The Pittsburgh Pirates have signed Australian shortstop Sam Kennelly, according to the Australian Baseball Federation. Kennelly is a 16-year-old who participated in Major League Baseball’s Australian Academy this year. He’s a right-handed thrower and hitter at 6′ 2″, 187 pounds.
Kennelly hit for a .250/.308/.271 line in 48 at-bats this year in the MLBAAP. He’s got three brothers in pro ball. His oldest brother Matt plays for Atlanta at the Double-A level. His brother Tim plays in Double-A for the Phillies. His brother Josh plays for the Reds in rookie ball.
Sam participated in a San Diego Padres showcase earlier in the year in the Dominican Republic. He’s the third player to sign out of Australia this year, and the first the Pirates have signed this year. The Pirates have been active in Australia in the past, having a strong presence in the area. Their Australian scout, Tony Harris, is a coach at the academy, and coaches one of the winter league teams.
Kennelly will participate in extended Spring Training with the Pirates this off-season.
Tim started Pirates Prospects in 2009 from his home in Virginia, which was 40 minutes from where Pedro Alvarez made his pro debut in Lynchburg. That year, the Lynchburg Hillcats won the Carolina League championship, and Pirates Prospects was born from Tim's reporting along the way. The site has grown over the years to include many more writers, and Tim has gone on to become a credentialed MLB reporter, producing Pirates Prospects each year, and will publish his 11th Prospect Guide this offseason. He has also served as the Pittsburgh Pirates correspondent for Baseball America since 2019. Behind the scenes, Tim is an avid music lover, and most of the money he gets paid to run this site goes to vinyl records.
A .250 hitter? He’ll fit right in at SS….lol
I wish we had a .250 hitter at SS.
good point! lol