UF Lands Big-Time Transfer: Getting to know Kelly Austin
Gators Land Kelly Austin
Kelly Austin is a 6-foot, 200-pound RHP from Costa Mesa (CA) Newport Harbor High School.
(From UCLA Website)
Career Highlights 2023 Pac-12 All-Conference Team 2022 Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team 2021 Orange Empire Conference Pitcher of the Year
2023 Was named to the 2023 Pac-12 All-Conference Team.
2022 Made 25 appearances, including a team-high 16 starts, during his first year with the Bruins ... Finished with a 4-3 record and 4.07 ERA over 77 1/3 innings ... Had 74 strikeouts against just 16 walks.
Appeared in a wide variety of roles for UCLA, starting the year as the Sunday starter but also serving as a midweek starter, late-game reliever, and long reliever ... As a starter, was 2-2 with a 3.92 ERA and 56 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings.
As a reliever, posted a 4.85 ERA and 18 strikeouts in 13 innings ... Had solid control, as his 1.86 BB/9 rate ranked third on the team and his 4.6 strikeout-to-walk ratio ranked fourth ... Became the first junior college transfer to start on the mound for UCLA since 2019 (Felix Rubi), and the first JC transfer to start a weekend game since 2007 (Tyson Brummett) ... During the regular season, made eight weekend starts and six midweek starts.
Named to the Auburn Regional All-Tournament Team after a standout outing in his first postseason start, limiting three-seed Florida State to one run on six hits with six strikeouts over six innings on Jun. 5 ... Allowed one earned run or fewer in 10 of 16 starts.
Walked one batter or fewer in 23 of his 25 appearances ... Made his Division I debut on Feb. 20 against CSUN, firing six shutout innings and matching a season-high with eight strikeouts (allowed just three hits).
One of just three Bruins with an eight-strikeout, no-walk outing in 2022 (Jake Brooks, Max Rajcic) ... Limited UC Riverside to just two hits over six scoreless innings on Feb. 27 ... Picked up the win over then-No. 1 Texas on Mar. 6 at Minute Maid Park as part of the Shriner's Children's Classic, striking out eight and allowing one earned over 5 1/3 frames.
Led qualifying UCLA pitchers with a 3.42 ERA in away games ... Against non-conference foes, had a solid 2.96 ERA and 54 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings.
Among qualifying pitchers, finished the year ranked top-five in the Pac-12 in starts (fourth), strikeout-to-walk ratio (fifth), and walks per nine (fourth).
Stranded 11 of his 14 inherited runners for the season ... Posted a 3.86 ERA over six midweek appearances, all starts.
UCLA was 12-4 in his starts; the team's .750 winning percentage behind him was second-best on the team behind Thatcher Hurd (5-1, .833).
2021 (Summer) Spent the summer with the Cowlitz Black Bears in the West Coast League ... Named First Team All-WCL at the conclusion of the season ... Ranked the No. 6 prospect in the WCL by Baseball America.
Made 10 starts on the mound for Cowlitz, going 4-1 with a 2.43 ERA and a 83-8 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 63 innings ... Allowed three earned runs or fewer in nine-of-10 starts, and allowed one earned run or fewer in half of his starts.
Reached double-digit strikeouts four times, and added a pair of 9-K performances ... Best start of the summer came on Jul. 6 at Portland, as he struck out 10 while allowing just two hits over seven shutout frames.
Struck out nine, gave up just three hits over eight scoreless against Yakima Valley on Jul. 16 ... Completed at least six innings in all but one appearance.
Pinch-hit and played center field against Ridgefield on Jun. 2, singling in both of his plate appearances (his only two PAs of the summer).
Orange Coast College (2020-21) Spent two seasons at OCC in Costa Mesa, Calif. ... Had a breakout campaign in 2021, earning Orange Empire Conference Pitcher of the Year honors.
Over seven starts spanning 46 innings, went 6-0 with a 1.57 ERA and 57 strikeouts ... Didn't allow a home run the entire season.
Allowed two earned runs or fewer in each of his seven outings ... Standout performances came against Irvine Valley on Apr. 23 (7 IP, 0 R, 3 H, 10 K), Golden West on Apr. 30 (6 IP, 1 ER, 11 K), and Santa Ana on May 28 (CG, 0 R, 5 H, 9 K).
Threw 15 2/3 innings as a true freshman in 2020 before the season was wiped out to due to COVID.
High School Played high school baseball at Newport Harbor High School in Newport Beach, Calif.
Personal Richard Kelly Austin was born in 2000 to parents Kelly and Ronda in Orange, Calif. … Has one sister, Clare
Chose UCLA because “of their amazing track record on the field and in the classroom” … Lists Sony Gray and Zack Greinke as his favorite athletes
Describes his first outing at OCC as his greatest pre-UCLA athletic thrill
Enjoys surfing and playing guitar
Studying applied mathematics at UCLA
Aspires to be a coach and math teacher.