In 2006, Gibson's senior year at Greenfield Central High School in Indiana, he committed to the University of Missouri.

In 2006, Kyle passed up the Phillies offers after they chose him in the 26th round of the draft. He chose to go to the University of Missouri. Gibson arrived at Missouri as a highly touted bean-pole out of Greenfield High in Indiana, where he was the top prep prospect in the state heading into the 2006 draft. 

In 2007, pitching for Falmouth in the Cape Cod League, Gibson put up a 1.17 ERA.

In 2008, Kyle led Team USA with five victories.

Kyle exhibits great makeup. He says he is very thankful to God for his family and the ability he has been blessed with.

Kyle organized a silent auction of sports memorabilia that raised $9,000 for the family of a childhood friend who died in 2006 from lymphatic cancer.

In 2009, Gibson was 10-3, 3.47 ERA with 123 strikeouts and only 18 walks in 99 innings for the University of Missouri.

In 2009, Gibson got drafted by the Twins (see Transactions below).

In 2010, Baseball America rated Gibson as the third best prospect in the Twins organization. But in the winter before 2011 spring training, they had Kyle as the #1 prospect in the Twins' farm system.

They dropped Gibson down to #8 in the offseason before 2012 spring camps opened. But he was at 4th-best in the winter before 2013 Spring Training.

In 2010, the Twins named Kyle their Minor League Pitcher of the Year after he combined to go 11-6 with a 2.96 ERA for Ft. Myers, New Britain, and Triple-A Rochester. He walked 39 and struck out 126 in 26 starts.

In 2016, Gibson has changed his diet. He has cut out refined sugar and egg yolks. His wife, whom he met while at the University of Missouri, studied exercise and nutrition in college and has helped him create a healthy meal plan. High cholesterol runs in his family.

"I'm still eating fruits and sugar that occurs naturally, but otherwise, I'm cutting out extra sugar," Gibson said. "And I've had high cholesterol the last couple years. Elizabeth told me I had to do something about it, so I've cut out egg yolks. I love scrambled eggs, but every egg yolk has like 300 milligrams of cholesterol. So I've been cutting out egg yolks and skipping syrup on pancakes. Just trying to mash up fruit or eat yogurt."  (Bollinger - MLB.com - 2/29/2016)

Kyle is always classy and upbeat. He is a guy who has used his success as a platform to help others.

December 23, 2016: The holidays are always a busy time for Kyle and his wife, Elizabeth, who make their offseason home in Fort Myers, Fla. But this year is even more hectic, as Elizabeth is due with their second child on December 29. The Gibsons usually travel to Indiana to see his side of the family or Missouri for her side, but this year they're staying at home for the first time with their daughter, Hayden, who turns three in March. Kyle spoke with MLB.com about the holidays, this past season and the 2017 season.

MLB.com: What's a typical Christmas like for you and your family? What's the plan this year?

Gibson: This year is a little bit different. Elizabeth, Hayden and I normally travel to see her family or my family. We usually pick one of them to spend Christmas with and the other one to spend Thanksgiving with. But with a little one coming at the end of December, we'll be home for our first Christmas at the Gibson household here in Fort Myers. We've decorated and plan on being home here for the first time. So we're pretty excited.

MLB.com: So what it's like with your wife being due so soon after Christmas?

Gibson: There's a little bit of anxiety mixed in with the Christmas joy this year. I'm just hoping she makes it past Christmas, really. Hopefully, we can get through the Christmas festivities before she has the baby. But it's pretty exciting and another great gift and something to look forward to right after Christmas.

MLB.com: What was Christmas like growing up in Greenfield, Indiana?

Gibson: It was pretty special. All of our relatives lived within 10 minutes. We lived right next to my mom's parents and were only like 10 minutes from my dad's parents. Christmas Eve we'd spend the night with my dad's parents and Christmas Day, we'd literally walk 50 feet across the yard to my mom's mom and dad's. We'd do lunch there for Christmas and it would go into dinner with everybody bringing gifts and food. It was always cool walking up super early and running into my parents' room with my sister to wake them up and head downstairs.

