2015 Baseball Roster
John Birkbeck
- Class:
- Senior
- Hometown:
- Canton, Ohio
- High School:
- GlenOak
KENT STATE HONORS AND AWARDS
• Letterwinner: 2013, 2014
CAREER GAME HIGHS
Innings Pitched: 5 (vs. Coppin State 2/21/14)
Strikeouts: 5 (vs Coppin State 2/21/14)
2014 JUNIOR SEASON
• Saw 24.0 innings of work, ending with a 4.12 ERA with a 3-0 record. Appeared in 14 games with 4 starts
• Set career highs in innings pitched and strikeouts with five each against Coppin State on Feb. 21
• Threw 1.2 hitless innings against Toledo on Mar. 21 with one strikeout and no walks
• Three wins came against Coppin State, Oakland and Malone
2013 SOPHOMORE SEASON
• Saw 16 Innings of work to finish with a 6.19 ERA with 3-0 record in 14 appearances while starting 3 games.
• Recorded three straight wins in three straight appearances against Niagara, Youngstown State, and Eastern Michigan.
• Recorded first win of the season in his best outing against Niagara on April 17. He pitched two innings, allowing one hit, while striking out two and giving up zero runs.
2012 FRESHMAN SEASON
• Saw 14.1 innings of work to finish with a 3.77 ERA and 1-0 record in 12 relief appearances.
• First career appearance came in the second game against Western Kentucky on March 3. He pitched one inning, allowing two hits, one run and one walk.
• First career strikeout was March 27 at home versus Toledo.
• Threw three innings against Penn State on April 3. Allowed two runs on one hit and two walks. Also picked up two strikeouts.
• Did not allow a run and only walked one batter through the last five appearances of the season.
PRIOR TO KENT STATE
• Three-year letterwinner at Canton GlenOak High School in Canton, Ohio, earning Second Team All-Ohio and First Team All-Federal League honors. Played alongside Kent State teammates T.J. Sutton and Tommy Monnot.
• Earned Team Ohio and Mizuno All-Star selections and participated in the Hank Miller Classic.
• Helped lead the Golden Eagles to a district championship as a junior in 2010 and shares of the Federal League championship in 2010 and '11.
• Also played summer and fall baseball for the Stark County Terriers under the direction of Greg Trbovich and head coach Don Thorley.
• Also participated in basketball while at GlenOak.
PERSONAL
• Born June 9, 1992, in Canton, Ohio.
• Son of Mike and Suzanne Birkbeck. Mike is a former Major League pitcher and current Kent State associate head coach/pitching coach. Suzanne is graduate of Kent State.
• Nickname is "JB."
• Enjoys spending time with his friends and teammates.
• Lists his grandparents and parents as the people he admires the most.
• Would like to visit Fenway Park.
• Majoring in sports administration.
