Coppin State Pitcher Dillon Kirksey Earns Appalachian League Humanitarian of the Year Nomination
By Brian Hradsky | Maryland Sports Blog
Coppin State pitcher Dillon Kirksey is receiving recognition for far more than what he has accomplished on the mound this summer.
Kirksey, a rising senior for the Eagles, was selected as the Greeneville Flyboys’ nominee for the 2026 Appalachian League Humanitarian of the Year Award, an honor recognizing players who make significant contributions to their communities through volunteer work and service projects. Kirksey is one of eight players nominated for the league-wide award.
The recognition caps a summer in which Kirksey has balanced pitching in one of college baseball’s notable developmental leagues with an active commitment to the Greeneville community.
According to Coppin State Athletics, Kirksey has volunteered at multiple youth camps, completed CPR courses, participated in financial-advising classes and consistently made himself available to sign autographs and take pictures with young fans throughout the summer.
For Coppin State head baseball coach Sherman Reed, the nomination represents the type of impact Kirksey has made well beyond his statistics.
“Dillon is the kind of student-athlete that every coach hopes to have in their program,” Reed said in Coppin State’s announcement. “He represents Coppin State, the Greeneville Flyboys and his family with integrity and a genuine commitment to serving others.”
Reed added that Kirksey’s nomination reflects the pitcher’s leadership, character and willingness to serve others.
Kirksey Represents Coppin State in Greeneville
The 6-foot-2, 190-pound Kirksey joined the Greeneville Flyboys this summer after completing his first season at Coppin State.
Greeneville competes in the Appalachian League, a collegiate summer league operated as part of Major League Baseball and USA Baseball’s Prospect Development Pipeline. The league traces its history to 1911 and has increasingly become a showcase for college players looking to develop against strong competition during the summer.
Kirksey was listed on Greeneville’s 2026 roster as a Coppin State pitcher after establishing himself as one of the Eagles’ primary starters during the spring.
At the time Coppin State announced the humanitarian nomination on July 30, Kirksey had made nine starts for Greeneville, posting a 2-3 record with a 6.28 ERA while striking out 28 batters over 38 2/3 innings. He had also just delivered one of his strongest starts of the summer, pitching five shutout innings while allowing only two hits and striking out three to earn a victory.
His Appalachian League player page lists Kirksey as a right-handed pitcher who bats left-handed. He was born Feb. 1, 2005 and is listed at 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds.
Emerging as Coppin State’s Top Starter
Kirksey arrived at Coppin State and quickly became a major part of the Eagles’ pitching rotation.
During the 2026 college season, Kirksey made 15 appearances and 14 starts. He finished 3-6 with a team-best 6.69 ERA, striking out 58 batters over 72 2/3 innings.
Coppin State trusted him with the ball from the beginning of the season, naming him its Opening Day starter.
His three victories came against Northeast Conference opponents Mercyhurst, Le Moyne and Central Connecticut State. Kirksey also worked at least seven innings in three additional starts in which Coppin State held the lead when he completed his outing.
One example of Kirksey’s ability to keep the Eagles competitive came March 14 against FDU. Kirksey allowed two runs on five hits over four innings while striking out six and left with a no-decision.
Those outings helped establish Kirksey as a workhorse in Coppin State’s rotation during his junior season.
His 72 2/3 innings represented a considerable workload, while the 58 strikeouts showed the ability to generate outs without relying exclusively on balls in play. For a Coppin State program continuing to build under Reed, having an experienced starter capable of working deeper into games gives the Eagles an important piece heading into Kirksey’s senior season.
A Long Road to Baltimore
Kirksey’s path to Coppin State began far from Baltimore.
A native of Ridgefield, Washington, Kirksey attended Ridgefield High School before beginning his college baseball career at Centralia College in Washington. Baseball Reference lists Centralia College and Coppin State as his collegiate stops.
That journey ultimately brought him across the country to Coppin State, where he developed into a regular starter at the NCAA Division I level.
Now, the summer in Greeneville is providing Kirksey another opportunity to develop against talented college players while representing Coppin State on a larger developmental stage.
The Appalachian League has become part of MLB and USA Baseball’s player-development structure, giving players an opportunity to compete in a professional-style summer environment while maintaining their college eligibility.
Kirksey’s summer, however, has demonstrated that the experience extends beyond baseball.
Humanitarian Award Recognizes More Than Baseball
The Appalachian League Humanitarian of the Year Award is presented to the player judged to have made the most notable contributions to his community through active participation in service projects.
The honor has developed a strong recent history.
Tri-State Coal Cats pitcher Kenneth Jackson, a Southern University player, won the award in 2025. Jackson was recognized for his dedication to community service throughout the season. Kingsport’s Tyree Jackson won in 2024, while Burlington’s Kenny Mallory Jr. received the honor in 2023 and Bluefield’s Parker Redden won in 2022.
Past winners have been recognized for everything from working with youth baseball programs and schools to helping nonprofit organizations and mentoring children.
Kirksey’s nomination puts him in that same conversation.
His participation in youth camps is particularly significant because collegiate summer baseball teams become closely tied to their local communities. Players may only spend several months with the organization, but appearances at camps, clinics and community events give younger fans opportunities to interact directly with college athletes.
For Kirksey, that involvement has apparently become a regular part of his summer rather than an occasional obligation.
Building Toward His Senior Season
Kirksey will return to Baltimore as one of the most experienced pitchers on Coppin State’s roster.
After already leading the Eagles’ rotation in innings and posting the team’s best ERA among its primary starters in 2026, Kirksey should have an opportunity to take another step forward during his senior season.
His summer work with Greeneville gives him additional innings against quality hitters, another coaching environment and the experience of pitching within MLB and USA Baseball’s collegiate summer development structure.
Just as importantly, the Humanitarian of the Year nomination adds another dimension to Kirksey’s impact.
College athletics often measures players through statistics, awards and wins. Kirksey’s recognition demonstrates another part of what Coppin State wants its athletes to represent.
The Eagles have a pitcher who has taken the ball in important games, accumulated more than 70 innings in a season and competed against some of the top players in the Appalachian League.
They also have a student-athlete being recognized for giving his time to children, fans and the community around him.
MSB Take
Dillon Kirksey’s Humanitarian of the Year nomination is the type of story that deserves attention.
The numbers on the mound matter. Kirksey became one of Coppin State’s most important starters during the 2026 season and continued working on his game throughout the summer in Greeneville.
But this nomination is about something larger.
Summer baseball players arrive in communities for only a short period of time. It would be easy to focus exclusively on baseball, travel and preparing for the next game. Kirksey instead made youth camps, education and interacting with fans part of his summer experience.
That says something about the player Coppin State has representing its baseball program.
Whether Kirksey ultimately wins the Appalachian League Humanitarian of the Year Award or not, being chosen as Greeneville’s nominee already represents meaningful recognition of his character and leadership.
As he prepares for his senior season in Baltimore, Kirksey has an opportunity to bring both the experience gained on the mound and the leadership displayed away from it back to Coppin State.
For the Eagles, that could prove just as valuable as anything that shows up in the box score.
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