Kyson Witherspoon’s baseball story can’t be told individually. 

The newly-acquired Orioles prospect was a standout in his junior season at Oklahoma with an SEC-leading strikeout-to-walk ratio. He was a first-round pick of the Red Sox in last year’s draft, and is now getting his feet underneath him with the Frederick Keys. 

But alongside him every step of the way has been his twin brother, Malachi. 

I’m not a twin, but I’ve known enough to observe two distinct paths: some pairs will be joined at the hip, while others will try to differentiate as much as possible. Kyson and Malachi belong to the first group. 

“Out of high school, he was actually drafted by the Diamondbacks, and that fell through, but he ended up committing with me to Northwest Florida State, my junior college,” Kyson told me in Frederick. “And that was honestly really cool, just how it all fell together. He went with me on all my visits, everywhere that offered me they all just said like hey, if it doesn’t work out, he’s got a spot with me. 

We both agreed Northwest, and then we both ended up getting offered by Oklahoma, Skip Johnson. And once we did our visit there, we knew that was the place we wanted to be.” 

Their play for the Sooners was enough to earn them top billing in the MLB Draft. Kyson went 15th overall to Boston while Malachi went 62nd to Detroit. 

For the first time in a very long time, Kyson doesn’t have his throwing partner. It’s an unfamiliar feeling that certainly would’ve helped in a transition to a new organization. 

“Even just not having him there to say that slider I threw wasn’t good or picking at me, it’s a little different,” Kyson said. “Definitely a transition period there. But we call all the time.” 

Luckily for Witherspoon, Frederick had some familiar faces in SEC opponents like Ike Irish and RJ Austin. The righty’s scouting report on them was a simple one. 

“I knew they’re all bangers, they can all hit,” he said with a smile. “You don’t want to throw them anything good, ‘cause they can hit the ball far.” 

Now, the jobs of bats like Austin and Irish have shifted from trying to find hits off Witherspoon to trying to find some good places to eat. 

“I’m really loving it. I’m liking the staff, everybody here has been super good to me, helping me settle in,” Witherspoon said. “The guys here have all been nice, trying to show me around the town, showing me what we can do here in Frederick.” 

On the field, Witherspoon touts a high-velocity fastball, a great cutter, and a curveball-slider combination. The arsenal, combined with the pedigree that made him the 15th-overall pick just a season ago, have many scouts pointing to top-of-the-rotation upside. And it’s why the Orioles were sure to include him in their return package for Adley Rutschman. 

Through two starts with the Keys, the young right-hander has surrendered just two earned runs, though he has given up nine hits and walked seven to go along with a dozen strikeouts. The adjustment to professional baseball is still one that Witherspoon is working out. 

“Just being a bit more individual, trying to focus a bit more on myself has … I think once you get in the minors, it’s kind of less of a team aspect,” he said. “So, I think just trying to take care of my own business is kind of an adjustment.

I think I’ve been making some strides here recently, so just trying to keep trending.” 

When he does take care of his business on the mound, he doesn’t tend to show it. His reserved personality in an interview mirrors that on the dirt. 

“I just think I’m competitive,” Witherspoon said. “I’m not the most, I think, outgoing guy on the mound. I’m not going to scream or show my butt too often. But I’ll compete. Whatever I’ve got that day, I’m gonna give it all. If I’ve got 85, you’re going to get 100 percent of 85.” 

Thus far in High-A, it’s a 4.46 ERA in 19 starts between Greenville and Frederick. Since June 1, though, that number is down at 3.67 for the No. 12 prospect in the O’s system, according to MLB Pipeline. 

Much like his transition from college ball to the pros, Kyson’s baseball story in an organization without Malachi will feel more individual. Now a phone call away, their conversations will be about much more than just their pitching performances. But the two will still talk game, hoping that their journeys can now mirror each other on a path through the minor leagues.