Coming into the 2018 season, NC State outfielder Brett Kinneman wanted to improve his base running. He had a pretty good baseline — in 102 games during his freshman and sophomore years, he had not been caught stealing once.
He’d also made only six attempts.
The risk worked. Kinneman, the Pirates’ seventh-round pick in last week’s MLB draft, stole 10 bases in 13 tries this season. He also hit 17 home runs with a .392 on-base percentage and improved a strikeout-to-walk ratio that suffered as his home-run total increased the previous year.
“I think overall offensively is probably one of my strong suits,” Kinneman said by phone last week. “… I think being able to drive balls for doubles and home runs is definitely one of the things that I’d say is my strong suit. Coming into the year I wanted to become a better baserunner, which I think I did a good job of stealing bases, being more heads-up on the basepaths.”
Kinneman signed with the Pirates on Monday, as did four other players selected in the top 10 rounds. According to MLB.com's Jim Callis, Kinneman received the full slot value for his selection: $215,500.
Kinneman, a 6-foot-1, 195-pound left-handed hitter from York, Pa., appeared in 42 games, starting 34, in his freshman season. He hit .296/.405/.526 with six home runs and 24 walks compared to 38 strikeouts. The next year, he hit 10 home runs in 60 games, but struck out 64 times while walking only 29. His OBP dropped to .372.
In 2018 he increased his home run total to 17 and his walk total to 46.
“The more you play, the more at-bats you get, the more different kinds of pitches you face, the more you start to learn about different kinds of pitches you’re going to get,” Kinneman said. “The whole development of the swing, too, just little things here and there every year.”
Kinneman has played center field, but feels most comfortable in the corner outfield spots. He’ll begin his pro career with the short-season Single-A West Virginia Black Bears. Three years in the ACC should help him when he arrives.
“Obviously there’s definitely going to be an adjustment period just learning the ropes in pro ball,” he said. “I think it definitely will give you some confidence after facing competition like that daily here.”
Bill Brink: bbrink@post-gazette.com and Twitter @BrinkPG
First Published: June 12, 2018, 4:04 p.m.
