later recorded a career-high 13 punchouts on June 7 at Toledo (5.0ip), recording his first 12 outs of the game via strikeout.

The Cedar Rapids, Iowa native dazzled in his last start for Indy, fanning 12 on August 2 vs. Columbus (6.0ip) to join Steve Parris (1998) and Tyler Glasnow (2017) as the only Tribe pitchers with 12-plus strikeouts in two starts in a season since 1996.

Keller surrendered two earned runs or fewer in 12 of his 19 starts, struck out six-plus in 11 starts and pitched into the sixth inning or later in 11 outings, as well. At the time of his most recent promotion to Pittsburgh, Keller ranked first among IL leaders in ERA and strikeouts. The postseason All-Star honor is his first since being named to the 2016 South Atlantic League team, a year in which he also took home the league's Most Outstanding Pitcher Award.

He made his major league debut with Pittsburgh on May 27 at Cincinnati and earned his first big league victory on August 12 at Los Angeles (AL). His last start for the Buccos featured a major league-best nine strikeouts in six innings of one-run ball vs. Cincinnati.

Joining Keller on the 2019 IL postseason All-Star team is Elmore, who has made starts at second base (36), shortstop (24), left field (22), third base (8) and right field (3) for the Tribe. After going without an IL postseason All-Star at second base for 21 seasons, Indianapolis stakes claim to the keystone for a second straight campaign, with Kevin Kramer being named to the team in 2018.

Elmore, 32, leads all IL qualifying hitters in batting average at .340 (116-for-341) with seven games to play. The journeyman hit safely in 24 of his first 31 games and owned a .380 average (41-for-108) at the time of his May 13 contract selection by Pittsburgh for his first taste of the big leagues since 2016. After returning to Indy at the end of May, Elmore continued to produce at the dish, posting a .297 average in June, .347 clip in July and current .308 mark in August. He leads the club with 32 multi-hit games and is the only Tribe player with two hitting streaks of 10 or more games this season.

In addition to his league-leading batting average, Elmore ranks third among IL leaders in on-base percentage (.408) and is fifth in doubles (31). The postseason All-Star honor is the third of his 12-year professional career; he was previously a Pioneer League (2008) and Pacific Coast League (2012) postseason All-Star.

The 2019 IL postseason All-Star team and individual award winners are listed below:

Most Valuable Player: Ryan Mountcastle, Norfolk Tides

Most Valuable Pitcher: Mitch Keller, Indianapolis Indians

Rookie of the Year: Aristides Aquino, Louisville Bats

Manager of the Year: Damon Berryhill, Gwinnett Stripers

Catcher: Eric Haase, Columbus Clippers

First Baseman: Ryan Mountcastle, Norfolk Tides

Second Baseman: Jake Elmore, Indianapolis Indians

Shortstop: Jake Cronenworth, Durham Bulls

Third Baseman: Kean Wong, Durham Bulls

Outfielder: Aristides Aquino, Louisville Bats

Outfielder: Brandon Barnes, Columbus Clippers/Rochester Red Wings

Outfielder: Adam Duvall, Gwinnett Stripers

Designated Hitter: Bobby Bradley, Columbus Clippers

Utility Player: Ryan McBroom, Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

Starting Pitcher: Mitch Keller, Indianapolis Indians

Relief Pitcher: Trevor Kelley, Pawtucket Red Sox

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