Kevin Polcovich

{{Infobox baseball biography

| name = Kevin Polcovich

| image =

| width =

| alt =

| caption =

| position = Shortstop

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1970|6|28|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Auburn, New York, U.S.

| death_date =

| death_place =

| bats = Right

| throws = Right

|debutleague = MLB

| debutdate = May 17

| debutyear = 1997

| debutteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

|finalleague = MLB

| finaldate = September 22

| finalyear = 1998

| finalteam = Pittsburgh Pirates

|statleague = MLB

| stat1label = Batting average

| stat1value = .234

| stat2label = Home runs

| stat2value = 4

| stat3label = Runs batted in

| stat3value = 35

| teams =

Pittsburgh Pirates (1997–1998)

}}

Kevin Michael Polcovich (born June 28, 1970) is an American former professional baseball player who was a utility infielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates in two Major League Baseball seasons during the 1990s.

Early life

Polcovich was born in Auburn, New York.{{Cite web |title=Kevin Polcovich Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Rookie Status & More |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/polcoke01.shtml |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} He attended Auburn High School, and played for the Auburn Maroons baseball team.

Collegiate career

Polcovich attended Gulf Coast Community College. In 1990 he played collegiate summer baseball with the Hyannis Mets of the Cape Cod Baseball League.{{cite web|author= |url=http://capecodbaseball.org.ismmedia.com/ISM3/std-content/repos/Top/2012website/archives/Current%20Year/All_Time_MLB_CCBL_Alumni.pdf |title=Major League Baseball Players From the Cape Cod League |publisher=capecodbaseball.org |date= |accessdate=September 25, 2019}} He attended the University of Florida, where he played shortstop for coach Joe Arnold's Florida Gators baseball team in 1991 and 1992.2009 Florida Gators Baseball Media Guide, [http://web.gatorzone.com/baseball/media/2009/pdf/9_history.pdf History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111006160804/http://web.gatorzone.com/baseball/media/2009/pdf/9_history.pdf |date=October 6, 2011 }}, University Athletic Association, Gainesville, Florida, pp. 89, 96, 104, 115 (2009). Retrieved November 29, 2010. He participated in the College World Series in 1991, and received All-Southeastern Conference (SEC), SEC All-Tournament, and College World Series All-Tournament honors. Polcovich holds the NCAA Division I record for most fielding assists in a game, with 14 on April 27, 1991.{{Cite web |date=2024 |title=Division I baseball records |url=http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/stats/baseball_RB/2024/D1.pdf |website=NCAA |pages=4, 7}}

Professional career

The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Polcovich in the 30th round of the 1992 MLB Draft. He made his Major League debut on May 17, 1997.

Polcovich is most remembered for his key role as a member of Pittsburgh's 1997 "Freak Show" team. Prior to the season, new ownership had dismantled the team and launched a team rebuild. The team's opening day payroll was $9 million, by far the lowest in the major leagues.{{Cite web |date=2019-12-20 |title=Friday Focus: The $9 Million Men – Pittsburgh Pirates 1997 Freak Show |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/pirates/mlb/pirates/news/friday-focus-pittsburgh-pirates-1997-freak-show |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Pittsburgh Pirates On SI |language=en-US}}{{Citation |last=Bethel Park Public Access Television |title=Pittsburgh Sports Memories The Pirates Freak Show |date=2024-03-19 |url=https://archive.org/details/bptvpa-Pittsburgh_Sports_Memories_The_Pirates_Freak_Show |access-date=2025-02-13 |language=English}} Expectations were very low for the Pirates, but perhaps none were lower than for Polcovich, who was bagging groceries to help support himself during spring training. When the Pirates' starting shortstop was injured in May, Polcovich got his call-up to the majors, and the former bag boy was now the new starting shortstop. He quickly became the anchor of the Pirates infield and helped the team compete for the NL Central Division until the final week of the season, when they were finally eliminated by ultimate division champions, the Houston Astros.{{Cite news |last=Biertempfel |first=Rob |title=‘The perfect team for that city’: The best stories of the ‘Freak Show’ Pirates |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1826852/2020/07/15/the-perfect-team-for-that-city-the-best-stories-of-the-freak-show-pirates/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241009161903/https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/1826852/2020/07/15/the-perfect-team-for-that-city-the-best-stories-of-the-freak-show-pirates/ |archive-date=2024-10-09 |access-date=2025-02-13 |work=The Athletic |language= |issn=}}

Polcovich only played one more year of major league baseball.

Personal life

Polcovich and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Kaden and Teagan. His wife and children were all collegiate athletes. Lisa played volleyball for the Florida Gators.{{Cite web |title=Lisa Polcovich |url=https://oklahomapeak.com/board_members/lisa-polcovich/ |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Oklahoma Peak Volleyball |language=en-US}} Kaden was drafted in the third round of the 2020 MLB Draft by the Seattle Mariners. He attended Northwest Florida State College and Oklahoma State University.{{cite web |title=Kaden Polcovich Player Profile |url=https://okstate.com/sports/baseball/roster/kaden-polcovich/8891 |website=Oklahoma State University Baseball |access-date=December 27, 2020}}{{cite web |title=Kaden Polcovich Baseball Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=polcov000kad |website=Baseball-Reference.com |access-date=December 27, 2020}} Teagan played volleyball for Missouri State University after being coached by Lisa in high school.{{cite web |title=Teagan Polcovich Player Profile |url=https://missouristatebears.com/sports/womens-beach-volleyball/roster/teagan-polcovich/5922 |website=Missouri State University Volleyball |access-date=December 27, 2020}}