Results tagged ‘ Josh Kennelly ’
Heat keep it in the family – Josh Kennelly
By Tom Fee / Perth Heat
(Image courtesy of SMP Images)
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Fans may be forgiven for thinking they’ve tuned into an Abbot and Costello routine when watching games on Heat TV this season.
“Kennelly from the stretch…and the runner goes! It’s a great throw by Kennelly, Kennelly gets the tag and he’s out at 2nd!”
And that’s only if three of the Kennelly brothers are playing.
One of the Heat’s newest recruits for 2012 / 2013 season is well known to Heat fans, at least by name. Catcher Josh Kennelly is slated to be a part of the Heat’s bid for three straight ABL Championships, joining his brothers Matt and reigning MVP Tim in the Heat line-up.
It’s only September, but 2012 has been a massive year for the Kennelly clan. Matt and Tim Kennelly played a crucial role in the Heat’s championship defence with Tim picking up the prestigious Helms Award for Most Valuable Player in the ABL. After an impressive showing in spring training, both players were part of their teams’ 40-man roster during Spring Training, Matt suiting up for the Braves, and Tim for the Phillies before both starting in their respective AA sides.
Not to be outdone, the younger Kennelly brothers signed big contracts with Major League teams. With Josh (18) going to the Reds and Sam (16) becoming a Pirate, the Kennellys now have an unprecedented four brothers signed to Major League contracts.
So, when and where can we expect to see Perth’s favourite baseball family in the coming ABL season?
Josh Kennelly (C)
One of the Heat’s newest recruits, Josh is expected to share the duties behind the plate with Alan De San Miguel. Since many of the older players returning from a full season in America, Josh should be given a good run during the Heat’s Spring Training games against a Baseball WA State League All-Star side and Team USA. His performances there should decide if he will be on the roster for opening day and the upcoming Asia Series in Korea.
Recently Josh got a taste of Baseball in Korea, representing Australia in the U18 world Championship, alongside his brother Sam and Heat and AZL Reds teammate Elliot Hargreaves. Hitting .292, Kennelly was among Australia’s best for the tournament. Earlier in the season, Josh hit .243 in his 14 appearances for the AZL Reds in Rookie Ball.
Josh Kennelly (L) with Heat teammate Elliott Hargreaves (R) and Reds teammate Ty Washington (C)
Rookies doing well – Gibbons, Kennelly, Lee, Wade
Wilson Lee – 3-0 record
Some of the younger players are performing well down in the Rookie Leagues.
Josh Kennelly is on a 5 game hitting streak with the AZL Reds. He is hitting .281 over his last 10 games and .375 over his streak.
Logan Wade had a quiet start to his pro career but he’s picked up the pace more recently hitting safely in his last 4 games and getting 4RBI in those games. He has a total of 8 RBI for the season and is hitting .233 for the GCL Twins.
Wilson Lee with the GCL Pirates is arguably the best performing rookie pitcher owning a 2.11ERA after 21.1 innings so far. Significantly Wilson has not allowed a run in 8 of his last 10 outings. His record is W3-0 and yesterday recorded his 2nd Hold.
Sam Gibbons with the GCL Twins is just as impressive with a W3-1 record and a very pleasing 1.88ERA after 24 innings.
The Kennellys
Tim Kennelly (23 above) has been sent to the Clearwater Threshers in the Advanced A Florida State League where he will join fellow Aussie Drew Naylor, in the bullpen perhaps. We know that the Phillies have been working Tim in the bullpen of late so it’s quite on the cards that this move has been to give Tim some game time as a pitcher.
Matt Kennelly continues to hit well, going 2-5 today for the Mississippi Braves who won with a walk off walk in the 13th. Matt is currently hitting .263.
Josh Kennelly
Meanwhile younger brother Josh is hitting .250 after 28ABs for the AZL Reds with 1HR and 4RBI.
Rookie Leagues – Josh Kennelly, Cameron Lamb, Aaron Sookee
Josh Kennelly
Josh Kennelly had a productive weekend. On Saturday he went 2-4, scoring 2 runs and then yesterday he was 1-3 with a double, scoring a run and an RBI. For August he is hitting .400.
