Kean University alumnus Kevin Herget ’15 Celebrated His Jersey Retirement at the Jim Hynes ‘63 Baseball Stadium on October 11, 2024

December 2024

Kevin Herget

Kean University honored alumnus and former star pitcher Kevin Herget by retiring his number 16 jersey at the Jim Hynes ‘63 Baseball Stadium in October.

This momentous occasion marked the first time a number from the Kean Baseball program was retired. Herget, one of the most decorated student-athletes in Kean Athletics history, became only the third person to have their number retired at Kean.

Family, friends and former teammates gathered to celebrate, and Cougar pride filled the stadium as Herget threw the ceremonial first pitch before Kean’s current baseball team squared off against Wagner College.

Kevin Herget

“I’m forever grateful to have my number retired from Kean,” Herget said. “Playing for Kean started and really peaked my interest in baseball and performing at the highest level I could.”

Herget’s legacy at Kean is cemented by his record-breaking achievements. As Kean’s all-time leader in innings pitched with over 345 innings, he also holds records for strikeouts at 356 and career wins with 31. During his senior year in 2013, Herget posted a 10-2 record with a 1.62 ERA and recorded 106 strikeouts, the second-highest in Division III that season.

Kevin Herget

“The foundation was started here for me to learn how to perform at my best, achieve at a high level and progress my career as far as I could to eventually make it to the big leagues,” Herget said. “It’s a really cool accomplishment to have, but also the friends and relationships I made at Kean was amazing.”

Herget’s leadership and skill played a critical role in elevating Kean Baseball, helping the team win three New Jersey Athletic Conference Championships, three NCAA Regional Championships and advance to the Division III World Series three consecutive years (2011-2013).

After earning a B.A. in Mathematical Sciences in 2015, Herget was inducted into the Kean University Benisch Athletic Hall of Fame in 2021. Drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013, he has since played for five Major League Baseball organizations, including the Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays and the Milwaukee Brewers, who reached the playoffs in 2024.

Kevin Herget

Kean Athletics hosted a private reception in Herget’s honor, where Ed Ahart, chief development officer at the Kean University Foundation, addressed the guests. “Usually at Kean we say ‘Cougars Climb Higher,’ but today we are saying ‘Cougars pitch faster,’” Ahart said. “On behalf of the Kean University Foundation and our entire Cougar community, thank you, Kevin, and to your friends, family and loved ones, for coming today as we celebrate you and all your accomplishments. Remember, Kean University will always be home.”

In November, the New York Mets claimed Herget off waivers from the Milwaukee Brewers. Fans across New Jersey look forward to seeing Herget take the mound at Citi Field just across the Hudson River as he continues his Major League Baseball journey.

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