Aug. 28, 2007

LOS ANGELES -- The New York Yankees have announced that former USC pitcher Ian Kennedy (Huntington Beach/La Quinta HS) will make his major league debut on Saturday in place of Mike Mussina against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Kennedy, who was the team's first-round draft selection (21st overall) in last year's draft, will become the 95th former USC player to play in the major leagues.

Kennedy is completing a meteoric rise through the minor leagues after starting the 2007 season with Tampa (A) of the Florida State League. This season, Kennedy has a 12-3 record overall in the minors with a 1.91 ERA. In 25 starts and 146 1/3 innings, he has allowed only 91 hits with 50 walks and 163 strikeouts with opponents batting just .182 against him.

While with Scranton-Wilkes Barre (AAA), he was 1-1 in six starts with a 2.08 ERA (34 2/3 IP, 25 H, 11 BB, 34 SO, .205 opponents' batting average).

During his time at Trenton (AA), Kennedy was 5-1 with a 2.59 ERA (48 2/3 IP, 27 H, 14 ER, 17 BB, 57 SO) and was named to the Baseball America Midseason Minor League All-Star Team.

Kennedy went 24-12 in his three-year career with the Trojans, compiling a 3.09 ERA (311 1/3 IP, 271 H, 107 ER, 105 BB) and 380 strikeouts. He finished third all-time at USC in career strikeouts behind Rik Currier (449) and Seth Etherton (420). Currier was a sixth-round selection by the Yankees in 2001. Kennedy also finishes second all-time in strikeouts per nine innings (10.99) behind current Chicago Cubs' pitcher Mark Prior (11.52).

In his 2005 sophomore season, Kennedy earned All-America honors after going 12-3 with a 2.54 ERA (117 IP, 85 H, 33 ER, 38 BB, 158 SO). He was named Pac-10 Conference Pitcher of the Year and led the nation in strikeouts.

As a 2006 junior, he earned All-Pac-10 honorable mention recognition after going 5-7 with a 3.90 ERA and 102 strikeouts. He earned All-Pac-10 honors in his 2004 freshman season after posting a 7-2 mark with a 2.91 ERA and 120 strikeouts and has been the Trojans' No. 1 starter during his entire career.

During his collegiate career, Kennedy was a two-time U.S. National Team member, becoming just the fifth Trojan to play in back-to-back seasons. Last summer, he went 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA for Team USA in five starts (28 IP, 11 H, 9 R, 10 BB, 35 SO, .118 opponents' batting average). He tossed seven no-hit innings against Chinese Taipei on July 15, 2005, in Taiwan, striking out nine and walking two in a 1-0 victory.