Scouting Report

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 40 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Wisconsin continues to produce quality infield prospects, with Kilen the latest in a line that includes 2016 first-rounder Gavin Lux, 2018 third-rounder Owen Miller and 2021 supplemental first-rounder Noah Miller. He's part of the same Hitters Baseball program that has sent Lux, Owen Miller, Jarred Kelenic and Ben Rortvedt to the big leagues, and several other players into the top five rounds of the Draft. Kilen led Milton HS to its first-ever Division 1 state title this spring, scoring the winning run in the championship game. 

One of the best contact hitters among 2022 prepsters, Kilen didn't strike out a single time at the Area Code Games last August. He has outstanding hand-eye coordination, feel for the barrel and a quick left-handed stroke built for hitting line drives, though scouts would like to see him add some muscle and drive the ball more consistently. He projects to hit 12-15 homers per season but presently hits too many ground balls.

Kilen's speed and arm strength are more average than plus, so there are some questions about his long-term future at shortstop. His proponents believe the Louisville recruit has the actions, hands and instincts to remain at short. Others think he's destined to become an offensive-minded second baseman. 

Video scouting report »

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Kilen displayed some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2022 high school class but slid to the Red Sox in the 13th round because he was set on attending Louisville. He spent two years with the Cardinals, boosting his OPS from .659 as a freshman second baseman to .952 as a sophomore shortstop before deciding to transfer to Tennessee. He slid back over to second this spring while establishing himself as one of the best hitters in the Southeastern Conference.

With outstanding hand-eye coordination, a quick left-handed swing and feel for the barrel, Kilen continues to excel as a contact hitter. He tends to swing too often and chase breaking pitches, sometimes putting pitches in play without much authority and rarely drawing walks. He has shown more power with the Volunteers but may not have more than average raw pop, and while his hitting ability should enable him to get to most of it, he has yet to prove he can drive balls in the air with wood bats.

Kilen's skills stand out more than his tools, with his speed and arm strength both grading as average. He has good actions and instincts but the game speeds up on him and his arm is a bit stretched at shortstop. He's a solid defender at second base and could develop in a similar fashion to fellow Wisconsin prep product Gavin Lux.

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 45 | Run: 50 | Arm: 50 | Field: 55 | Overall: 50

Kilen displayed some of the best bat-to-ball skills in the 2022 high school class but slid to the Red Sox in the 13th round because he was set on attending Louisville. He spent two years with the Cardinals, boosting his OPS from .659 as a freshman second baseman to .952 as a sophomore shortstop before deciding to transfer to Tennessee. He slid back over to second this spring while establishing himself as one of the best hitters in the Southeastern Conference, then signed for $5,247,500 as the 13th overall pick in the Draft.

With outstanding hand-eye coordination, a quick left-handed swing and feel for the barrel, Kilen continues to excel as a contact hitter. He tends to swing too often and chase breaking pitches, sometimes putting pitches in play without much authority and rarely drawing walks. He has shown more power with the Volunteers but may not have more than average raw pop, and he has yet to prove he can drive balls in the air with wood bats.

Kilen's skills stand out more than his tools, with his speed and arm strength both grading as average. He has good actions and instincts but the game speeds up on him and his arm is a bit stretched at shortstop. He's a solid defender at second base and could develop in a similar fashion to fellow Wisconsin prep product Gavin Lux.

Transactions

Team	Date	Transaction
	02/23/2026	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to San Francisco Giants.
	09/19/2025	San Jose Giants activated SS Gavin Kilen from the 7-day injured list.
	08/16/2025	San Jose Giants placed SS Gavin Kilen on the 7-day injured list.
	08/05/2025	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to San Jose Giants from ACL Giants.
	08/04/2025	ACL Giants activated SS Gavin Kilen.
	07/21/2025	San Francisco Giants signed SS Gavin Kilen.
	07/21/2025	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to ACL Giants.
	06/03/2025	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to College Workout.
	02/21/2025	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to Tennessee Volunteers.
	04/03/2024	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to Falmouth Commodores.
	04/03/2024	Falmouth Commodores activated SS Gavin Kilen.
	03/12/2024	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to Louisville Cardinals.
	06/08/2023	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to College Workout.
	03/02/2023	SS Gavin Kilen assigned to Louisville Cardinals.
	08/18/2021	SS Gavin Kilen and assigned to PG West.
	07/13/2021	PG National 2 - Gold activated SS Gavin Kilen.
	07/08/2021	National activated SS Gavin Kilen.
	07/08/2021	National activated SS Gavin Kilen.