Kevin Gausman
A pitcher who transformed from a first-round prospect into a strikeout king, mastering a devastating splitter to dominate hitters.
Born 1991 (age 35)·American baseball player·Birthday: January 6·Millennials
Biography
Kevin Gausman led the American League in strikeouts in 2021 and 2022. Drafted fourth overall by Baltimore in 2012, the tall right-hander from Colorado showed flashes of brilliance but struggled to find consistency as he bounced between several teams. His career found its true north in San Francisco, where he refined his arsenal, turning his split-finger fastball into one of the most unhittable pitches in the game. This reinvention earned him an All-Star selection and a major contract with Toronto. After a decade of searching for his best self, he finally finished as a frontline ace.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Kevin was born in 1991, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Kevin Was Born
The biggest hits of 1991
#1 Movie
Terminator 2: Judgment Day
Best Picture
The Silence of the Lambs
#1 TV Show
Cheers
Kevin's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1991Born
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1996Started school
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2004Became a teenager
Indian Ocean tsunami kills over 230,000
Gas: $1.88/galHome: $157,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Yeah!" — UsherBest Picture: Million Dollar Baby
2007Could drive
iPhone released; Great Recession begins
Gas: $2.80/galHome: $172,600Min wage: $5.85/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Irreplaceable" — BeyonceBest Picture: No Country for Old Men
2009Could vote
Michael Jackson dies; Bitcoin created
Gas: $2.35/galHome: $148,500Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Boom Boom Pow" — The Black Eyed PeasBest Picture: The Hurt Locker
2012Turned 21
Curiosity rover lands on Mars; Sandy Hook shooting
Gas: $3.64/galHome: $143,200Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Somebody That I Used to Know" — GotyeBest Picture: Argo
2021Turned 30
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 35 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Led the American League in strikeouts with 237 during the 2023 season.
- Elected as an MLB All-Star in both the 2021 and 2023 seasons.
- Was selected in the first round (4th overall) of the 2012 MLB Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
- Pitched a complete-game shutout for the San Francisco Giants against the Colorado Rockies in 2021.
Did You Know?
He played college baseball for the LSU Tigers, where he was named a First-Team All-American in 2012.
Gausman is known for his distinctive high-leg kick delivery.
He was traded from the Atlanta Braves to the Cincinnati Reds at the 2019 trade deadline.
“It took finding the right pitch, the splitter, to unlock everything I had as a starter.”