MLB.com: Any particular Christmas memories stand out? Gibson: When I was 17 years old, I was probably the only one of my friends who didn't have a PlayStation or a Nintendo or anything like that. But when I was 17, my parents got my first PlayStation, the PlayStation 2. And I just freaked out. I couldn't believe it because my dad was very much into the old-school about not playing video games and going outside instead. It's not like they withheld anything from me, but we had six acres with a pond, trampoline and a basketball hoop. So played outside instead of being in front of the TV. But when I finally got that, I was pretty pumped and ran around screaming. (R Bollinger - MLB.com - December 23, 2016)

2018: Gibson had the highest current WAR (9.3) of any Twins player.

December 6, 2019: Pitching in the Major Leagues is tough enough without having to deal with the misery of E. coli and ulcerative colitis. That’s what Kyle had to deal with last season with the Twins after getting hit hard by the condition during an annual missions trip to the Dominican Republic.

Considering what he went though, it seems remarkable Gibson was able to throw 160 innings over his 29 starts and win 13 games while helping the Twins capture the AL Central title last season, 2019. 

The Rangers trust Gibson will be able to overcome his issues and become a reliable No. 3-4 starter in their rotation.

“He has a tremendous reputation around the game as a great teammate and a competitor,” Rangers general manager Jon Daniels said. “He and his wife Elizabeth have a great reputation for giving back to the community. A lot of things that we like and want to be about and are consistent with our culture.”

In 2019, Gibson was the Twins' 2019 nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award. In 2017, he had won the team's Community Service Award. He and his wife have also sponsored a young girl in the Dominican Republic for the past nine years.

“We have been going down there every year to visit her and the family, just love on her and spend some time with her,” Gibson said. “Those are life changing events. You go down and see the need down there, it’s eye-opening. It kept my wife and I going back every single year.”

“This past year we went down on New Year’s Day and came back with E. coli. I picked up E. coli somewhere between the Dominican and Haiti and had E. coli for 3 1/2 weeks. That’s what triggered my stomach stuff and then I found out in February I had developed ulcerative colitis in correlation with the E. coli.”

It was not good timing for a pitcher who seemed to have his career headed in the right direction. In 2009, Gibson was the No. 22 overall pick of the Twins out of the University of Missouri. And he had two solid seasons in 2014 and 2015. In 2016, he was limited to 25 starts because of a strained right shoulder and finished 6-11 with a 5.07 ERA and a 1.56 WHIP.

Gibson spent that offseason working on mechanical and delivery adjustments. It took a couple trips to the Minor Leagues to get everything in sync, but he finished strong that season, going 7-3 with a 3.76 ERA and a 1.28 WHIP in his final 13 starts.

In 2018, Gibson made 32 starts and was 10-13 with a career low 3.62 ERA. His 196 innings were a career high and he struck out nine batters per nine innings. That was up from 5.37 strikeouts per nine innings in 2014, his first full season in the Majors.

Then came E. coli and ulcerative colitis.

“In Spring Training we found the right medication,” Gibson said. “I was feeling strong when the season started. Then, I think whether it was the stress to the season or my diet changes, eating on the road and stuff, about mid-May, it started getting worse and the symptoms started creeping back in.

“The hardest part was just before the All-Star break. I wasn’t sleeping well. I was getting up with a bloated stomach and gas and having to go to the bathroom five or six times a night. Right at the beginning of September, I told our trainers I can’t do this anymore.”

Gibson spent 10 days on the injured list. He was on the Twins postseason roster against the Yankees, but was not given a starting assignment. He reached out to others for help. He spoke with Jake Diekman, the former Rangers reliever who spent much of his adult life dealing with ulcerative colitis until finally having multiple surgeries in 2017.

Gibson underwent examination at the Cleveland Clinic after the season, underwent a colonoscopy and was given new medication. So far everything has worked well.

“I have been trending that way so that’s good,” Gibson said. “When you have progress going in the right direction, it feels like a brand new day. I am feeling better and better each week.”

