Biography

BIOGRAPHY

Ken Giles was born on September 20, 1990, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He is a pitcher in the MLB.

Exposed to baseball at an early age, Giles played the game while attending Rio Grande High School in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Although he was drafted out of high school by the Florida Marlins, Giles instead enrolled at Yavapai College, where he played college baseball until the Phillies drafted him in the seventh round (241st overall) of the 2011 Major League Baseball draft.

Giles quickly progressed through the Phillies' Minor League Baseball (MiLB) system, overcoming two oblique injuries to participate in major league spring training before the 2014 season. Although he began that season in MiLB, Giles soon received a promotion to the major leagues, making his debut on June 12. One of the team's few bright spots that season, Giles finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting.

Giles opened the 2015 season as the team's primary setup man, but when the Phillies traded their closer (Jonathan Papelbon), Giles assumed that role. Renowned for his fastball that can reach upwards of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), Giles is a power pitcher who pairs his fastball with a slider to compile high strike-out rates.