Kirk Zobac grew up in Cedar Rapids, attended Cedar Rapids Cardinals games as a youth. He eventually settled in San Jose, Calif., and had a son, Steven, who ended up signing professionally with the Kansas City Royals organization. Steven Zobac pitched Thursday night at Veteans Memorial Stadium in Cedar Rapids against the Cedar Rapids Kernels. You bet dad was there to watch this.
Starting pitcher Andrew Morris gave up just one hit over seven innings, taking only 73 pitches to do so in the Cedar Rapids Kernels’ 3-0 win over Quad Cities on Wednesday afternoon.
Cedar Rapids Kernels catcher Nate Baez broke the hamate bone in his left hand in college and broke the hamate bone in his right hand last spring training. He’s back healthy and had a big game Sunday afternoon in his team’s 6-0 win over Peoria.
His full name is Daniel Zebulon Matthews, but the Cedar Rapids Kernels starting pitcher goes by the first name Zebby. He’s been awesome the first month of the Midwest League baseball season and appears to have a promising future.
Right-handed relief pitcher Ricardo Velez took a circuitous route to affiliated professional baseball. He doesn’t have the biggest fastball, but throws five different pitches to keep hitters’ timing off. He has five saves in five opportunities this season for the Cedar Rapids Kernels.
Cedar Rapids Kernels outfielder Willie Joe Garry Jr. saved his father’s life by performing CPR on him in 2016. Garry Jr. was 15 years old at the time and had just become CPR certified a month before Willie Joe Garry Sr.’s cardiac episode.
A new Cedar Rapids plan looks to create a “Wrigleyville” vibe around Rockford Road SW, where the city’s three sports facilities are located. It calls for increased connectivity, stronger branding that plays on the area’s sports identity and redevelopment to attract new dining, entertainment and other uses.
Though he’s got one now, Cedar Rapids Kernels infielder Jay Harry decided not to hire an agent as he went through the Major League Baseball Draft process last year. The Minnesota Twins selected the former Penn State player in the sixth round, and he made an impression with five hits in big league spring training games.
Cedar Rapids Kernels starting pitcher John Klein picked up the win Wednesday night against Beloit. Always a catcher, he didn’t really being throwing regularly until going to Iowa Central Community College in Fort Dodge, where his pitching coach was Jonas Lovin, who’s one of his pitching coaches now in professional baseball.
The Cedar Rapids Kernels gave out 1,000 replica rings celebrating their 2023 Midwest League championship Tuesday night at Veterans Memorial Stadium.
The Minnesota Twins generally have had a grip-it and rip-it offensive philosophy, one that has trickled down to their minor league affiliates. But Cedar Rapids Kernels Manager Brian Dinkelman said an emphasis this season for his players has been to have better two-strike approaches in order to avoid a cavalcade of strikeouts. The Kernels’ K numbers are indeed down in the very early going of the Midwest League season.
If there was a project that needed a little help, a program that needed a boost or a person in need, Bill Quinby was the person to contact. Quinby died in his sleep Saturday morning at the age of 92.
A second-round draft pick of the Minnesota Twins last year, Luke Keaschall has been limited to designated-hitter duty early this Midwest League season because of an arm problem. But he played second base Sunday as the Cedar Rapids Kernels beat Dayton, 4-2, and did just fine. His offensive output continued to be just fine as well.
Cedar Rapids Kernels pitcher Andrew Morris threw six terrific innings Thursday night in his team’s 8-4 win over Dayton. Despite being just 22, this is his third professional baseball season after pitching four years of college ball. He graduated from high school in Colorado at age 16.
Grounds keepers were hard at work Tuesday, preparing for the Kernels’ home opener
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