Ohio State freshman outfielder Kade Kern (46) zones in on the pitch during the Ohio State-Indiana game on April 3. Ohio State won 6-0. Credit: Mackenzie Shanklin | Photo Editor
Prior to the season, head coach Greg Beals listed outfielder Kade Kern as one of three freshmen he expected to step in and make an immediate impact.
Kern has done just that, making the game look easy in his first 32 collegiate games and leading the Buckeyes in batting average, hits and stolen bases. His work ethic, reliance on help from veteran teammates and sheer talent jolted him into the running for Big Ten Freshman of the Year.
“It’s really fun to see a kid at this young age, at this early in his time here at Ohio State, accept that mindset of being process-driven and just competing,” Beals said.
Kern was a force to be reckoned with at Archbold High School, hitting .406 with 22 doubles, five triples, 81 RBIs and scoring 77 runs in three seasons on his way to being named the 2020 Gatorade Ohio Baseball Player of the Year.
According to Perfect Game, he was the No. 3-ranked recruit in Ohio in the class of 2020, attracting contact from schools such as Indiana, Michigan and Wright State.
Kern said his second offer, though, was one he had been waiting for his entire life. In September of his junior year of high school, he committed to Ohio State.
“This was always my dream school,” Kern said. “I love the whole coaching staff, love the way coach Beals coaches. The facilities here at Ohio State are the best in the country.”
The Archbold, Ohio, native burst onto the scene in his collegiate debut against Illinois March 5, going 5-for-6 with an RBI and a run scored, falling a home run short of the cycle — when a player hits a single, double, triple and home run in the same game.
Kern said following the season opener, his pregame nerves whisked away after his first at-bat. His comfort in the batter’s box and ability to patrol the outfield followed him throughout the season.
He has started in every game of the season — one of only three Ohio State players to do so. In the Big Ten-only 2021 season, he paced the Buckeyes with the third-best batting average in the Big Ten at .367, 44 hits and eight swiped bags.
“I think what’s most impressive about it is that because we’re only playing Big Ten teams, he doesn’t have the midweeks where they don’t have a scouting report on him, like a big scouting report,” redshirt senior first baseman Conner Pohl said.
Kern’s work ethic, which has followed him since his high school days, played a big role in his success.
In just under a year’s time — from July 13, 2018 to June 9, 2019 — Kern grew four inches and gained 40 pounds. He said in high school he and his friends would lift weights four or five days each week.
Kern, now weighing 195 pounds, has been described by his veteran teammates as one of the clubhouse’s hardest workers.
“Kade’s a phenomenal hard worker,” graduate utility Scottie Seymour said. “He’s always getting extra swings. He probably lifts more than anybody on the team.”
Redshirt senior catcher Brent Todys echoed this sentiment.
“I mean that kid shows up and he puts his head down, he grinds. He works so hard in every aspect of the game. He’s just elite, man,” Todys said. “You know he’s just going to find a way to hit the ball hard every time.”
Staying in the cage for a few extra swings has certainly helped Kern propel from an Opening Day No. 7 spot in the Buckeyes’ batting order to as high as No. 2. He has since settled in the No. 3 hole, driving in the runners that get on base ahead of him — ranking second in the Big Ten in RBI for a true freshman behind Nebraska third baseman Max Anderson with 23.
Kern credits his veteran teammates Pohl and junior shortstop Zach Dezenzo for helping calm his nerves as a freshman player. He said they emphasized that every player has been in his shoes adjusting to the pace of Division I baseball and he is not alone.
Pohl said Kern is generally a quiet guy in the locker room, and Beals said that contributes to his success.
“He’s very receptive. He’s a smart kid, and that’s why he’s quiet,” Beals said. “He’s not talking about him, not getting jacked up, he just keeps doing his thing. He prepares himself and goes out and plays, and that’s it, whether he’s having success or not.”
Beals said if Kern keeps up his work ethic, he expects him to work his way into professional baseball.
“He’s going to be a professional prospect. He was out of high school, he was getting attention out of high school,” Beals said. “We got 2 1/2 years before he gets to his draft eligibility, and it’s going to be fun to coach him during that time. I foresee his skill set continuing to improve. I think he’s got a future in the game of baseball.”
