Max Joseph Kranick (born July 21, 1997) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball (MLB).
| Max Kranick | |
|---|---|
| Pittsburgh Pirates – No. 45 | |
| Pitcher | |
| Born: (1997-07-21) July 21, 1997 (age 25) Scranton, Pennsylvania | |
Bats: Right Throws: Right | |
| MLB debut | |
| June 27, 2021, for the Pittsburgh Pirates | |
| MLB statistics (through 2022 season) | |
| Win–loss record | 2–3 |
| Earned run average | 5.56 |
| Strikeouts | 36 |
| Teams | |
| |
Kranick attended Valley View High School in Archbald, Pennsylvania. For his high school career, he compiled a 1.17 ERA.[1] After his senior year, he was selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 11th round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[2] He signed for $300,000, forgoing his commitment to the University of Virginia.[3]
Kranick made his professional debut that summer with the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League Pirates, going 1–2 with a 2.43 ERA over nine games (six starts).[4] In 2017, he split time between the Gulf Coast League and the Bristol Pirates of the Rookie-level Appalachian League, compiling a combined 1–0 record and 1.11 ERA over five starts.[5] He spent 2018 with the West Virginia Power of the Class A South Atlantic League, going 4–5 with a 3.81 ERA over 17 games (16 starts), and 2019 with the Bradenton Marauders of the Class A-Advanced Florida State League, pitching to a 6–7 record and 3.79 ERA over twenty starts.[6]
On November 20, 2020, Kranick was added to Pittsburgh's 40-man roster.[7] He did not play a minor league game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. To begin the 2021 season, he was assigned to the Altoona Curve of the Double-A Northeast.[8] In late May, he was promoted to the Indianapolis Indians of the Triple-A East League.[9]
On June 27, 2021, Kranick was promoted to the major leagues to make his MLB debut as the starting pitcher versus the St. Louis Cardinals.[10] He threw five perfect innings, striking out three batters, before a rain delay occurred and he was removed.[11][12] He set the record for the most batters retired to begin a major league career with 15.[13] Over nine starts with the Pirates, Kranick went 2-3 with a 6.28 ERA and 32 strikeouts over 38+2⁄3 innings.[14]
Kranick opened the 2022 season with Indianapolis before he underwent Tommy John surgery in early June, forcing him out indefinitely.[15]