Kennie Steenstra

Kenneth Gregory Steenstra

• Bats Right, Throws Right
• Height 6' 5", Weight 220 lb.
• School Wichita State University
• High School Plato High School
• Debut May 21, 1998
• Final Game June 7, 1998
• Born October 13, 1970 in Springfield, MO USA

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Biographical Information

Introduction and minor leagues

Kennie Steenstra was in the major leagues one year, and had an eleven-year minor league career, going 90-78 in the minors. He was a member of the 1991 and 1992 College World Series All-Tournament Team while at Wichita State University. He was a Baseball America and collegiate All-American in 1991. He played for Team USA when they won the Bronze Medal in the 1991 Pan American Games.

Steenstra was used almost entirely as a starter in his pre-Major League debut career. In fact, he was used as a reliever only 4 times. He saw quite a bit of success in the minors, with a string of three very successful seasons between 1992 and 1994. In 1992 with the Geneva Cubs and Peoria Chiefs, he went a combined 9-3 with a 1.89 ERA. In 1993, he went 14-6 and in 1994 he went 9-7 with a 2.61 ERA for the Orlando Cubs.

Major Leagues

On May 21, 1998 at the age of 27, Steenstra made his Major League debut with the Chicago Cubs. In one inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he gave up one hit, one walk, struck out one and surrendered no runs. The rest of his career would not fare him so well, though. Overall, he finished with a 10.80 ERA in 3 1/3 innings, striking out 4 but giving up 2 home runs (the first to Javy Lopez and the second to Magglio Ordonez).

After the Majors

After his brief stint in the Majors, Steenstra bounced around in the minors until 2002 in the Atlanta Braves, Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and Florida Marlins organizations.

After his playing days, Steenstra became the pitching coach for the Lincoln Saltdogs in 2004. Moving to organized baseball with the Baltimore Orioles organization, he was pitching coach for the Delmarva Shorebirds in 2005-2008, Frederick Keys in 2009, the Bowie BaySox in 2010-2012 and Frederick again in 2013-2016. He returned to the Bowie Baysox in 2017-2019. In the latter year he helped lead the Baysox to franchise records in both ERA (2.17) and WHIP (1.18). Steenstra was scheduled to coach the Norfolk Tides in 2020 before the season was cancelled due to COVID-19. Steenstra was pitching coach of Norfolk in 2021.

At last check, he resided in Liberty, MO.

Fast facts

He was a teammate of Pedro Valdes, Dave Swartzbaugh and Mike Hubbard for six professional seasons - longer than any other teammates. He earned $170,000 in 1998. He wore number 49 while with the Cubs.