Welcome to Saturday Spotlight, where we dive into the lives of Ohio State student-athletes and learn more about their journeys to Columbus, their love of the Buckeye traditions and who they are as competitors and students.
Seth Kinker has been with the Ohio State program for four years.
A senior from Huntington, West Virginia, Kinker was on the 2016 team that won the Big Ten Championship. He has been quoted by members of the staff as "the most reliable bullpen arm on the team."
Kinker went 3-1 last year with a 2.98 ERA in 58 innings pitched for an Ohio State team that desperately needed an elite bullpen arm.
We sat down with him to learn about his favorite Ohio State tradition, place to eat on campus, and much more.
When did you realize you had a chance to play baseball at the collegiate level?
Seth Kinker: Well, my best friend got me into when I was younger. Eventually, I got pretty good. I started playing travel ball in the summer and of course as a young age you get exposed to a lot of different colleges during those events. When I was 16, I started going to showcases and stuff. I discovered that this was the track and this is what I wanted to play so I gave up a couple different sports and focused on baseball.
What drew you to Ohio State outside of baseball?
SK: Everyone in my family went to Marshall, where I’m from. My dad after college lived up [in Columbus] for 3-4 years so as a younger kid I always watched Ohio State sports and knew about the tradition up here. [Assistant coach Mike] Stafford brought me up to a camp and I had never been on campus that I remembered. So I came up here and I looked around and I loved it. I came on a visit my senior visit and loved it even more and it was the best fit for me. Being the only one to go to another university was also one of those things that intrigued me. My parents supported me leaving.
What is your proudest baseball moment?
SK: Winning the Big Ten Championship by far. Nothing will ever compare to that. It’s the greatest thing to ever happen to me in the sporting aspect. The people that surround you when you do it, the support system, family members, friends that chime in that support when they see Ohio State baseball on BTN. That feeling of dogpiling on the mound at the end of the regular season and Big Ten tournament... nothing will ever compare to it.
What do you like to do when you are not playing baseball?
SK: I’m a golfer. I golf all the time when it’s warm. When we go down to these Florida trips it tempts me. When I go home and its over 40 I play. Even if its under 40 as long as it's not raining. I go all the time, my brother goes all the time, my dad goes all the time. It's one of those sports you can play until you're 80. Baseball isn't always gonna be there. I played golf in high school and still absolutely love it.
What are you studying? What has been your favorite class so far at Ohio State?
SK: I study sport industry with a minor in business. My favorite classes have been the sports marketing and business marketing I took. It taught me a lot of stuff I didn’t know in thorough depth, and marketing is something I like, and I like being able to learn about something that interests me rather than going to something that I don't like.
If you could have any super power, what would it be?
SK: I’d be invisible. You could do anything. I’d bypass any system. I could really honestly get away with everything. But I have to make sure everything I touched turns invisible too. Like the invisibility cloak from Harry Potter.
What is your favorite meal you have had while in Columbus?
SK: Buckeye Donuts is a little hole in the wall but always packed. I know I can get a good breakfast there and I know no matter what I’ve always got that on High Street like two minutes from my apartment. It's good because even if I'm running a little late to the field before early morning workouts I can stop there and it's quick
What is something about you that we wouldn't believe?
SK: I’m terrified of snakes. Absolutely terrified. It’s like a phobia. If I see one and it’s glassed up in a cage I’m fine with it. If I see one on the ground though I can't deal with the look of them or the texture of them. When we go to Florida I don’t even care about the gators. I can run away from them. But those snakes can be caught up anywhere.
What is your favorite Ohio State tradition?
SK: I love Carmen Ohio. It's one of those things where it gives you chills almost every time you hear it and there's a large group of people you can do it with. Like after a football game you have an entire student section and the entire football team singing. We always sing it when the pep band comes and plays it after our game. You remember the words after one time and can sing it together.
Seth and the baseball team opened their season yesterday as they traveled to Port Charlotte, Florida for the Snowbird Classic. The event continues through Sunday.
You can follow Seth on Twitter @sjkink_37.
