NCA graduate one step closer to joining MLB organization
It won’t be long before Kemp Alderman is officially a professional baseball player.
After being selected with the No. 47 overall pick last Sunday, Alderman said he will go to Miami this week to sign his contract with the Marlins.
“We are going to fly to Miami on Wednesday,” Alderman said. “We will do a physical and then get the paperwork done. I will get a chance to hit with the big-league team that night. We will go to the game on Friday and do some interviews and things like that. On Saturday, I think I head to Jupiter. I don’t know if that’s a camp because it’s late in the season at this point.”
Alderman’s position in professional baseball is yet to be determined. At Ole Miss, Alderman played left field last year and didn’t commit an error. He did play catcher in some mid-week games for the Rebels. He also pitched on a limited basis and showed mid-90s velocity.
“I had a real good conversation with the Marlins at the combine,” Alderman said. “They said they want my bat in the middle of the lineup and will figure out where I’m going to play.”
Alderman is coming off a standout season at Ole Miss and was named the Ferriss Trophy winner as the state’s top collegiate baseball player.
Alderman was named a second-team selection by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association as one of six outfielders. This is the first All-America honor for Alderman in his career. He was also named Second Team All-SEC pick and a First Team All-South Region.
Alderman led Ole Miss in nearly every offensive category, hitting .376 with a slugging percentage of .709 and on-base percentage of .440. He had 80 hits with 61 RBI, 19 home runs, and 151 total bases. He also led the team in two-out RBI (23) and batting average with runners on base (.393).
Alderman said he doesn’t plan on changing a lot of things now that he’s a professional baseball player.
“I know it’s a job but I don’t want to put a lot of pressure on myself,” Alderman said. “I just have to go out there and have fun. When you stop having fun, it’s no longer a game. I will be serious about it and continue to do what I’ve always done. Instead of classes now, it will be strictly baseball. This is what I have worked for my whole life.”
Alderman said he thinks he’s well prepared for the minor league lifestyle after playing years of high-level travel ball and playing with Ole Miss the last three years.
“I have traveled my whole life, living out of a single bag and staying in hotels,” Alderman said. “If I didn’t want to do that, I would have went back for another year and been done with baseball. I won’t have to worry about school, just playing ball.”
If Alderman is sent to Jupiter, the Marlin’s single-A affiliate, the Hammerheads finish the season on Sept. 10. Alderman said after the season, he would then likely move to Oxford where he can work out with the Rebels.
Alderman said he lacks 16 hours from having a degree in sports management and administration along with a minor in education. He said he plans on finishing those classes as soon as possible and getting his degree from Ole Miss.
“After I’m done with playing baseball, I would like to stay in sports,” Alderman said. “I could see myself coaching in college or maybe being an athletic director.”
