Jupiter, Florida — Relief pitcher for the Cardinals Keynan Middleton, originally from Oregon, played collegiate basketball years ago and still considers himself a basketball player in addition to a baseball player.
While the 30-year-old right-hander’s outspoken and edgy attitude from his basketball days fuels his fire on the mound, losing some of that swagger may have changed the course of his career.
Middleton has always possessed one of the most explosive fastballs in the game; according to Baseball Savant, it averaged 97.1 mph in 2020, often registered at 96.9 mph in 2017, and was measured at an average of 95.9 mph in 2023. However, Middleton didn’t achieve the kind of success he had been looking for for years until he discovered how to rely more on his changeup.
Middleton threw his changeup 42.9 percent of the time last season while sharing time with the White Sox and Yankees, a significant increase from his 17 percent use of the pitch in 2022.
Although he scoffed at the comparison between his changeup and Brewers All-Star closer Devin Williams, Middleton did use the off-speed pitch to keep batters to a.209 average in the previous season. He also had success with the fastball (.122 average), but he was able to keep batters off-balance more effectively with the changeup because of its enhanced movement and deception.
“I believe it to be deceit,” Middleton declared. It has a little amount of mobility and emerges from an odd arm slot. People weren’t anticipating it last year. They’ll be a bit more anticipatory this year, but I have a surprise for them.
Middleton’s performance impressed the Cardinals so much that they gave him a $6 million guarantee for 2024. Should the team exercise its option for 2025, the deal could increase to as much as $11 million. That was plenty for the Cardinals to steal Middleton from the Yankees, who had seen the reliever have a stellar 1.88 ERA in 14 1/3 innings pitched with 17 strikeouts in 12 appearances with New York at the end of the previous season.
Middleton has the courage and skill to be a successful setup man, according to manager Oliver Marmol.
“I love his personality, he’s got an edge to him, he’s a competitor and he’s all about winning,” Marmol said. “You can sense that seconds into a conversation. He’s going to be a nice fit for us.”
Middleton was shrouded in controversy for some time last season when he publicly questioned the team rules structure and the lack of accountability among White Sox players. New Cardinals hurler Lance Lynn, who played with Middleton in Chicago, backed up his teammate at the time, telling the Chicago media, “He’s not wrong.”
