Riley Kelly

School: UC Irvine Drafted/Committed: D-backs ’22 (20)
Age At Draft: 21.2

BA Grade: 45/High

Kelly was selected by the Diamondbacks in the 20th round of the 2022 draft out of Tustin (Calif.) High School but chose to attend UC Irvine, where he struggled early. Over his first two seasons, he logged a 6.64 ERA with 25 strikeouts and 14 walks in 20.1 innings. A significant back injury in 2024 interrupted his development, but he made a full recovery and broke out in 2025, posting a 3.78 ERA with 70 strikeouts and 32 walks across 66.2 innings, including 12 starts in 17 appearances. An athletic 6-foot-5, 240-pound righthander, Kelly has a workhorse frame and a north-south arsenal led by a fastball he throws nearly 65% of the time. The pitch sits 91-93 mph, touches 96 and features ample ride through the zone. His best offering is a high-70s hammer curveball that consistently exceeds 3,000 rpm and rates as one of the better breaking balls in the class. He also throws a firm, fading 83 mph changeup that generated a 52% whiff rate and 35% chase rate. Some evaluators believe he’d benefit from adding a gloveside breaking pitch to better balance his mix. His command and control were below-average prior to injury and is still inconsistent, but has gotten better. Kelly carries reliever risk but offers top-five-rounds upside with continued refinement.

Scouting Grades: Fastball: 60 | Curveball: 60 | Changeup: 50 | Control: 40.