Will Klein Named to 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game Roster

The Storm Chasers’ pitcher will represent Kansas City at All-Star Weekend in Seattle

Storm Chasers right-handed pitcher Will Klein will represent Omaha and the Kansas City Royals at the 2023 _SiriusXM_ All-Star Futures Game. (Minda Haas Kuhlmann)

By Nicholas Badders

June 27, 2023

PAPILLION, NE — Storm Chasers relief pitcher Will Klein has been named to the American League’s roster for the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Saturday July 8. Klein is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 22 prospect in the Kansas City Royals

PAPILLION, NE *— Storm Chasers relief pitcher *Will Klein has been named to the American League’s roster for the 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Saturday July 8.

Klein is currently ranked by MLB Pipeline as the No. 22 prospect in the Kansas City Royals organization. This marks the second season a Storm Chaser was named to the Futures Game roster, after Nick Pratto was originally selected to participate in the game in 2022, before he was recalled by the Royals for his Major League debut.

The 24-year-old was drafted in the 5^th Round by Kansas City in the 2020 MLB Draft, 135^th overall, out of Eastern Illinois University. Across 91 appearances over the last three seasons, Klein has struck out 231 batters in 149.1 innings (13.92 strikeouts per nine innings), giving him the 5^th-highest K/9 in Minor League Baseball since 2021 (minimum 140.0 innings pitched).

After beginning the year back with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Klein earned his first promotion to Triple-A Omaha earlier this month, on June 13. In 4 games with the Storm Chasers since, he’s allowed just two earned runs in 6.0 innings (3.00 ERA) and had recorded 11 strikeouts. In his Triple-A debut on June 14 vs. Columbus, Klein fired 2.0 scoreless innings and struck out five, including striking out his side in his first inning with Omaha.

Klein’s fastball has averaged 97.5 mph over his six innings with Omaha and he has thrown the five fastest pitches by a Storm Chaser pitcher this season and 13 of the fastest 20, including a team-best 100.7mph fastball in his outing on June 21 at Rochester.

Between the two levels this season, Klein has pitched in 25 games of relief with a 3.31 ERA (13 ER in 35.1 IP) and 55 strikeouts (14.01 K/9), with the highest K/9 among Royals minor league pitchers that have thrown at least 35.0 innings in 2023. Prior to getting called up to the Chasers, Klein compiled six consecutive outings in Double-A of 11.0 scoreless innings with 17 strikeouts and just four walks in that span.

The 2023 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game takes place at 6 p.m. CT (4 p.m. PT) at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park, featuring a seven-inning contest between the American League and National League. Fans can tune in to watch Klein represent the Royals and Storm Chasers with the game airing exclusively on Peacock.