The Rangers have told Gibson they won’t push him to be ready for Opening Day. They have much experience in this area and Gibson met with their medical staff before signing. Gibson was especially impressed with team dietician Stephanie Fernandes.

“First and foremost, if I’m not feeling good and able to compete, I’m not going to be the guy that I think I can be,” Gibson said. “That was a big factor in getting to a place I felt could help me stay healthy and keep me on the right track.”

But he is a durable righthander with a 93 mile per hour fastball and a plus slider. He can also work in a curveball and changeup for a four-pitch mix. His ground-ball ratio of 52.6 percent is the seventh-highest over the past six years and his 136 double plays induced were the most in the Majors in that stretch.

“He has always been a pretty good starter,” Daniels said. “A lot of things you like from a starting pitcher. He has a lot of ways to get hitters out. We are excited to have him in the mix.” (TR Sullivan - MLB.com - December 6, 2019)

On June 29, 2013, Kyle made his Major League debut against the Royals at Target Field in Minnesota.  He’ll make his first Opening Day start against the Royals as well, this time at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City. 

“Having never played on Opening Day, it's something that you think a lot about as a player, wanting to be involved in that first game,” Gibson said. “There's just something cool about being on the line, something cool about the anthem that day.  Just everybody being out there and the whole team gets recognized at the start of a new year. You get a fresh start.”

A University of Missouri alumnus, Gibson said Kansas City is one of his favorite places to pitch because of how close it is to family.  He has a number of family members coming to Opening Day to watch him pitch, including his wife and kids, his in-laws and even a college roommate that lives in the area. Though it won’t be the 60-70 people he had during his Major League debut, Gibson said he's enjoyed being able to celebrate big moments with those close to him. 

“The moments before and after the game are really special,” Gibson said. “I think it ends up being a combination of efforts by a lot of people. It ends up being that extra moment where you get to say thank you to a lot of people who probably helped you get there.  It really makes you realize how fortunate you are when you get that chance to celebrate that with people.”  (Landry - mlb.com - 3/30/2021)  (Editor's note: Not a happy ending. Gibson did not make it through the first inning, and the Rangers lost to the Royals 14-10.)

July 2021: Gibson was chosen to pitch in the All-Star Game.

TRANSACTIONS

June 2009: The Twins chose Kyle with their #1 pick. And they signed him to a $1.8 million bonus about 10 minutes before the midnight deadline on August 17. The scout who signed him was J.R. DeMercurio.

January 2017: Gibson and the Twins agreed on a one-year, $2.9 million pact for 2017.

January 11, 2019: Kyle and the Twins avoided arbitration, agreeing to a one-year deal for $8.1 million.

October 31, 2019; Kyle chose free agency.

November 27, 2019: The Rangers agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract with Gibson.

Gibson will receive $11 million in 2020, $10 million in 2021, and $7 million in 2022. There is another $3 million in incentives.

Gibson has an 88-92 mph two-seam late-sinking and tailing SINKER that is his best pitch, a 91-94 mph four-seam FASTBALL, and a superb 83-86 mph swing-and-miss SLIDER with bite that he commands well. His slider rates a 60 or 70 rating on the 20-80 scouting scale because of its good bite. His slider is a true plus offering, a mid-80s out pitch that righthanded hitters struggle to lay off even when it's in the dirt.

Gibson also has a 79-81 mph CURVEBALL and a deceptive 83-86 mph CHANGEUP with good fade and sink that is a swing-and-miss pitch. It fades down and away from lefthanded hitters. The sinker has excellent movement—he can run, sink, or cut his fastball—and he has superb command of it.

2016 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 13.6% of the time; Sinker 42.5% of the time; Change 17.4%; Slider 22.1%; and Curve 4.4% of the time.

2017 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball: 21.9% of the time; Sinker 34.7% of the time; Change 15.7%; Slider 17.7%; and Curve 10.1% of the time.

2018 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 23.8% of the time, his Sinker 33.9%; Change 11%; Slider 21%; Curve 10.2% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 93.6 mph, Sinker 93.4, Change 86.1, Slider 85.9, and Curve 81.1 mph.

