After the conclusion of his six years of service time, Keone Kela is at last a free agent. Unfortunately for him, however, his stock might be at its lowest point since his call-up as a member of the Texas Rangers in 2015. Now 27, Kela is seeking his first unrestricted payday after a series of arm issues.
As a community college outfielder, Kela earned a late-round selection in 2011, and a mid-round pick in the 2012 draft as a pitcher based solely off of his elite arm strength. Scouts convinced a reluctant Kela to give it a shot on the bump, and by the time he reached the majors, the 6-foot-1, 230-pound Kela was humming in fastballs that could occasionally graze triple-digits.