Giants' Gavin Kilen following MLB path from Wisconsin blazed by ‘Big Gav' Lux
The two played in the same summer league under the same coach, but they're six years apart so, Kilen said, 'I feel like I've grown up in his shadow my entire life, being 'Little Gav' to 'Big Gav' because he was way older.'
Kilen was texting with Lux as recently as Monday morning, when Lux told him, 'The fun starts now,' but Kilen said they have yet to talk Dodgers-Giants rivalry. 'I'll have to ask him about it though,' Kilen said.
Kilen, 21, played second and shortstop at Tennessee and before that, Louisville, with a little third base thrown in, and he's always been considered a standout defender. The Giants see him at shortstop, at least 'for now,' director of amateur scouting Michael Holmes said, and Kilen agreed that's his best spot.
'I'd still love to play shortstop, but at the end of the day, I don't write the lineup card,' he said.
'Wherever they want to play me I'd love to play, so it will not bother me.'
Along with strong fielding skills, Kilen is, like second-rounder Trevor Cohen, a contact hitter, with more walks (30) than strikeouts (27) at Tennessee, and he has some pop, hitting 15 homers in 53 games.
'I think even from an early age, that's always been a skill I've always had — I've always excelled at making contact,' Kilen said. 'This year was kind of the switch-up, like, 'All right, you can make good contact, let's try to hit not necessarily for more power, but let's put yourself in better counts to do more damage, catch balls up front, (generate) higher exit velocities.' I think the bat-to-ball (skills) are just a knack I've always had playing baseball.'
At Tennessee, Kilen had a reputation as a team leader. Monday, in a call with reporters, he described himself as 'definitely very comfortable with myself and how I feel about things. I'm a little more quiet, unless you really get me talking, but I'm a super competitor, I love competing.'
The Giants hadn't selected a middle infielder in the first round since Christian Arroyo in 2013 and he's the first college middle infielder the club has taken since Joe Panik in 2011.
San Francisco had another notable lefty hitting middle infielder from Wisconsin: former second baseman Duane Kuiper, now the team's TV announcer, is from Racine, 60 miles to the east of Milton, Kilen's hometown.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Will Giants' Darius Alexander cash 'winning lottery ticket' learning from Dexter Lawrence?
EAST RUTHERFORD - NFL Network analyst Daniel Jeremiah kept coming back to three letters in his notes as he ripped through video highlights of Darius Alexander. V-E-T. He had just finished watching the Eagles do what they did to the Chiefs' offensive line in the Super Bowl, and when his film study for the NFL Draft turned to Alexander, the evaluation struck a championship-level dominant tone. Advertisement Violent. Explosive. Twitchy. That was the essence of Jeremiah's scouting report for Alexander, and those undeniable traits jumped out for the New York Giants as well when they opted to select Alexander at the top of the third round. In what promised to be such a deep class of defensive linemen rich with talent, it was beyond time that the Giants find someone to complement Dexter Lawrence while magnifying the production of a player considered by many to be the best of his generation at the position. That chance to attack single blocks because of opponents' "four hands" approach in trying to slow down Lawrence will be in play this summer with the Giants seeking the right complement to their best player, especially with what they have added to the defensive front with the addition of Abdul Carter to a group that already included Lawrence, Brian Burns and Kayvon Thibodeaux. Advertisement And as the rookies report for training camp Tuesday, one week before the rest of the team arrives, it's Alexander who can seize the opportunity to prove to the Giants he is ready to cash in. "It can be winning lottery ticket playing next to Dex," one league source told and The Record during this year's NFL Draft. "So what it comes down to: are you good enough to cash it? And [Alexander] has a chance to be that kind of player." Eat Rutherford, NJ -- May 9, 2025 -- Darius Alexander loosens up during warm ups at Giants Rookie Minicamp. The true impact of Alexander won't be felt until the pads come on, and we missed seeing much of the 6-foot-X, 3XX-pounder in the spring, as he was relegated to individual drills if not rehabbing with the training staff as he worked through an undisclosed injury. Advertisement The Giants were seemingly playing it smart with a player they believe can have an important role up front, and with that expectation as the backdrop, the sight of Alexander and Lawrence working out together with renowned private defensive line coach Mark Hall was significant. Unlike Russell Wilson with the presence of Jaxson Dart, Lawrence won't be getting many questions about being a mentor to Alexander, nor should he. There is another level for a player of Lawrence's caliber to reach, and while it's not a straight-up student-teacher relationship, any secrets he can share to speed up the learning curve could impact the entire defense - including