- Full name Gavin Christopher Kilen
- Born 03/28/2004 in Janesville, WI
- Profile Ht.: 5'11" / Wt.: 185 / Bats: L / Throws: R
- School Louisville
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Drafted in the 13th round (399th overall) by the Boston Red Sox in 2022.
View Draft Report
The Wisconsin product continues the trend in this year’s draft of high-level prospects spawned from the Badger state. Scouts rave about the 5-foot-11 175-pound shortstop the same way they have of other Wisconsin prep bats like Gavin Lux, Jerred Kelenic and Noah Miller. With a sound offensive approach, Kilen possesses a compact lefthanded swing with good balance in his lower half. His exceptional bat-to-ball skills allow him to lace line drives to all fields and drive balls to the gaps. It may take some time for the 18-year-old to grow into added power, but the ingredients are there to mold into a solid, consistent bat. Kilen has impressed on the dirt as well. A fundamentally sound defender with very good footwork, Kilen has an arm that can sling it across the diamond at 92 mph. His throws are accurate, and his baseball IQ assists in his defensive capabilities. He is projected to stay on the dirt long term, primarily at shortstop, with the ability to move around the infield and contribute elsewhere if needed. Kilen is a solid-average runner and possesses the intangibles scouts identify outside of the main components of the game. It will be interesting to see if Kilen honors his commitment to Louisville in July. If so, expect to see an immediate contributor for the Cardinals next spring.
Top Rankings
Draft Prospects
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School: Louisville
Kilen had a modest freshman year at Louisville before having a strong summer on the Cape, in which he hit .302/.366/.375 with seven doubles and 15 RBIs in 28 games. He has a short, compact stroke with some quickness in his hands. Kilen’s bat-to-ball skills are double-plus, and last year he had an impressive in-zone contact rate of 95%. He got some run at shortstop this summer, but his eventual defensive home is second base. -
School: Milton (Wisc.) HS Committed/Drafted: Louisville
Age At Draft: 18.3
BA Grade: 45/Extreme
Scouting Grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Field: 50 | Arm: 55
The Wisconsin product continues the trend in this year’s draft of high-level prospects spawned from the Badger state. Scouts rave about the 5-foot-11 175-pound shortstop the same way they have of other Wisconsin prep bats like Gavin Lux, Jerred Kelenic and Noah Miller. With a sound offensive approach, Kilen possesses a compact lefthanded swing with good balance in his lower half. His exceptional bat-to-ball skills allow him to lace line drives to all fields and drive balls to the gaps. It may take some time for the 18-year-old to grow into added power, but the ingredients are there to mold into a solid, consistent bat. Kilen has impressed on the dirt as well. A fundamentally sound defender with very good footwork, Kilen has an arm that can sling it across the diamond at 92 mph. His throws are accurate, and his baseball IQ assists in his defensive capabilities. He is projected to stay on the dirt long term, primarily at shortstop, with the ability to move around the infield and contribute elsewhere if needed. Kilen is a solid-average runner and possesses the intangibles scouts identify outside of the main components of the game. It will be interesting to see if Kilen honors his commitment to Louisville in July. If so, expect to see an immediate contributor for the Cardinals next spring.
Career Transactions
- SS Gavin Kilen assigned to Louisville Cardinals.
