Top Ten Countdown Continues with Outfielder Alex Kirilloff
Last year’s first round draft pick debuts in the Minnesota Twins’ top prospect list at just 19 years of age. Kirilloff has all the tools to make quick ascensions through the Minnesota’s minor league system.
The Twins reached into football country to select the home-schooled outfielder. Kirilloff hails from the Pittsburgh area, and the last player selected in the first round from the SteelTown area was Neil Walker at #11 in the 2004 amateur draft.
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Throw in the fact that Kirilloff was home-schooled, and one quickly realizes the path he’s taking toget into professional baseball is a road very few have traveled.
It’s becoming more common to see home-schooled players in the draft, now that states are allowing those students to play on local high school teams.
But, for the Twins organization, Kirilloff will go down in their history as the first home-schooled player drafted, first round or otherwise.
Kirilloff played for Plum High School in the Pittsburgh suburb of New Kensington, drawing the eye of scouts early on.
He played in the Perfect Game Showcase as a junior, displaying all five tools necessary to play the outfield. By the time he was a senior, he had already committed to Liberty to play college baseball.
But getting drafted in the first round changed all that. Kirilloff quickly signed and jumped over the Gulf Coast League to immediately play for Elizabethton in the Appalachian League.
#5 – Alex Kirilloff
Name: Alex Kirilloff
Position: RF Age: 19
Height: 6’2” Weight: 200 lbs.
Throws: Left Bats: Left
Acquired: 15th overall in the first round of the 2016 amateur draft
Alex is the son of a hitting instructor, Dave Kirilloff, who sells his hitting videos, “Language of Baseball” series, online and has many videos on YouTube.
His son definitely paid attention. Alex excelled in Advanced-A ball with Elizabethton, leading the Appalachian League in hitting for most of the season.
He ended the short season with a slash line .306 AVG / .454 SLG / .794 OPS / 7 HR / 33 RBI in 55 games. All the tools, except for the running speed were on display. But his speed is more than adequate for right field.
He also has played first base in his amateur career, even in showcase competitions against high-caliber competition, so his versatility will help him land a spot on the MLB team perhaps earlier than the expected 2020 season.
One thing all of his coaches and teammates say about Alex is how mature he is for his age. Last Fall, Kirilloff got married to the girl he met while attending Christian middle school.
He was comfortable in the Fox Sports television booth last Summer as well, amiably answering every of the interviewers’ questions about his past and future. Will probably start 2017 at A Ft. Myers Miracle.
Next: Twins Number 6 Prospect - Pitcher Kohl Stewart
Notes: The Twins kick off Grapefruit League action tonight versus the Tampa Bay Rays. Complete game coverage on Puckett’s Pond tomorrow.