where Lawrence winds up taking his already exceptional game. When Lawrence first connected with Hall, he was the ascending player hoping to follow in the footsteps of proven star defensive linemen DeForest Buckner and Kenny Clark, among others. Today, Lawrence sets the standard - and his newest Giants teammate, Alexander, is the one training alongside the All-Pro doing whatever he can to ultimately follow that path. Advertisement "Every chance I get, I'm telling Dex in his ear: 'Hall of Fame, Hall of Fame,' because that's the next step for him," Hall told and The Record in a recent phone interview. "Dex never talks about that kind of stuff, but I know he hears me, it's definitely there. But he's motivated by what's in front of him: dominating play to play, day to day, week to week, and he's just so dynamic. To get to where he can go, there's another level most players can't think of going. The challenge is raising his game and doing that for everyone around him." Oct 6, 2024; Seattle, Washington, USA; New York Giants defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence II (97) sacks Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith (7) during the second half at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images Alexander's performance in practice during the week at the Senior Bowl during the pre-draft process helped him prove his talent was not limited to smaller school competition. His versatility was on display and ESPN analyst Jordan Reid said he was 'unblockable' in one-on-one drills with strong hands and surprising quickness against top offensive line prospects. "You have to be a technician," Giants defensive line coach Andre Patterson said. "You gotta have a quest to master your technique. That's what makes you play as a d-lineman long in this league. If you're just basing your game off of, 'I got great talent,' it's gonna catch up to you and you're not gonna be around very long. So, they hear that message from the time they walk in the room. To have a guy like Dex sitting in the room and they can see what he became once I got here, because he became a great technician and that took his God given talent to another level." Advertisement Much of Alexander's work with the Giants so far has been in the classroom, and ultimately how fast he can learn how offensive lines in the NFL attack schematically will determine not just his playing time, but his production. "He's long, explosive, quick - he's a smooth athlete," Hall said of Alexander. "If you're a 3-tech, you're licking your chops to play next to someone like Dex with those 1-on-1 situations. This is Darius' first year, so I'd expect a lot of quick, vertical moves playing off of that attention. He's going to make mistakes, he's a rookie, but I'm guessing they're going to want to see those mistakes at full speed. His defensive line IQ will be everything - that's the key." More attention to Lawrence creates lanes to the quarterback, obviously, and when that happens, if the Giants can flash their potential, it'll create near-impossible scenarios for the opposition. "They've got pieces, that's for sure," Hall said. "If everything comes together, the Giants are going to be fun to watch." This article originally appeared on Darius Alexander, Dexter Lawrence together is 'winning lottery ticket'
Forbes
3 hours ago
- Forbes
What We Saw, Heard, And Felt At UFC Nashville
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JULY 12: (R-L) Derrick Lewis punches Tallison Teixeira of Brazil in a ... More heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Bridgestone Arena on July 12, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) UFC Nashville delivered knockouts, chaos, controversy, and a crowd that reminded us why stateside UFC Fight Nights are good for the sport. From the early prelims to Derrick Lewis' main event moment, the card was a snapshot of what makes Fight Nights on U.S. soil arguably the purest presentation of MMA. Here's what we saw, heard, and what fans and media in attendance felt inside Bridgestone Arena. What We Saw at UFC Nashville Lewis extended his own record for KOs in the UFC with a first-round finish of Tallison Teixeira, though it didn't come without controversy (more on that later). Lewis' power is undeniable, and because of it, he has a chance against any opponent. Here is a look at the finish. Lewis D/X chopped and launched imaginary arrows at Teixeira immediately after the finish. He also removed his shorts and mooned the crowd. We also saw Stephen 'Wonderboy' Thompson suffer one of the nastiest gashes on his leg that you'll ever see during his co-main event clash with Gabriel Bonfim. I know this is the 'see' portion, but rather than simply embedding it here, I'll give you the option to look at this image if you can stomach it. It was ugly, but what was most amazing was Thompson's toughness. Not only did the 43-year-old veteran fight on, he didn't even stop throwing kicks with the lacerated leg. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JULY 12: Stephen Thompson kicks Gabriel Bonfim of Brazil in a welterweight ... More fight during the UFC Fight Night event at Bridgestone Arena on July 12, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) Unbelievable. Nate Landwehr is a walking Fight of the Night bonus, and he has the ability to pull anyone into his world. He did that on Saturday but was reduced to rubble in the process as Morgan Charriere proved to be too athletic and explosive for Landwehr. Charriere added a devastating finish to his highlight reel to go with his share of the Fight of the Night bonus both fighters earned. Here is the insane finish in the third the third fight in a row, Walker has defeated an opponent by heel hook. I've been covering MMA for nearly 20 years and I cannot recall another fighter with back-to-back wins by heel hook—let alone three straight. Here's his latest heel capture. It's an amazing run and should lead to Walker receiving an official ranking in the heavyweight division this week. If Fatima Kline was looking for a standout performance with a memorable moment, she got it on Saturday and also set the tone for the evening with her vicious head-kick KO win over Melissa Martinez. In case you missed it, it was a Performance of the Night winner. What We Heard at UFC Nashville The crowd in Nashville was electric. So much so that the city should be on the UFC's radar to visit twice a year, and the top non-titleholding American fighters should be in the main and co-main events. NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE - JULY 12: A general view of the Octagon during the UFC Fight Night event at ... More Bridgestone Arena on July 12, 2025 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC) The UFC has been running a program featuring artists' music during pay-per-views and Fight Nights and I don't think it's getting enough UFC Nashville, the broadcast played A Thousand Tons, a track from a metal band called Chained Saint, several times. If you're unaware of the band and the track, here's a look at the lyric video. The opening lyrics of the song say, 'you ought to know by now that there's no stopping us.' That line makes the song wildly appropriate as a theme for an event with eight stoppage wins—many that were pretty devastating. The band has several songs on their album Blindside that seem like a perfect fit as entrance music for a WWE Superstar. All in all, it was a strong pioneer and former women's flyweight title challenger Lauren Murphy retired in the Octagon following a unanimous decision loss to Eduarda Moura. Murphy addressed the crowd with a heartfelt message after the fight as she laid her gloves in the center of the Octagon. She thanked herself during the Octagon interview. The 41-year-old walked away from the UFC with a 16-7 record. What We Felt During and After UFC Nashville A lot of the talk after the co-main event was about Wonderboy's gashed leg, but should we have talked more about that decision going Bonfim's way? There's a good argument to be made that Wonderboy won the second and third rounds. Ashx_MMA put together a solid breakdown explaining why he scored the fight for Wonderboy. He definitely took the second, as he nearly knocked the talented Brazilian out with a bananas head kick. Wonderboy didn't complain—but then again, he never does. I'm not sure about this one. I had it for Wonderboy too. Lewis won in the main event via TKO, but many—including me—believe referee Jason Herzog stopped the fight prematurely. UFC President Dana White also felt the stoppage was 'a little fast.' Teixeira is a talented 25-year-old heavyweight. He was hurt, but I thought he got back to his feet pretty quickly. Herzog seemed to call it after Teixeira mistakenly hit him during the stand-up. In case you missed it, here are the results from the event. UFC Nashville Results
Associated Press
4 hours ago
- Associated Press
Nashville takes on the Columbus Crew in non-conference action
Columbus Crew (11-3-8, third in the Eastern Conference) vs. Nashville SC (12-5-5, second in the Western Conference) Nashville, Tennessee; Wednesday, 8:30 p.m. EDT BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Nashville SC +102, Columbus +238, Draw +263; over/under is 2.5 goals BOTTOM LINE: Nashville hosts the Columbus Crew in a non-conference matchup. Nashville is 7-1-3 at home. Nashville has scored 38 goals while allowing 25 for a +13 goal differential. The Crew are 4-2-4 on the road. The Crew rank seventh in the league with 38 goals led by Diego Rossi with 11. Wednesday's game is the second time these teams square off this season. The last meeting finished tied 2-2. TOP PERFORMERS: Sam Surridge has scored 15 goals with two assists for Nashville. Hany Mukhtar has five goals and three assists over the last 10 games. Rossi has 11 goals and three assists for the Crew. Jacen Russell-Rowe has scored three goals over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Nashville: 6-1-3, averaging 1.6 goals, 4.2 shots on goal and 4.5 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.0 goal per game. Crew: 4-2-4, averaging 1.8 goals, 4.4 shots on goal and 4.6 corner kicks per game while allowing 1.7 goals per game. NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY: Nashville: Maximus Ekk (injured), Tate Schmitt (injured), Taylor Washington (injured), Tyler Boyd (injured). Crew: Malte Amundsen (injured), Nicholas Hagen Godoy (injured), Rudy Camacho (injured). ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