2019 Season Pitch Usage: 4-seam Fastball 17.8% of the time, his Sinker 32.4%; Change 16.2%; Slider 20.4%; Curve 13.2% of the time. Average velocity: 4-seam 93.8 mph, Sinker 93.6, Change 85.7, Slider 84.4, and Curve 80.6 mph.

Kyle has a smooth, clean, easy delivery that he has no trouble repeating. It enables him to throw strikes easily while coming at hitters from a steep downhill plane. He is 6-foot-6, but still stays compact in his delivery. His delivery is so smooth, it lacks any deception. His command is very good. And he throws quality strikes.

He has outstanding pitch ability. He knows how to go after hitters and get them out. He is intelligent in his approach and a level-headed guy. Gibson has a knack for reaching back for some extra velocity when he needs it. (Jim Rantz, Twins farm director-2010) 

Kyle gets a lot of groundballs and strikeouts by pounding the bottom of the strike zone.

In 2015, Gibson went 11-11 with a 3.84 ERA and a team-leading 32 starts. He was named the Twins Pitcher of the Year and received the Joseph W. Haynes Award.

Spring Training 2017: Gibson's overhauled delivery remains a work in progress. Gibson has worked with weighted balls and a balloon-shaped connection ball to help shorten his arm path.  He has been happy he corrected his mechanics, after running into some issues during a throwing session in between starts.  (Bollinger - mlb.com - 3/6/2017)

September 29, 2018: After posting identical 5.07 ERAs in 2016 and 2017, Gibson built on his strong finish to last year, turning in the best season of his career in 2018. Gibson ended it with a strong showing against the White Sox, allowing one run over six innings in an 8-3 win over the White Sox at Target Field.

Gibson concludes his campaign with a career-best and rotation-best 3.62 ERA in 32 starts. He set personal highs in innings with 196.2 and strikeouts with 179. And he reach the 10-win mark for the fourth time in his career.

"It's kind of like going into the All-Star break or something like that, you want to end on a good one," Gibson said.

"Toward the end of last year and this year I think I was able to do a little better job of using my fastball to get ahead, use off-speed pitches to get ahead and really execute pitches with two strikes."

2019 Season: Gibson went 13-7 with a 4.84 ERA and a 1.44 WHIP in 29 starts and five relief appearances for the Twins. Gibson benefited from strong run support from the Twins. His 7.14 runs of support per nine innings was the fifth highest among AL pitchers with at least 160 innings.

Gibson owes much of his success to being a ground-ball pitcher, adept at getting opponents to hit into double plays.

Sept. 17, 2020:  Gibson delivered his first Major League shutout against the Astros.

2021 Improvements: Gibson added a cutter to his repertoire, looking to make his arsenal deeper and more effective.

May 30, 2009: Gibson complained of having forearm tightness after pitching eight shutout innings for Missouri. Further examination showed a stress fracture in Kyle's right forearm. It kept Kyle out of action for about six weeks.

August 26, 2010: Gibson was on the D.L. with a sprained ankle for the last week or so of the season.

In September, Gibson had Tommy John surgery, performed by Dr. David Altchek in New York.

April-August 2012: Kyle missed most of the season while rehabbing from the Tommy John surgery. He was activated in for the last three weeks of the season.

September 4, 2013: Gibson was on the D.L. with a strained right groin.

April 23-June 10, 2016: Gibson was on the DL with right shoulder strain.

2019: Gibson had to deal with E. coli and ulcerative colitis after getting hit hard by the condition during an annual missions trip to the Dominican Republic.

Considering what he went though, it seems remarkable Gibson was able to throw 160 innings over his 29 starts and win 13 games while helping the Twins capture the AL Central title.

May 22-June 4, 2021: Kyle was on the IL with right groin strain.

May 25, 2021: Woodward said the groin issue flared up during a recent bullpen session, adding that Gibson could be back in time for a start against the Rays on June 4 at Globe Life Field.

“It'll be basically skipping a start and then moving him back a couple of days for his next one,” Woodward said.