The Baltimore Orioles selected Akin in the second round of the 2016 Major League Baseball draft.[5][6] He signed with the Orioles, receiving a $1.17 million signing bonus.[7] Akin made his professional debut with the Aberdeen IronBirds[8] and spent all of 2016 there, posting a 1.04 ERA in 26 innings. He spent 2017 with the Frederick Keys[9] where he pitched to a 7–8 record and 4.14 ERA in 21 starts,[10] and he spent 2018 with the Bowie Baysox, going 14–7 with a 3.27 ERA in 25 starts.[11] He spent 2019 with the Norfolk Tides, going 6–7 with a 4.73 ERA and 131 strikeouts over 112+1⁄3 innings.[12]
The Orioles added Akin to their 40-man roster following the 2019 season.[13]
Major Leagues
Akin was promoted to the major leagues on August 8, 2020. He made his major league debut on August 14 against the Washington Nationals. Akin finished his first MLB season with a 1–2 record and a 4.56 ERA and 35 strikeouts over 8 games and 25.2 innings pitched.[14]
The following season, Akin pitched to a 2–10 record and 6.63 ERA in 24 appearances for Baltimore. His season ended on September 24, when he was shut down for the remainder of the year after suffering a left adductor strain and requiring abdominal surgery.[15] Akin had a bounce back season in 2022, making 45 appearances and posting a 3.20 ERA with 77 strikeouts and 2 saves in 81+2⁄3 innings pitched.[16]
In 2023, Akin struggled to a 6.85 ERA in 24 appearances before he was placed on the injured list with lower back discomfort on June 30, 2023.[17] He was transferred to the 60–day injured list on August 23.[18]
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