The University of Arizona baseball fraternity is chock full of accomplished big leaguers. Terry Francona, Trevor Hoffman, Kenny Lofton — the list goes on.
Two members of that club now represent the Grand Canyon State again, this time on the biggest stage in baseball. For Kevin Ginkel and Kevin Newman, the UA was not only the launching pad for their professional baseball careers, but also a place where they made lasting memories.
Kevin Newman
Performing at a high level for any Division I college will earn an athlete some endearment from fans, but it’s not often that a standout player gets to return to the same state at the professional level.
That is Newman’s situation. The D-backs’ infielder is happy to be receiving support from Wildcat fans once again.
“(It’s) full circle, man. It’s great,” Newman said. “There’s a lot of people in the community that are (University of) Arizona fans. It’s ‘Bear Down’ when I’m out and about and it’s cool. It’s just a great support system and it’s cool to be back.”
Newman has been a solid addition to the D-backs’ lineup, providing the team with a reliable bat that adds some flexibility around the infield.
As of July 11, Newman is hitting .286 with a .318 on-base percentage in 66 games.
Before Newman signed with the D-backs in January, his last stint in the state was in 2015 with the Wildcats, where he played three years of standout baseball.
The California native had a .337 batting average, with his best season coming in 2015. Newman then hit .370 with a .426 OBP, which earned him a spot on the USA Baseball Golden Spikes Award watchlist.
He was also named to the Pac-12 All-Conference team in 2013 and 2014.
Newman’s natural talent for hitting line drives made the University of Arizona the “perfect match” for him because Hi Corbett Park’s size catered to that skill.
He credited his coaches at the time, including former head coach Andy Lopez and assistant Matt Siegel, for sharpening his presence at the plate.
“Andy Lopez, he preaches low line drive mentality… and Matt Siegel, as well…was huge on that,” Newman said. “I think it just helped me develop what I kind of already had and take it to the next level instead of changing what I was doing.”
It’s easy to focus on his baseball career because that took up most of his time at school. While baseball was his priority in Tucson, the city holds a special place in his heart for more than that.
From tailgating before football games to nights out at now-defunct Maloney’s and making lifelong friends, Newman said he made many memories in Tucson. But, more importantly, Tucson is where he met the love of his life.
Newman met his wife, Shayne, during his time as a Wildcat. He and his wife have two children — Addie and Austin — and Newman said he “can’t wait” to show them Tucson one day.
“(It was) probably three of the best years of my life, honestly,” Newman said. “Met a ton of friends and my wife. Played some high-leverage baseball and learned a ton from Andy Lopez. You know, I wouldn’t have changed a thing.”
Lopez is no longer head coach, so Newman’s connection to the baseball program isn’t as strong. Despite that, he said he has plans to make it down to Tucson to visit during the upcoming offseason.
“I feel a little bit more removed than I’d like to but I’m going to try to get down there this offseason,” Newman said. “(Tucson has) a special place in our heart and we’ll always be in touch and going down to visit and stuff.”
While Newman has been all over the country since he left the UA, Tucson will always be an important part of his story.
Kevin Ginkel
When D-backs reliever Kevin Ginkel arrived in Tucson for his lone season with UA, he had already been drafted twice.
In 2014, the San Francisco Giants selected him in the 16th round. Then the Boston Red Sox selected him in the 26th round in 2015. Both times, Ginkel opted for college baseball.
He chose to attend Southwestern College for two years before transferring to the University of Arizona in 2016.
Ginkel said the coaching staff’s experience solidified his skills.
“Jay Johnson, Dave Lawn, like those guys have been coaching at the college level for a long time,” Ginkel said. “Just having that experience and having them be honest with me (that) they think I’m capable of pitching at the next level (was) super important.”
Ginkel said Johnson, former Wildcats head coach and current LSU Tigers head coach, developed a plan to get him to into professional baseball. He said it changed his mindset.
Ginkel’s time at UA wasn’t smooth from the start. He said there were “growing pains,” but he eventually settled into his role. He gave the Wildcats what they needed to help the team make the 2016 College World Series final.
“It took a little time, I finished the season strong, which was good. To start the year, I did not throw the ball well,” he said. “But I felt like I was starting to develop some confidence after the Arizona State game that I had started, so things kind of took off from there.”
Against ASU on April 26, 2016, Ginkel took a perfect game into the seventh inning. He finished with a complete game, two-hit shutout in just his second career start.
The right-hander posted a 2.80 ERA and 45 strikeouts in 25 appearances to finish the season.
The team came up short to Coastal Carolina in the CWS final. Ginkel said the experience of playing at that level in front of his family was unforgettable.
“You watch it on TV, and you kind of see what it’s like, but actually being there and participating in the festivities and stuff — it was really cool,” Ginkel said.
One year might not seem like much time, but Ginkel made the most of it. Whether it was dinners with teammates or success on the field, Ginkel looks back on that season fondly.
After the 2016 season, the D-backs selected the fiery reliever with the No. 13 pick in the 22nd round. Since being called up to MLB in 2019, Ginkel has carved out an important role in the team’s bullpen.
The fan-favorite pitcher was integral to the D-backs’ 2023 World Series run and hasn’t lost a step since.
As of July 11, Ginkel is 6-1 with a 2.54 ERA and 39 strikeouts in 39 appearances.
Despite only playing one season in Tucson, Ginkel is now a part of the long list of major leaguers who call UA their alma mater. He recognizes the bond between former Wildcats in the MLB, such as his teammate Kevin Newman.
“It’s a bond, it’s a brotherhood,” he said. “There’s a rich history with UA and guys that get to the big leagues so I think that trend will continue years down the road.”
Now that his former coach has moved on from UA, Ginkel said he casually keeps up with the program. He threw out the first pitch at the March 15 game against ASU.
“I threw a good first pitch, too,” Ginkel said.
Ginkel said he wants to pick up his involvement with the program when his career ends.
“I keep in touch from time to time, but I definitely would love to get involved more. Maybe post-career,” he said.
For now, Ginkel is focused on helping the D-backs gear up for another postseason run.
