Joe Kelly, a veteran Major League Baseball pitcher with 13 seasons and three World Series rings to his name, has joined the baseball program at Corona High School as an assistant coach. Kelly, who last pitched for the Los Angeles Dodgers, brings his experience and competitive spirit to the high school level.
Corona High's baseball team, under coach Andy Wise, has developed a reputation as one of the most scouted programs in the nation, consistently producing elite prospects and garnering national attention. The team has been a significant force in the CIF Southern Section and is considered a premier baseball development program in California.
Kelly's MLB career began when he was a third-round pick by the Cardinals in 2009. He made his debut in 2012 and also played for the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Chicago White Sox. Throughout his career, Kelly appeared in 485 games, pitched 839 innings, and maintained a 3.98 earned run average. He was notably dominant during the postseason, contributing to championship runs in 2018 with Boston and in 2020 and 2024 with the Dodgers.
Beyond his statistics, Kelly became known for his spirited personality on the field. His tenure with the Dodgers included a memorable confrontation with the Houston Astros, during which he mocked Astros shortstop Carlos Correa. This incident, along with his high-energy play, endeared him to Dodgers fans. Kelly embraced comparisons to the character "Wild Thing" and even gave up his jersey number 17 to Shohei Ohtani, a gesture that led to Ohtani gifting Kelly's wife a Porsche.
This coaching role is not Kelly's first experience in a dugout beyond his own playing career. He previously coached his 9-year-old son's team, an experience he humorously recounted involved an altercation. Now, Kelly is set to bring his intense and experienced approach to guiding the players at Corona High, remaining an active participant in the game of baseball.