Tim Kennelly (baseball)

Timothy James Kennelly (born 5 December 1986) is an Australian professional baseball player for the Perth Heat of the Australian Baseball League. Primarily an outfielder and third baseman, Kennelly spent a significant portion of his career also at catcher.

Tim Kennelly
Perth Heat – No. 23
Third baseman / Outfielder / Catcher
Born: (1986-12-05) 5 December 1986
Perth, Australia
Bats: Right
Throws: Right

He is the current all-time hits (426), runs (275), runs batted in (226), plate appearances (1637) and at-bats (1432) leader of the Australian Baseball League as of 1 January 2023.

Career

Kennelly signed to the Philadelphia Phillies in 2005 as a third baseman through the Major League Baseball Australian Academy Program where he had a good debut season with the GCL Phillies batting .295 and slugging .420.[1]

He debuted as a 19-year-old for the Western Australia Heelers in 2006 Claxton Shield as a utility. Due to a torn labrum, he missed the 2006 minor league season. In the 2008 Claxton Shield Final, Tim and his brother starred for Western Australia as they won the Claxton Shield. They made it two in a row the following year in the 2009 Claxton Shield. Back in America, Kennelly had a break-out year, being promoted to the Reading Phillies, and batted .256/.338/.393 and named as the DH for the Florida State League postseason All-Star team.

Australian national team

Kennelly was selected for the Australia national baseball team at the 2009 Baseball World Cup, 2013 World Baseball Classic, 2017 World Baseball Classic, 2018 exhibition games against Japan, 2019 WBSC Premier12, and the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

His efforts were recognised by being selected on the roster for the 2009 Baseball World Cup for the Australia.[2]

On 20 February 2018, he was selected exhibition series against Japan.[3]

On 8 October, 2019, he was selected at the 2019 WBSC Premier12.[4]

Personal life

He is the son of Mike Kennelly, a 16-year PGA veteran and also the older brother of Matt Kennelly, who plays minor league baseball for the Atlanta Braves organisation.[5] Kennelly is a keen supporter of Australian Rules Football, which he had to give up playing to chase his dream of professional baseball.[6]

Off of the field, Kennelly works as a firefighter.[7]

References
  1. Tim Kennelly Baseball Cube
  2. Sedgman, Cassandra (3 September 2009). "ABF Announce 2009 World Cup Team". Australian Baseball Federation. Archived from the original on 6 December 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2010.
  3. Baseball Australia Media (20 February 2018). "Team Australia Roster Announced". Baseball Australia Southern Thunder. Archived from the original on 8 December 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2018.
  4. DAVID PENROSE (8 October 2019). "BORAL TEAM AUSTRALIA'S PREMIER12 ROSTER ANNOUNCED". baseball.com.au. Retrieved 15 October 2019.
  5. Baseball America – Matthew Kennelly
  6. Britton, Tim. "Kennelly comfortable half a world away". MLB.com. Retrieved 4 July 2010.
  7. "The best WA athlete you've never heard of". 9 September 2021.
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