Cameron Lamb continues with his rehab assignment throwing 2.1 innings for 3 runs on 5 hits and a walk, striking out 1. After 6 games he is 3.86ERA, W1-0.
Aaron Sookee, who had a 5.02ERA after 14.1 innings in Advanced Rookie has been sent down to the AZL Angels rookie team where he threw 2.1 scoreless innings today.
Rookie Leagues – James Brooks, Sam Gibbons, Josh Kennelly, Jackson Lodge
Jackson Lodge
Washington’s James Brooks had his best pro outing yesterday in his 9th game in the GCL. He went 3-5, scoring 1 run and an RBI. He has hit safely in 7 of 9 games. We think that’s a good start to his career.
Perhaps inspired by the signing of his younger brother, Josh Kennelly broke his hitting drought in style, going 2-3 including his 1st home run, scoring 2 runs and an RBI. Nothing like a little sibling rivalry to bring out the best.
Sam Gibbons gave up his 1st runs yesterday. Starting against the Orioles he threw 3 innings, giving up 3 runs (2ER) on 7 hits including a home run whilst collecting 3Ks. His ERA is 1.38.
Jackson Lodge produced a workmanlike outing against the Blue Jays. In 4 innings he allowed 1 home run on 3 hits and 2Ks leaving him with a 2.81ERA.
The Kennelly family is at it again.
By Zach Parolin / Perth Heat
L to R: Sam, Matt, Sandra, Tim and Josh
Just days after Tim Kennelly made headlines for his impromptu pitching success, youngest brother Sam decided to upstage him a bit, signing a six-figure deal to play with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Sam’s signing makes him the fourth Kennelly brother to secure a deal with a Major League Baseball team, but he won’t officially join the club until after he finishes Year 12 at South Fremantle Senior High next year.
“The Baseball WA family could not be more proud of Sam,” said Lachlan Dale, GM of Baseball WA. “This is a direct reflection to our development and high performance programs, coupled with Sam Kennelly’s outstanding dedication and work ethic. We are sure he will carve his own pathway and succeed in the big leagues.”
Josh Kennelly, 18, signed a deal with the Cincinnati Reds only two months ago, while Matt, 23, has been active within the Atlanta Braves system for several years. Meanwhile, Tim, 26, has found numerous ways to contribute to the success of the Reading (Philadelphia) Phillies.
Tim and Matt, of course, also played pivotal roles in the Perth Heat’s latest championship run.
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Pirates sign youngest Kennelly
The 4th and youngest of the Kennelly clan has signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates according to fellow West Australian Luke Hughes in a tweet today.
Sam Kennelly who is currently at the MLBAAP on the Gold Coast was scouted by a number of MLB teams, presumably agreeing to terms with the Pirates through their Australian scout Tony Harris who is one of the coaches at the Academy. We highlighted his academy stats yesterday.
His older brothers are scattered around the minor leagues. Eldest brother Tim is with the Phillies at AA, Matt is also at AA but with the Braves and recent signing Josh is at Rookie League with the Reds.
The younger Kennelly takes the field – at last.
Catcher Josh Kennelly
His first professional game was irritatingly delayed because of a niggling injury to his shoulder when he extended it during Spring Training but today Josh Kennelly took the field for his inaugural professional game.
Nothing spectacular, going 0-2 with a walk and a HBP, but he was happy to get his career underway with the AZL Reds. He caught the whole game – with the Reds winning 5-2 over the Mariners.
On the same day his eldest brother, Tim, went 1-3 for the AA Reading Phillies where he is hitting .262. Other brother Matt did not play today.
Reds scouts’ report on Josh Kennelly
Reds' scout Jason Hewitt signing Josh Kennelly this week
The Cincinnati Reds Australian scout is former Perth Heat infielder Jason Hewitt. This is his report on Josh Kennelly following his signing this week.
Kennelly 18 who was recently named Co- MVP of the WA U18 state team after competing in the National U18′s tournament in Geelong in Jan 2012 impressed the REDS Global Scouting Director Jim Stoeckel, Senior Director of Professional & Global Scouting Terry Reynolds and REDS Australian scouting director Luke Prokopec after being recommended by REDS Australian consultant Jason Hewitt.
