San Francisco reunited with right-hander Caleb Kilian on a minor league contract, giving the former Giants draft pick a chance to reset his career after injuries and inconsistency limited him in Chicago.
The San Francisco Giants also brought back a familiar arm last month, signing right-handed pitcher Caleb Kilian to a minor-league contract in a low-risk move aimed at organizational pitching depth. For Kilian, the agreement represents an opportunity to reset his career in the organization where it began.
Originally selected by the Giants in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft, Kilian quickly emerged as a promising arm before being traded to the Cubs as part of the deal that sent Kris Bryant to San Francisco at the 2021 trade deadline. Since then, the right-hander’s career has been shaped by injuries, inconsistency, and limited Major League opportunities.
Kilian appeared in eight MLB games with Chicago across the 2022–24 seasons, making five starts. The results were rough. He posted a 9.22 ERA over 27 1/3 innings while struggling to consistently command the strike zone. Walks proved nearly as frequent as strikeouts, preventing Kilian from finding any sustained rhythm at the highest level.
Health has been a significant factor in those struggles. A teres major strain sidelined Kilian for a large portion of the 2024 season, and additional injury issues in Triple-A limited him to just 15 2/3 minor league innings in 2025.
He did not appear on the Cubs’ active roster last year, instead attempting to regain strength and effectiveness while transitioning into a relief role for the first time in his professional career.
The move to the bullpen did not immediately yield results, as Kilian posted a 7.47 ERA in limited action. However, given his injury history, the Giants are likely to view those numbers with context rather than finality.
At 28 years old, Kilian still possesses the physical tools that once made him a legitimate prospect, and San Francisco’s pitching development staff has earned a reputation for maximizing under-the-radar arms.
While the Giants’ organization has changed considerably since Kilian was last in black and orange, the familiarity of the environment could work in his favor. The immediate priority will be durability — simply staying on the mound after two injury-plagued seasons. From there, the Giants can evaluate whether Kilian is better suited to a return to starting or a permanent bullpen role.
Given the team’s ongoing need for pitching depth across all levels, Kilian represents a sensible upside play. If healthy, he could provide innings at Triple-A with the potential to re-enter the Major League conversation later in the season, making this reunion a quietly intriguing move for both sides.