High-upside lefty with starter potential, but the injury bug keeps biting
In the 2026 season, Mississippi State’s William Kirk showed promising strike-throwing ability in limited action, posting 5.2 innings with 5 strikeouts and just 2 walks before a season-ending ACL injury halted his progress. He’s a 6-foot-2, 205-pound redshirt freshman left-hander with a reputation for polish and starter upside, backed by elite high school credentials — including 2024 New Jersey Gatorade Player of the Year honors and top-100-ish national recruiting buzz. The big question: health. When he’s right, he looks like a savvy, competitive fit; the concern is durability after back-to-back ACL setbacks.