Perth based REDS consultant Hewitt has watched Kennelly closely over the last couple of years as he has developed a strong work ethic and skill set under the watch full eye of Ex WA High Performance Coach Don Kyle and no doubt from big brothers and fellow professionals Tim (Phillies) and Matt (Braves).
“Watching Joshua over the last 2 years he has worked extremely hard both on and off the field to develop his body and baseball skills for the demands of playing his favourite position as Catcher, with a view to one day getting the opportunity to follow in his brothers footsteps and play professional baseball in the United states.”
“He shows all the necessary leadership and mental qualities to handle the demands of catching along with the responsibilities and communication skills in handling a pitching staff and was a key player on the Australian Junior team in Guam that qualified for this years Junior World champs in Seoul, Korea”
“It is a credit to the Family and in particular his parents Mike and Sandra Kennelly that they have raised and help to guide there 3rd son on a path that one day hopefully leads them to the US Major Leagues. There strong family values, desire to compete at the highest level and a strong work ethic to help them become better athletes are all important traits that Hewitt identified as the keys to all 3 boys having successful careers in the USA.”
Kennelly will head to the REDS spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona in April 2012 for his 1st season of professional baseball and will join fellow Perth based REDS prospect OF Elliott Hargreaves on the REDS Rookie ball team.
The REDS would like to welcome Joshua to the Organiastion and congratulate him on his signing and look forward to seeing him play for the Big RED machine in the Cincinnati one day.
More on the Josh Kennelly signing
Red's Australian scout Jason Hewitt with Josh and his contract
Further to our announcement of Josh Kennelly’s signing with the Reds this morning comes this press release from the ABL giving more information about Josh.
Please note that our comment that he would be going to the MLBAAP on the Gold Coast was incorrect – the Reds have advised that he will be heading over to Spring Training this year.
Major League Baseball’s oldest franchise, the Cincinnati Reds, announced yesterday that they have signed 18-year-old Melville Braves and Australian U19 representative Joshua Kennelly to a minor league contract. Josh joins his brothers Tim (Philadelphia Phillies) and *Matt (Atlanta Braves), becoming the third member of his family to join an MLB organisation.
Like his brother Matt, Josh is a catcher by trade. He was recently named co-MVP of the WA U18 state team after competing in the National U18′s tournament in Geelong in January. His performance impressed Reds’ Global Scouting Director Jim Stoeckel, Sr. Director of Professional & Global Scouting Terry Reynolds and Reds Australian scouting director Luke Prokopec (Australia’s 11th Major Leaguer).
Reds Australian consultant Jason Hewitt recommended Kennelly, saying, “Watching Joshua over the last two years, he has worked extremely hard both on and off the field to develop his body and baseball skills … with a view to one day getting the opportunity to follow in his brothers’ footsteps and play professional baseball in the United states.”
“He shows all the necessary leadership and mental qualities to handle the demands of catching along with the responsibilities and communication skills in handling a pitching staff and was a key player on the Australian Junior team in Guam that qualified for this year’s Junior World Championships in Seoul, [South] Korea.”
The young catcher certainly has the pedigree to make a name for himself in the game of baseball. Oldest brother Tim was the 2012 ABL Helms Award winner while playing for the ‘Alcohol Think Again’ Perth Heat. He ranked among the league leaders in batting average, home runs, and RBI, while playing excellent defense at third base and in the outfield. He was originally signed by the Phillies in 2003 and has been with the organisation ever since, reaching Double-A Reading last season.
Matt is currently at Major League Spring Training camp with the Braves after reaching Triple-A last season for the first time. He batted .297 with six home runs for the Heat this year, helping the team to their second consecutive Claxton Shield. With a strong spring showing, he has a chance to make his MLB debut during the 2012 season.
Josh will head to the Reds spring training facility in Goodyear, Arizona in April 2012 for his first season of professional baseball and will join fellow Perth-based Reds prospect Elliott Hargreaves on the Reds’ Rookie-level team. Sydney born and Australian National Team member Clayton Tanner is also with the Reds.
*Ps Matt played for the Braves in todays’ game against the Nationals going 0-2.
