The 19-year-old lefthander was bored at the house one day in spring training and ordered a few fidget spinners off Amazon. He brought them into the clubhouse, and after seeing the reaction from his teammates, he purchased a Pirates-branded fidget spinner for every Low-A Bradenton pitcher.
“I just thought it was a cool way to be like, ‘Life’s not that serious,’ ” Kennedy said. “This is a game, you know? Blessed by God to have the talent to play it. But at the end of the day, we’re just human beings trying. It’s our first time going through life.”
Kennedy is going through full-season ball for the first time. The 2022 fourth-rounder carried a 3.72 ERA through six starts, with 34 strikeouts and just three walks in 29 innings. In his last four starts, he did not issue a walk.
Kennedy tore the ACL in his knee at the age of 13, which solidified his path toward baseball. He couldn’t play football or basketball and spent his recovery time playing long toss, which helped him add velocity.
By the time the draft came around, Kennedy’s knee was an issue again. The Troy (N.Y.) High product tore his meniscus at the draft combine, leading to uncertainty whether he would get drafted or go to LSU.
The Pirates went well over slot to sign Kennedy for $1 million, despite knowing he would need surgery on his knee.
Kennedy was sidelined for the remainder of 2022, then built himself back up in extended spring training in 2023. After throwing 42.1 innings in the Florida Complex League, he got a brief taste of the Florida State League last season.
Never having a pitching coach, Kennedy considers himself a sponge of information. He seeks advice from anyone who can help him grow, and his game has done a lot of growing in the last year.
Kennedy has a three-pitch mix, led by a fastball that has gained velocity and has touched 92 mph while averaging 90. He came into pro ball throwing a traditional slider and having a feel for a changeup, two pitches he has worked to improve in the last year.
Kennedy didn’t understand seam effects as an amateur. He knew he could spin a baseball and throw a slider in and out of the zone. He talked with FCL teammate Jun-Seok Shim, who showed him how to use the seams to throw his new sweeper.
It’s the same pitch thrown by Thomas Harrington, who was Kennedy’s roommate when he made the adjustment. Kennedy tried the pitch in a bullpen, then used it for the first time in the FCL playoffs last…