Orion Kerkering reportedly has an estimated net worth of around $100k as of 2023.
The professional baseball player has just started his professional career and is expected to increase his worth in the coming years.
With huge potential, the young athlete would break records and attract lucrative contracts and endorsement deals.
Richard Orion Kerkering, born April 4, 2001, is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies of the MLB.
After graduating from Vince High School, he committed to play college baseball for the South Florida Bulls.
In his three college years, he played as a starting pitcher and later became the Bulls’ closer.
Additionally, he appeared in collegiate summer baseball with the Orleans Firebirds of the Cope Cod Baseball League.
The Phillies selected the relief pitcher in the fifth round of the 2022 MLB draft. Later, he was assigned to the Rookie-level Florida Complex League Phillies and played with other minor league affiliate teams.
On September 22, 2023, Kerkering was included in the 40-man roster and promoted to the major leagues.
Orion Kerkering Net Worth: Contract And Salary Explored
Orion started his professional career straight out of college in 2022 and reportedly has around $100k as of 2023.
After the Phillies drafted him, they signed Orion on a 1-year/$720,000 deal, all guaranteed.
As per Spotrac, he bagged around $357k in his first season with the Phillies.
Moreover, the Phillies purchased the contract on September 22, 2023. To make room for Kerkering, who got promoted from triple-A Lehigh Valley, the team decided to option right-handed pitcher Yunior Marte to IronPigs.
Moreover, in order to create an opening on the 40-man roster, the Phillies designated infielder Drew Ellis for assignment.
Although he was not on the 40-man roster on September 1, the 2023 Paul Owens Award winner is eligible for the postseason.
This will allow the newly promoted relief pitcher to showcase his ability in the playoffs.
Orion Kerkering Stellar Performance In The Major League
Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering, although new to the major leagues, has been performing exceptionally well.
Describing Kerkering’s limited experience in the Majors as just a “cup of coffee” would be a considerable understatement.
Since his call-up on September 22, he has made only three appearances before earning a spot on the Phillies’ postseason roster.
While some managers might hesitate due to the potential pitfalls of small sample sizes, manager Rob Thomson decided he had seen enough to not only include Kerkering in the postseason plans but also to entrust him with high-leverage situations.
The team’s No. 7 prospect holds his primary pitch in high regard, with 51 out of the 60 pitches thrown in the big leagues being sweepers.
He delivers the pitch with speed, averaging 86.0 mph, and it exhibits significant movement, with 18.6 inches of horizontal break, surpassing the MLB sweeper average by 6.3 inches.
In addition to his dominant sweeper, Kerkering throws a sinker that maintains an average velocity of 97.8 mph, occasionally reaching speeds of 100 mph.