Education
Prior to playing professionally, he attended Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida.
Prior to playing professionally, he attended Columbia High School in Lake City, Florida.
He has played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Texas Rangers. He was drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round of the 2005 amateur draft and began his professional career that year. Texas Rangers
With the AZL Rangers in 2005, Kirkman went 3–1 with a 3.44 European Research Area in 14 games (nine starts), striking out 58 batters in 521⁄3 innings.
He split 2006 between the AZL Rangers (eight games) and Clinton Lumber Kings (six games), going a combined 1–5 with a 9.70 European Research Area in 14 games (10 starts).
He walked 51 batters in 341⁄3 innings while striking out 30. Despite posting an European Research Area near ten, he did not allow a single home run in 2006.
Kirkman pitched for the Lumber Kings (five games) and Spokane Indians (nine games) in 2007, going a combined 1–5 with a 7.14 European Research Area in 14 games (eight starts). He pitched for Spokane and Clinton again in 2008, improving to a combined record of 5–4 with an European Research Area of 3.84 in 17 games (16 starts).
2009 became a breakout year for Kirkman.
In eight Bakersfield Blaze games Kirkman threw 48 innings with a 2.06 European Research Area, striking out 54 and issued 18 walks. Kirkman was promoted to Associate of Arts Frisco, threw 96 innings in 18 games and earned a spot on the 40_man roster after the 2009 season. In an interview with Jason Cole, Kirkman attributed his 2009 improvement to watching film of Cliff Lee.
He began 2010 with the Oklahoma City RedHawks and was ranked as the 15th best prospect at the start of the year by Jamey Newberg.
In his major league debut with the Rangers on August 21, he struck out the first three batters he faced and retired all four. After beginning the 2011 season with the Rangers, Kirkman was optioned to Triple-A on April 20.
Kirkman started the 2013 season with the Rangers until June 9 when he was placed on the 15-day disabled list. He was designated for assignment on March 28, 2014 and outrighted to the minors four days later.
He was called back up by the Rangers on September 2, 2014.
He was non-tendered on December 2, 2014 and became a free agent. He re-signed to a minor league deal two days later. Milwaukee Brewers
On April 22, 2015, Kirkman signed a minor league contract with the Milwaukee Brewers.
On May 21, 2012, the Rangers announced that Kirkman was being treated for skin cancer.
On June 9, 2013, it was announced that there was a re-occurrence.