Alex Kirilloff

Kirilloff played baseball at Plum High School in Plum, Pennsylvania, but did not attend classes there. He is a 2016 graduate of the Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School,{{Cite web |last=Berardino |first=Mike |date=June 11, 2016 |title=Minnesota Twins first-rounder Alex Kirilloff takes home-school path |url=http://www.twincities.com/2016/06/11/minnesota-twins-alex-kirilloff/ |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=Twincities.com}} which is an online public charter school based out of Midland, Pennsylvania. He played the outfield, first base, and was a pitcher. In only 24 games with Plum High School, Kirilloff batted .563 with 28 runs batted in (RBIs) and four home runs. As a pitcher, he had an 8–0 win–loss record with a 0.74 earned run average (ERA).{{Cite web |title=Alex Kirilloff High School Baseball Stats Plum (Pittsburgh, PA) |url=http://www.maxpreps.com/athlete/alex-kirilloff/4jHvRvTsEeKZ5AAmVebBJg/gendersport/baseball-stats.htm |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=MaxPreps}} During the summer of 2015 he played in the Perfect Game All-American Classic at Petco Park and won the event's home run derby. Kirilloff committed to Liberty University to play college baseball, but ultimately ended up choosing to begin his professional baseball career.{{Cite web |title=Plum senior Kirilloff selected to all-star game |url=http://triblive.com/sports/otherlocal/8695099-74/kirilloff-game-baseball}}{{Cite web |title=/ccpa/ |url=https://archive.triblive.com/ccpa/?page=/sports/hssports/highschoolrecruiting/9398864-74/kirilloff-baseball-player |website=TribLIVE.com}}

The Minnesota Twins selected Kirilloff in the first round, with the 15th overall pick, in the 2016 MLB draft.{{Cite web |title=High school baseball: Plum's Alex Kirilloff is a first-round pick in the making |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/high-school-baseball/2016/03/24/High-school-baseball-Plum-s-Alex-Kirilloff-is-a-first-round-pick-in-the-making/stories/201603240135 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}{{Cite web |title=Mike White's Xtra Points: Plum's Kirilloff makes batting practice an event |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/2016/04/22/Plum-s-Kirilloff-makes-batting-practice-an-event/stories/201604220025 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}}{{Cite web |title=Plum High School's Alex Kirilloff invited to MLB draft, but will he attend? |url=https://www.post-gazette.com/sports/highschool/2016/05/09/Plum-s-Alex-Kirilloff-invited-to-MLB-draft/stories/201605090022 |website=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette}} Kirilloff spent his first professional season with the Elizabethton Twins where he hit .306/.341/.454 with seven home runs, nine doubles, and 33 RBI in 55 games,{{Cite web |title=Alex Kirilloff Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=666135#/career/R/hitting/2016/ALL |website=MiLB.com}} which earned him Appalachian League MVP honors. His season was cut short with a partial ligament tear in his elbow, and he tried to avoid surgery, receiving platelet-rich plasma therapy. It was eventually deemed necessary that Kirilloff undergo Tommy John surgery,{{Cite web |title=Twins Alex Kirilloff has Tommy John surgery |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/twins-alex-kirilloff-has-tommy-john-surgery-c218603630 |access-date=September 16, 2017 |website=Major League Baseball |language=en-US}} forcing him to miss all of 2017. He returned in 2018 with the Cedar Rapids Kernels before being promoted to the Fort Myers Miracle in June. In 130 games between the two clubs, he slashed .348/.392/.578 with 20 home runs and 101 RBI.{{Cite web |title=Alex Kirilloff Stats, Highlights, Bio – MiLB.com Stats – The Official Site of Minor League Baseball |url=http://www.milb.com/player/index.jsp?player_id=666135#/career/R/hitting/2018/ALL |access-date=October 10, 2018 |publisher=MiLB.com}}

Kirilloff began 2019 with the Pensacola Blue Wahoos on the injured list with a wrist injury.{{Cite web |last=RotoWire Staff |title=Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Out with minor wrist injury |date=April 2019 |url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-alex-kirilloff-out-with-minor-wrist-injury/ |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=CBSSports.com}} For the season, he played in 94 games, slashing .283/.343/.413 with nine home runs and 43 RBI.{{Cite web |date=February 29, 2020 |title=Reusse: New dad Kirilloff hopes injury issues are behind him |url=http://www.startribune.com/twins-outfielder-alex-kirilloff-hopes-injury-issues-are-behind-him/568286082/ |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=StarTribune.com}} He was selected to play in the Arizona Fall League for the Salt River Rafters following the season.{{Cite web |last=Callis |first=Jim |date=August 28, 2019 |title=2019 Arizona Fall League rosters |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2019-arizona-fall-league-rosters |access-date=September 29, 2020 |website=MLB.com}}

