April 23 — Kevin Kilpatrick Jr.

Columbus Clingstones broadcaster Jack Johnson visited with outfielder Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. at Regions Field in Birmingham, Alabama. 

Kilpatrick discussed his first home run of the season, the Clingstones’ explosive offense to open the year, adjustments he made during the offseason, playing alongside current teammate Drew Compton in summer collegiate baseball, and serving as his own grounds crew during junior college in Florida.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Welcome back to the Columbus Klingstones pregame show from Regents Field in Birmingham, joined by Klingstones outfielder Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. Last year, Kev, we were waiting on that first double-A home run. Got it in Rocket City in August late in the season. Then you destroy one this year, Education Day, in the morning hours against Biloxi. Is it nice to just kind of get that one out of the way, get rolling in 26?

SPEAKER_00 0:22

Most definitely. Just putting good swings on the ball and hitting them hard. If they go over the fence, it's a plus. Like I'm happy. But honestly, just getting a barrel is all I can do, and it's better for the team if I do good.

SPEAKER_01 0:34

Speaking of barrels, man, this team has hit 27 home runs for their first 17 games this year. What is the change that occurred with this team? Because it's a lot of the same guys from last year, but everybody's swinging a hot stick to start the season. What do you feel like is going on in the cages, working with Grant K? What can you attribute it to?

SPEAKER_00 0:53

Um, just confidence and nonstop hard work. Like we're always working hard. We're always taking this game with every we play it with a lot of heart, you know. So when it comes to having confidence, I think that's the only thing that you need to really take you over or keep that hot streak going. It's confidence. Know that you can do it and know that you have the ability to, and know that your boys are room for you every time.

SPEAKER_01 1:12

I know any time that you want to make big changes or big tweaks to your game that occurs during the offseason. So, what was kind of the theme of the adjustments you wanted to make this past offseason?

SPEAKER_00 1:22

Um, this offseason, I dove into hitting, just being more attentive at the plate, just actually making whatever I can happen. Pitches that are in the zone, control them better, hit them harder, don't swing at the bad ones, hit the good ones. That's all it was. And it was just kind of simple everything down, but also just make better contact.

SPEAKER_01 1:40

Who do you go to work with in the offseason that really helps you?

SPEAKER_00 1:43

Uh Coach Mike, my coach back at home at Champion Champion Fit, he changes the name around a lot, but it's up in Powder Springs. Yeah. But it's my that's my guy, Coach Mike, he helps out a lot. How long have you been working with him? Uh since about COVID year. My freshman year coming out of my freshman year of college, yeah, since about COVID year.

SPEAKER_01 2:04

So we were talking about this before this conversation started, but when you were in the Sunbelt League, you were teammates with your current teammate here, Drew Compton, also Chandler Simpson, who's in the Rays organization. What were those days like? And then you're telling me what was it like to see Compton get signed by the Braves and see him again in the clubhouse all these years later.

SPEAKER_00 2:24

So the early days were it was cool because me and Chan had no idea who we were, you know, going to be experiencing the Sunbelt League. It was our first time in college ball. It was good to see that we had a lot of guys that was kind of our age too that was doing the same thing. But I when we met Drew Compton, cool. Another guy that was going to Georgia Tech or was signed to Georgia Tech, but he was going there and he ended up playing all his four years there, and that was great. So Drew came off as a chill guy from Jersey that was really cool. It's kind of like a it's kind of full circle when I could when I came back and seen Drew four years later, signed to the Braves, and I'm able to share the field with him. It's just nothing but good moments and good memories.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

So you were telling me this last year. When you were in college, didn't have much of a grounds crew, or didn't have a grounds crew at all. So you guys would go to work. If it was raining, you'd go out there, you'd work on the field. After the game, you'd work on the field. What were those moments like when, you know, you got big league dreams, but I mean you are literally doing the grunt work and the grounds work on the field?

SPEAKER_00 3:24

Oh yeah. Um back in JUCO, we would have to tarp, we have to tarp our fields, but we didn't have like a full infield tarp. So we only had a home plate tarp and the pitcher mountain tarp. We would have to tamp our fields. We have to tarp, tamp them ourselves, fill in the lines, like uh drag the dirt, all of that. We have to do it ourselves. And then when I went to summer ball, I had to do tarp pulls because that's when we finally got a tarp for the infield mat. So no socks, no shoes, you know, everything, no cleats, pants raised up to your knees. You run it out there and getting it done. Everybody pulling together, teamwork.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

It gives you a greater appreciation for what Brendan Seaver and Danny Enright do in Columbus, though. It has to, right?

SPEAKER_00 4:01

Oh, yeah, most definitely. Like those guys are the GOAT. They keep that plan surface beautiful. Not a bad hop, not a bad slice, no nothing. That place is beautiful. I those guys are great.

SPEAKER_01 4:13

Here's a question for you. I I was talking to uh Gabby about this last year. What is the best birthday or Christmas gift you think you've ever got in your life?

SPEAKER_00 4:23

Best birthday gift. My mom bought me a Mookie Betts A2K or A2000 back in like 2017, 2016. I think that was probably like one of my best birthday gifts I ever got. Because it was just a glove that I always wanted. And I would camp out, and you know, I would use gloves for like four or five years until we can get be able to get a good glove or a new one. But that was like some of the best birthday gifts I got. It was purely baseball equipment, whatever I can get my hands on. It was fire.

SPEAKER_01 4:51

You wear a mink reave arm sleeve a lot of the time, mint green batting gloves. Is it just a color you like? Is there another reason that that's kind of the accessory you've chosen?

SPEAKER_00 5:02

Um, well, I get some good colors, but majority of the time I get my colors and it'll be for spring training. And then we'll come to wherever our affiliates are, and you know, sometimes we have different colors. Michael Harris, a good buddy of mine, he'll give me some batting gloves, the mint green batting gloves and the sleeves and everything that we get from Franklin. I put it on because I just feel like that's a good color. He rocked it good. I think I rock it a little better, but it's smooth. I like it.

SPEAKER_01 5:25

Who do you think has the most drip in the Braves organization? You can tell yourself, by the way, but I mean there's some good candidates. You got Ronald, you got Mike, who you're very close with. Who's the guy you look at and say, man, that guy is dripped out today?

SPEAKER_00 5:38

Sorry, Mike. Probably Acuna. Akuna is unreal with the drip. It's crazy. But Mike, Mike's up there for a close running behind first. He's right there.

SPEAKER_01 5:47

So this year, this year, uh yeah, other than you, this year playing with Nestor Perez, it's a high-energy guy. I've really enjoyed getting to know him, someone that you're familiar with, seeing him at the AA level. What's it been like playing for him here in 26 in Columbus?

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Nestor's a non-stop hard worker, man. He just wants to see everybody do great and everybody keep pushing forward and getting better and better every day. Nestors likes to see those results, and he likes to see the momentum of the team, and everybody's happy, and everybody's putting together good A B's. Pitchers are putting together good at bats where they're pitching on the mount, everybody's playing for each other, and we're playing for Columbus. We're on the win.

SPEAKER_01 6:24

Done some winning so far. A lot of comeback victories. It's been fun to watch, man. You got the first homer out of the way early this season, so a lot more to come. Keep it up, Kebo. Let's get it. Let's get it. I appreciate you, Jack.