Looking back on baseball standout Kulbacki

By Kathy Leutner, contributing writer
Posted on December 6, 2007

Former JMU outfielder Kellen Kulbacki is only 21, but he’s made it into the minor leagues.

Within just a few months of leaving Harrisonburg for the summer, he was drafted by the San Diego Padres. Kulbacki went No. 40 overall in the Major League Baseball draft, becoming the third-highest draft pick in JMU history.

That places the Hershey, Pa. native among a handful of JMU athletes who have made it into professional sports.

In an interview conducted by e-mail, Kulbacki recounted the experiences that led to his success.

“I began playing baseball as soon as I could pick up a bat and glove,” Kulbacki said. “My father and grandfather played baseball, so it has been in our family for generations.”

He also played soccer, basketball and golf but found baseball to be the sport he loved the most.

During his youth, Kulbacki attended summer baseball camps and spent his spare time outside throwing baseballs with his father or hitting in the batting cages with his grandfather and brother.

He considered Georgia Tech, Maryland and East Carolina, but chose JMU. “The baseball program has been very successful in the past,” said Kulbacki. “I knew I had a chance to be an impact player.”

“He was a pretty good player,” JMU baseball coach Joe “Spanky” McFarland said of Kulbacki as a freshman. “He developed well over time, plus his mental game improved, helping him to say focused. It all came together for him and formed a perfect storm.”

While at JMU, Kulbacki set the freshman record for number of hits at bat and doubles in a single season. As a sophomore, he was Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) State Player of the Year and Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) player of the year. Before entering the draft following his junior season he was named First Team All-American by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA).

During the off-seasons, Kulbacki played in competitive summer leagues such as the Clark Griffith League in Northern Virginia and the Cape Cod League in Massachusetts.

There are three major league players — Boston Red Sox sluggers Manny Ramirez, David Ortiz, and Cincinnati’s Ken Griffey Jr. — who are known for having a “sweet batting swing,” and according to a Cape Cod Baseball Organization press release, Kulbacki’s batting style is like theirs.

Kulbacki doesn’t mind the pressure, using it as motivation to improve.

“Pressure is essential for me, because it requires discipline and motivation to work harder,” Kulbacki said.

During the MLB draft last June, Kulbacki was at home with friends and family when he got “The Call” from the Padres’ scout who had recruited him.

“It was certainly one of the best moments of my life because I was given a chance to continue playing the game I love most,” Kulbacki said.

After the contract was finalized he headed out to Eugene, Ore. for the beginning of the Class A Short Season with the Eugene Emeralds, a farm team of San Diego. The season was much more demanding than his years playing college ball. His team played 66 games in 80 days.

“It was a big adjustment playing everyday, along with much tougher competition and the level of play,” Kulbacki said. “Everyone is a gifted athlete, instead of only a handful.”

After the season ended Sept. 5, Kulbacki returned to Harrisonburg to work out and condition before spring training in March.

“After a long season, I want to make sure I take some time to relax and enjoy having days off,” said Kulbacki, who has not reenrolled at JMU.

“It will be weird not finishing up school with my fellow teammates,” Kulbacki said. “But I have moved on to the next step of my career, and that is what I need to focus on."