IronBirds Player Profile: Sam Kimmel

Hello IronBirds Nation! Opening day is just Six days away, so as the excitement builds, we will be taking a look at Catcher Sam Kimmel in this edition of IronBirds player profiles!

Kimmel is a promising prospect on this years roster, and is looking to build on his
excellent 2012 season. The 23-year-old Catcher is a native of West Palm Beach,
Florida and started his college career at Indian River CC in Fort Pierce,
Florida. Kimmel made an immediate impact as a Freshman, earning 2nd team
All-Conference honors after he hit an outstanding .370 with 18 RBI. In 2011,
Kimmel made the transition from Shortstop to Catcher, a move that paid off
immediately. Kimmel went on to earn 1st team All-Conference honors after
hitting .361 with 17 Doubles and 23 RBI. After his Sophomore season, Kimmel
played for the Winter Park Diamond Dawgs of the Florida Collegiate Summer
League and won the league’s batting title, finishing with a sparkling .378 AVG.

After two strong seasons at Indian River CC and his stellar play in the FCSL, Kimmel was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 35th round of the 2011 MLB draft, but did not sign.

Instead,Kimmel went to Stetson University for his Junior season and played a huge part in the Hatters 35-23 record. Kimmel earned 2nd team All-ASC Honors in 2012, playing in all 58 games for the Hatters while batting .327 with 1 Home Run, 26 RBI, 9 Stolen Bases, and an impressive .414 OBP. Kimmel also had a great season behind the plate, gunning down 16 of 63 would-be base stealer's. After his excellent season at Stetson, the Baltimore Orioles drafted Kimmel in the 18th round of the 2012 MLB draft, and Kimmel received a $50,000 signing bonus.

Kimmel didn’t waste time making an impact with the IronBirds in 2012, as he earned a place on the American Side for the 2012 NYPL All-Star game. In 47 games, Kimmel hit .282, which was a team high among regular players, while hitting 3 Home Runs with 18 RBI and 9 Stolen Bases. He also finished second on the team among regular players in OBP (.346) and OPS (.745), while having a strong season defensively, throwing out 13 of 61 runners.

Outlook: Sam Kimmel is a prospect that both O’s and IronBirds fans should keep an eye on. One of Kimmel’s biggest attributes is his versatility, but I think he has
the talent to have a long-term future as a Catcher. Kimmel has a live arm
behind the plate, and his progress since making the switch from Shortstop to
Catcher has been very impressive. A Left-Handed Hitter, Kimmel has some power
while having a good, textbook swing and is a good contact hitter, as evidenced
by his high average at every level he has played. A huge plus for Kimmel is he
doesn’t strike out a lot, and it will sound Moneyball like, but he is also a
great OBP player as well. Kimmel could easily skyrocket up the minor league
ranks with a strong 2013 season.

It’s been fun, but that’s all for now IronBirds fans!! I hope you enjoyed this edition of IronBirds player profiles, and remember to stay posted at IBN and the Aberdeen Patch!

                                               - Logan Q.

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