In 2013, Baseball America ranked him the Gulf Coast League's No. 8 prospect. In 2014, Kaminsky's 1.88 ERA was the best in the Midwest League of all pitchers with 100 or more innings pitched, and he was a Baseball America Low–A All-Star. In 2015, his 2.09 ERA was 2nd-best in the Florida State League of all pitchers with 90 or more innings pitched. In 2016, his 3.28 ERA was 4th-best in the Eastern League. He made his major league debut for the Cardinals in August 2020. Kaminsky pitched for Team Israel in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Early life
Kaminsky was born in and grew up in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.[2] His parents are Donna Kaminsky, and Alan Kaminsky, a civil litigator for Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith in New York City.[3][4] He has two older siblings, Joseph and Anna, and his grandfather is Bernard Kaminsky.[3][5] Kaminsky is Jewish, and his bar mitzvah was based on a baseball theme.[3] His boyhood hero was left-handed pitcher Sandy Koufax, and he said Koufax "stood up for what he believed in" when Koufax decided not to pitch Game 1 of the 1965 World Series because it was on Yom Kippur.[2]
He is nearly completely ambidextrous; Kaminsky writes, throws a football, and shoots a basketball right-handed, but throws a baseball left-handed.[3][6] In Little League, he sometimes threw left-handed and sometimes threw right-handed.[3] He learned how to switch-hit when he was around 10 years old.[7]
In his senior year in 2013 Kaminsky was 10-0 with a 0.10 ERA, averaged two strikeouts per inning, gave up 14 walks as he struck out 126 in 64 innings, pitched three no-hitters and three one-hitters, while batting .506 with 3 home runs and 19 RBIs.[2][14][13][15] He was also a Baseball America Preseason First Team All-American and a Rawlings-Perfect Game First Team All-American.[2] Seattle Mariners scout Frank Rendini said: "He has a major-league curveball right now."[3][16]
While in high school, Kaminsky raised over $30,000 through his Strikeout Challenge charity for the pediatric cancer ward at Englewood Hospital, as he asked supporters to donate whatever amount they chose for each strikeout he recorded in his senior year.[17][18]
Career
St. Louis Cardinals
Kaminsky was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals at the age of 18 in the first round of the 2013 Major League Baseball Draft, 28th overall, after Baseball America ranked him the # 21 prospect in the draft.[19][20][21][22] He became the 12th New Jersey player drafted in the first round directly out of high school since the initial Major League Baseball draft in 1965.[23] He signed for a signing bonus of $1.785 million, foregoing his scholarship to pitch and play center field for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels.[24][6]
In 2013 he made his professional debut for the Gulf Coast Cardinals in the Rookie Gulf Coast League.[25] Kaminsky appeared in eight games with five starts and had a 3.68 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 22 innings pitched.[26]Baseball America ranked him the Gulf Coast League's No. 8 prospect in 2013.[27]
Kaminsky pitched in 2014 for the Peoria Chiefs of the Single–A Midwest League[28][29][25] In 2014, he appeared in 18 games, all starts, going 8-2 with a 1.88 ERA (the best ERA in the league of all pitchers with 100 or more innings pitched), and a 1.013 WHIP (9th among Cardinals minor leaguers).[1][30] He was named a Baseball America Low–A All Star, and Scout named him the best left-handed starter in the Cardinals' minor league system.[1][31][32]
Cleveland Indians
On July 30, 2015, the Cardinals traded Kaminsky to the Cleveland Indians in exchange for outfielder/first baseman Brandon Moss.[33] At the time, MLB.com ranked Kaminsky the No. 3 prospect in the St. Louis organization, and 88th overall, and Scout ranked him the best pitcher in the Cardinals' minor league system.[2][32] Kaminsky finished 2015 with a 6-6 record and a 2.24 ERA.[25][34][35] He was ranked the No. 3 prospect, and top pitching prospect, in the Cleveland Indians organization.[36][37]
Kaminsky spent the 2016 season with the Akron RubberDucks of the Double-A Eastern League, where he posted an 11-7 record and a 3.28 ERA.[1][21][38] He was placed on the disabled list with left forearm soreness after one start for Akron in 2017, and did not pitch during the remainder of the season.[39] In 2018 Kaminsky pitched two scoreless innings for Lynchburg, and then pitched only 26.1 innings over 23 games out of the bullpen for Akron, going 1-1 with 4 saves and a 3.28 ERA.[40][41] Kaminsky then pitched for the Glendale Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League, was picked for the league's Fall Stars Game.[42]
In 2019, he pitched for both Akron, for whom he was 2-1 with a 2.30 ERA in 31+1⁄3 innings, and for the Triple-AColumbus Clippers, for whom Kaminsky was 1-0 with a 5.11 ERA in 24+2⁄3 innings.
Kaminsky elected minor league free agency on November 4, 2019.[1] The day he became a minor league free agent, the Cardinals made him an offer.[43]
St. Louis Cardinals (second stint)
On December 12, 2019, Kaminsky signed a minor league deal with the St. Louis Cardinals, and was invited to major league spring training as a non-roster player.[44][45] In July 2020 he was added to the Cardinals' 60-player roster pool.[46] On August 15, 2020, Kaminsky was promoted to the major leagues for the first time.[47] He made his major league debut for the Cardinals on August 16.[48] Kaminsky was designated for assignment by the Cardinals on September 16; he cleared waivers, remained in the organization, and was outrighted by the Cardinals to their alternate site.[49][50][51]
Philadelphia Phillies
On April 18, 2021, Kaminsky signed a minor league contract with the Philadelphia Phillies organization.[52] In his lone appearance for the Triple-A Lehigh Valley IronPigs, Kaminsky struck out 2 over one scoreless inning. On August 5, Kaminsky was released by the Phillies organization.[53]
Seattle Mariners
On April 6, 2022, Kaminsky signed a minor league contract with the Seattle Mariners organization.[54] Pitching for the Double-A Arkansas Travelers in 2022, he was 3-1 with one save, a 4.91 ERA, and 39 strikeouts across 39 relief appearances covering 36+2⁄3 innings.[55] Kaminsky elected free agency following the season on November 10.[56]
On April 14, 2023, Kaminsky re-signed with the Mariners on a minor league contract.[57] He split the year between the Triple-A Tacoma Rainiers, Arkansas, and rookie–level Arizona Complex League Mariners, for whom he was a combined 6-1 with a 5.13 ERA in 32 games (2 starts) in which he pitched 40+1⁄3 innings.[58] He elected free agency on November 6.[59]
^Berger, Eric. "Cardinals’ Jewish left-hander Kaminsky hopes for a playoff role", St. Louis Jewish Light"], August 27, 2020, updated February 11, 2021. Accessed March 8, 2021. "[Q] Tell me a little about where you’re from and your Jewish upbringing. [A] I grew up in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and live in Englewood now. I moved a nice, five-minute drive from the parents, so that’s nice. I went to Solomon Schechter [Day School of Bergen County] pre-K through eighth grade and had a great, great time there."
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