Shawn Kelley is a former professional baseball player who played as a relief pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB) for over a decade. Kelley was born on April 26, 1984, in Louisville, Kentucky, and attended Ballard High School in Louisville. He then went on to play college baseball at Austin Peay State University in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Kelley was drafted by the Seattle Mariners in the 13th round of the 2007 MLB draft. He made his MLB debut with the Mariners on April 25, 2009, and played for them until 2013. During his time with the Mariners, Kelley was primarily used as a relief pitcher and had a 3.52 earned run average (ERA) in 120 appearances.
In 2013, Kelley was traded to the New York Yankees, where he played for two seasons. During his time with the Yankees, Kelley continued to be used as a relief pitcher and had a 3.84 ERA in 105 appearances.
In 2015, Kelley signed with the San Diego Padres as a free agent. He played for the Padres for one season before being traded to the Washington Nationals in 2016. During his time with the Nationals, Kelley had a 3.34 ERA in 135 appearances.
Kelley signed with the Texas Rangers as a free agent in 2018 and played for them for one season. He then signed with the Oakland Athletics in 2019 and played for them for part of the season before being released in August.
Throughout his career, Kelley was known for his fastball and slider pitches. He had a career ERA of 3.80 in 424 appearances and recorded 80 saves. Kelley also had a reputation for being a reliable and versatile relief pitcher who could pitch in a variety of situations.
In addition to his MLB career, Kelley also played for the United States national baseball team in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. He helped lead the team to the championship game, where they ultimately lost to Puerto Rico.
Kelley announced his retirement from baseball in January 2020, citing a desire to spend more time with his family. He currently resides in Tennessee with his wife and children.
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