The Twins selected Kirilloff's contract on September 29, 2020, ahead of the 2020 American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros.{{Cite web |last=Steve Adams |title=Twins Designate Sean Poppen For Assignment |date=September 29, 2020 |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/09/twins-designate-sean-poppen-for-assignment.html |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=MLB Trade Rumors}} He made his major league debut the next day as the starting rightfielder, going 1-for-4 with a single as the Twins were eliminated.{{Cite web |last=Steve Adams |title=Twins Designate Sean Poppen For Assignment |url=https://www.mlb.com/gameday/astros-vs-twins/2020/09/30/635906#game_state=final,lock_state=final,game_tab=box,game=635906 |access-date=September 29, 2020 |publisher=MLB Trade Rumors}}

On July 21, 2021, it was announced that Kirilloff would undergo season-ending surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right wrist.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2021/07/twins-alex-kirilloff-wrist-surgery.html|title=Alex Kirilloff to Undergo Wrist Surgery|date=July 21, 2021 }} On the season, he played in 59 games, hitting .251/.299/.423 with 8 home runs and 34 RBI. In 2022, Kirilloff appeared in 45 games for the Twins, batting .250/.290/.361 with 3 home runs and 21 RBI. On August 7, 2022, Kirilloff underwent season-ending ulnar shortening surgery on his right wrist.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Needs wrist surgery|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-alex-kirilloff-needs-wrist-surgery/amp/|access-date=March 23, 2023|website=cbssports.com|language=en}}

In 2023, Kirilloff played in 88 games for Minnesota, hitting .270/.348/.445 with career–highs in home runs (11) and RBI (41).{{Cite web|title=Minnesota Twins Get Positive Injury News Regarding First Baseman Alex Kirilloff|url=https://www.si.com/fannation/mlb/fastball/injuries/minnesota-twins-get-positive-injury-news-regarding-first-baseman-alex-kirilloff-and-his-shoulder|access-date=December 18, 2023|website=si.com|date=October 25, 2023 |language=en}} Following the season on October 24, 2023, he underwent surgery to repair a torn labrum in his right shoulder.{{Cite web|title=Twins DH Byron Buxton has knee surgery; Alex Kirilloff set for shoulder surgery|url=https://m.startribune.com/twins-byron-buxton-knee-surgery-alex-kirilloff-shoulder-surgery/600312073/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n|access-date=December 18, 2023|website=startribune.com|language=en}}

Kirilloff began the 2024 campaign with Minnesota, batting .201 with five home runs and 20 RBI across 57 games. He was placed on the injured list with back soreness and nerve issues on June 18,{{Cite web|title=Twins' Alex Kirilloff on IL: admits he undersold injury to team|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40382201/twins-alex-kirilloff-il-admits-undersold-injury-team|access-date=August 1, 2024|website=espn.com|date=June 19, 2024 |language=en}} and was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 30.{{Cite web|title=Twins' Alex Kirilloff: Shifts to 60-day IL|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/twins-alex-kirilloff-shifts-to-60-day-il/|access-date=August 1, 2024|website=cbssports.com|date=July 30, 2024 |language=en}}

On October 31, 2024, Kirilloff announced his retirement from professional baseball on social media, citing a decrease in passion for the game and his struggles with injury as reasons for his departure.https://www.startribune.com/twins-alex-kirilloff-retires-age-26-mlb-injuries/601172481

Kirilloff and his wife, Jordan, had their first child, a daughter, in February 2020.{{Cite web |last=Helf |first=Betsy |date=February 28, 2020 |title=New father Alex Kirilloff off to quick start at Twins spring training |url=https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/baseball/4976040-New-father-Alex-Kirilloff-off-to-quick-start-at-Twins-spring-training |website=Grand Forks Herald}} Their second daughter was born in late 2021.{{cite web | url=https://www.twincities.com/2022/03/24/wrist-now-healthy-twins-alex-kirilloff-ready-to-produce/ | title=Wrist now healthy, Twins' Alex Kirilloff ready to produce | date=March 24, 2022 }}

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{{2016 MLB Draft}}

{{Minnesota Twins first-round draft picks}}

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Category:1997 births

Category:Living people

Category:Baseball players from Pittsburgh

Category:Major League Baseball outfielders

Category:Minnesota Twins players

Category:Elizabethton Twins players

Category:Cedar Rapids Kernels players

Category:Fort Myers Miracle players

Category:Pensacola Blue Wahoos players

Category:Fort Myers Mighty Mussels players

Category:St. Paul Saints players