University of Minnesota Athletics
2022 Signee Sam Kennedy Wins Gatorade Player of the Year
6/14/2022 10:19:00 AM | Baseball
Kennedy is a right-handed pitcher from North St. Paul H.S.
MINNEAPOLIS -- Gophers 2022 signee Sam Kennedy (St. Paul, Minn./North St. Paul H.S.) has been named Minnesota's Gatorade Player of the Year.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior right-handed pitcher and shortstop led the Polars to a berth in the sectional tournament at the time of his selection. Kennedy posted a 3-1 record with a 0.64 ERA through 19 games, striking out 48 in 22 innings pitched while surrendering just eight hits and 10 walks. An All-Conference and All-Section honoree, he also batted .520 with five home runs and 14 RBI. He was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Second Team All-Central Region selection and played in both the Prep Baseball Report Futures Game and the Area Code Games.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Kennedy as Minnesota's best high school baseball player. He's now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award, which will be announced in June.
Kennedy will be the first Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year to suit up for the Gophers since Eddie Estrada (outfielder, Litchfield H.S.) in 2015.
The 6-foot-1, 220-pound senior right-handed pitcher and shortstop led the Polars to a berth in the sectional tournament at the time of his selection. Kennedy posted a 3-1 record with a 0.64 ERA through 19 games, striking out 48 in 22 innings pitched while surrendering just eight hits and 10 walks. An All-Conference and All-Section honoree, he also batted .520 with five home runs and 14 RBI. He was a Rawlings/Perfect Game Second Team All-Central Region selection and played in both the Prep Baseball Report Futures Game and the Area Code Games.
The award, which recognizes not only outstanding athletic excellence, but also high standards of academic achievement and exemplary character demonstrated on and off the field, distinguishes Kennedy as Minnesota's best high school baseball player. He's now a finalist for the prestigious Gatorade National Baseball Player of the Year award, which will be announced in June.
Kennedy will be the first Minnesota Gatorade Player of the Year to suit up for the Gophers since Eddie Estrada (outfielder, Litchfield H.S.) in 2015.
Prior to his senior year, Kennedy was named the 2021 team MVP for the Polars as he hit .451 as a junior with three home runs and a .549 slugging percentage. He posted a 3.00 ERA on the mound with 54 strikeouts in 32 innings pitched.
According to Perfect Game, Kennedy is the No. 2 pitcher and No. 7 overall player in the state of Minnesota in 2022. He is the No. 411 player nationally according to Prep Baseball Report, including the No. 2 right-handed pitcher and No. 4 overall player in the state.
Kennedy will be on campus at the 'U' in the fall, joining a nine-man 2022 freshman class.
First Practice of Fall
Thursday, September 18
Weber Neels Highlights
Wednesday, May 28
Gophers (11) - Michigan State (5) Highlights
Friday, May 16
Gophers (4) - Michigan State (3) Highlights
Thursday, May 15