Kevin Kiermaier is an American born professional baseball player who plays for the Tampa Bay Rays. Playing as a central defensive player, Kiermaier stands out for his overall off-field defense coupled with his talent for stealing home runs. He received the 2015 American League Platinum Glove Award as well as two consecutive Center Fieldleurs Rawlings Gold Glove awards (2015 and 2016).
Kevin Kiermaier won several amateur team championships in high school and also in college. As a high school student, Kiermaier won the Indiana Championship in his senior year. He also won the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) national championship as a college freshman and was named to the All-American team during his two years at Parkland College, Illinois.
Kevin Kiermaier Biography, Age
Kevin James Kiermaier was born on April 22, 1990, to Chris and Jim Kiermaier. He had attended high school at Bishop Luers High School located in Fort Wayne, Indiana. In his senior year, Kiermaier won the state championship with his school’s baseball team. As an athlete, Kiermaier was equally good at American football and so when he graduated he was courted by college football teams as well as baseball teams. He eventually enrolled in Parkland College’s collegiate baseball program and within his first two years was named to the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) All-American team.
In his sophomore year, Kevin Kiermaier entered the 2010 MLB Draft where he was selected by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 31st round as the 941st overall draft. In his early years, Kiermaier played with the Tampa Bay Rays minor league affiliate teams. In 2013, he was named the best defensive player in the entire Rays system. In September 2013, Kiermaier was also named to the Tampa Bay Rays roster for the first time and he made his MLB debut in the final game of the 2012/2013 season.
Career
The 2013/2014 season was Kevin Kiermia’s first full league season with the Rays. He hit his first MLB home run on May 18, 2014 against Mike Morin of the Los Angeles Angels. He made 104 appearances throughout the season with .263 with 10 homers. Known for his powerful throwing arm, Kiermaier led the MLB championships in 2015 when he hit 100 mph (160 km/h) 9 times. He also led all fielders in MLB with 42 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) coupled with 5.0 Defensive Kills Superior to Replacement (WAR). Kiermaier won the 2015 Fielding Bible Award for MLB Center Fielders, the Gold Glove Award for American League Center Fielders as well as the 2015 Platinum Glove Award as the AL’s Best Defensive Player.
In the 2016 season, Kevin Kiermaier showed great improvement in his hitting power as he hit .246 with 12 homers. He maintained his lead over all other center fielders with 25 Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) which earned him his second consecutive Gold Glove Award. In 2017, Kiermaier’s playing time was drastically reduced due to injuries, but his hitting results continued to improve as he hit .276 with 15 home runs. With 22 defensive points recorded, he lost his dominance on center field against the Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins who were leading with 24 DRS.
Kevin Kiermaier had a relatively soft start to 2018 until he suffered an injury on April 15 which sidelined him for 3 months.
Is he married? Wife, Girlfriend
Baseball star, Kevin Kiermaier is married to his former girlfriend, Marisa Moralobo. On February 11, 2017, Kiermaier proposed to Marisa who was his girlfriend at the time. Five months later, the couple tied the knot on Nov. 10, 2017, in a ceremony held in St. Petersburg, Florida. Also an athlete, Marisa Moralobo played college volleyball at Warner University in Florida. In April 2018, Kevin Kiermaier announced he was expecting his first child with his wife, Marisa.
Salary
In 2014, Kiermaier’s first full season with Rays, he earned an annual salary of $355,191. The talented outfielder saw his base salary increase to $513,800 and $514,400 in 2015 and 2016 respectively. In 2017, Kevin Kiermaier signed a $53.5 million contract extension with the Tampa Bay Rays that could see him stay with the franchise until 2023.
For 2017, Kiermaier earned $4,000,000; $3,000,000 base salary plus $1,000,000 signing bonus. His salary for 2018 is set at $5,500,000 and that sum is expected to increase significantly every two years during Kiermaier’s last contract term.
Height and other body measurements
Kevin Kiermaier stands at an impressive height of 6ft 1in (185cm). It weighs 97 kg (214 lb). Thanks to his powerful throwing arm, Kiermiaer has continued to improve his punching power over the years. This impressive offensive ability coupled with his dominance as one of MLB’s best defensive players makes Kevin Kiermaier an all-around star player.
