2012 4th-Round Pick: 3B Patrick Kivlehan

Jay Yencich · June 5, 2012 at 11:12 am · Filed Under Mariners 

Kivlehan. Kivlehan’s story is just strange. While at Rutgers, he focused on football. That was his thing. Then this spring, he decided to try out for the baseball team. He made it. He also won the Big East’s Triple Crown by hitting .399/.484/.710. It was the first time any Big East player took the triple crown. He also won Big East Player of the Year. That College Splits link I had for Zunino? Revisit it and you’ll find that Kivlehan’s adjusted numbers were better than Zunino’s.

I don’t have video on Kivlehan. I don’t really know what most of his non-hitting tools are like, though his hitting tools are supposedly pretty good. I don’t know how his arm strength plays at third, or how his hands are. Supposedly he has enough footspeed to get a look in the outfield, since he stole twenty-four bases, which was third in the conference. I don’t really know. I’m glad to have him. He’s interesting!

Big East Player of the Year

Comments

18 Responses to “2012 4th-Round Pick: 3B Patrick Kivlehan”

  1. msfanmike on June 5th, 2012 11:20 am

    Jay, he is a former defensive back – so his foot speed is likely well above average if not really realy good/great.

    A former football guy with good contact skills at the plate and good foot speed. The hardest thing for this kid may be attempting to prevent him from running into walls to catch fly balls/pop ups.

    He had not played baseball in 4 years and ended up winning the Triple Crown within the Big East.

    Nice find. Good scouting.

  2. Jay Yencich on June 5th, 2012 11:22 am

    I know nothing about football! Either football!

  3. spankystout on June 5th, 2012 11:32 am

    On the link it says he stole 24 bases. So I think he can run a bit…. College triple crown winner with the new bats! I’m in. Good find McNamara.

  4. Jay Yencich on June 5th, 2012 11:40 am

    I said that thing about 24 bases stolen too! GOSH

  5. 300ZXNA on June 5th, 2012 11:43 am

    Interesting. Hopefully his late introduction to baseball means that a real gem has dropped to us. It would be awesome if he could be a late bloomer in the mold of Antonio Gates or Walter Jones (not baseball players, but both were late ‘converts’ to the sport they excelled in).

  6. greentunic on June 5th, 2012 11:58 am

    Defensive backs are often the quickest players on the field (except maybe runningbacks).

    Seems like an athlete to me. Im exctied.

  7. paracorto on June 5th, 2012 11:59 am

    In a couple of seasons this could reveal to be The Pick of Year 2012, much much better than Anthony “Broken” Rendon. This is fine scouting anyway.

  8. Brzeczyszczykiewicza on June 5th, 2012 12:11 pm

    So one of the best hitters in NCAA, plus great speed, in only 1 year of college baseball experience? Is it fair to say he has the highest potential of anyone in the draft?

  9. formerstarQB16 on June 5th, 2012 12:36 pm

    Doesn’t this feel to good to be true? There’s got to be a catch.

  10. Jay Yencich on June 5th, 2012 12:38 pm

    If he’s not Albert Pujols this time next year, I’m giving up on baseball.

  11. portablestanzas on June 5th, 2012 1:22 pm
  12. DarkKnight1680 on June 5th, 2012 1:25 pm

    Is it just me or does collegesplits.com seem to say he got plunked 14 times last year? Doesn’t that seem high?

  13. californiamariner on June 5th, 2012 1:45 pm

    This guy sounds very intriguing, but its almost too good to be true.

  14. portablestanzas on June 5th, 2012 1:46 pm
  15. paracorto on June 5th, 2012 2:26 pm

    I mean, four years completely dedicated to football, then he picks up a bat and starts hitting like Dustin Ackley used to. Even more, a corner INF with Mike Trout speed ? Yes, he looks even too good to be true. But just imagine if he is for real, that wouldn’t be just a pick, it’s a dream.

  16. DarkKnight1680 on June 5th, 2012 2:50 pm

    4.54 40 time when he was a HS senior. Most guys get faster so it’s very reasonable to assume he runs in the 4.5 area now. That’s fast.

  17. TheRedFlash on June 5th, 2012 9:07 pm

    Kivlehan was a star in both baseball and football in HS. Rather than pursue any of several BB opportunities, he accepted the only D1 football scholarship offered (Rutgers) and played DB/special teams for 4 years (plus a redshirt year). So after 4 1/2 yrs. at Rutgers, in his final semester, he fulfills a burning ambition and tries out for the BB team. On the last day of pre-season practice, RU’s team captain/3B-man suffered a season-ending knee injury. Kivlehan stepped in. He then proceeded to lead the BigEast in virtually every offensive category.

  18. wearingheelsandlovingsports on June 12th, 2012 1:09 pm

    From a Rutgers fan who is also really good friends with Pat from college! He honestly had no idea that this was going to happen when he picked up a bat. But I wish him the best and now I’m a Mariners fan! Here’s a video:
    http://www.mycentraljersey.com/videonetwork/1651378312001?odyssey=mod|tvideo|article

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