Giants’ Caleb Kilian reveals when he first realized he could become MLB pitcher

Caleb Kilian has had a roundabout journey to where he is today: perhaps the top arm in the Giants’ bullpen so far in the 2026 MLB season.Initially selected by San Francisco in the eighth round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of Texas Tech, Kilian was part of the trade package sent to the Chicago Cubs for Kris Bryant in 2021. He then pitched in eight games across the next three seasons for the Cubs, seeing little success in the majors.But after rejoining the Giants this past offseason, the 28-year-old righty quickly has become a vital part of their staff, posting a 2.42 ERA and 1.075 WHIP across 21 appearances. Kilian recently joined NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kylen Mills to discuss when he first realized he had a shot to be an MLB pitcher.“Maybe when the first scout came to my house. It was actually [Todd “Tiny” Thomas],” Kilian explained, referring to a longtime Giants area scout based in Louisiana and Texas. “He was one of two, maybe the only one that came in high school to my house, and he texted me [after Kilian’s first MLB save on May 4]. He’s been rooting for me the whole time. But that was probably when I...