Interviews

Detroit Tigers Prospect & D3 Alum Robert Klinchock

Published

March 30, 2020

Detroit Tigers prospect Robert Klinchock joins the Hustle & Motivate podcast for an interview about his journey from D3 to the MLB Draft

Credit-Robert Klinchock/Joker Mag Illustration

Robert Klinchock is a left-handed pitcher in the Detroit Tigers organization. Despite pitching 3 straight complete game shut-outs and helping Shenandoah University win back-to-back conference championships, he wasn’t invited to any pre-draft workouts.

Drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 35th round, Klinchock became one of just nine Division 3 players selected in the 2019 MLB Draft.

Listen to our conversation by tapping the play button below. Or tap the icon of your favorite podcast platform to listen on the go!

Show Notes

[2:09] Sprouting up from 5’7″ to 6’2″

[6:50] Modeling his game after a pro

[9:55] Handling the ups and downs of being a D3 student-athlete

[16:30] Draft day

[26:55] Caught in the middle of a crazy minor league baseball promotion

After Listening…

You can keep up with Robert Klinchock on Instagram @Bobby_Joe_K.

We wish him the best of luck this season when baseball is finally back!

Thanks for listening! Check out these related episodes:

Legendary College Baseball Coach Mr. George Bennett on Recruiting Jamie Moyer & Winning 500+ Games

Jim “The Rookie” Morris on Living Your Dreams & The Truth Behind the Disney Film About His Life

In this article:

Written By Tyler O'Shea

Division III baseball alum (McDaniel College), founder of Joker Mag, and author of The Underdog Mentality: Sports Stories That Will Change How You See the Game (And Yourself). Since launching in November 2017, my stories have been featured on platforms such as FOX Sports, SB Nation, and The Sporting News, reaching over 1.5 million readers worldwide. The seed was planted way back in 7th grade when I got cut from the baseball team. Instead of giving up, I found hope and inspiration in stories of undersized athletes who defied expectations. I ultimately played baseball through college, earning Honorable Mention on the All-Centennial Conference team in my senior season. Today, my mission is simple: To share stories that give people the same feeling I felt when I was that undersized ballplayer searching for hope, inspiration, and evidence that my dream was possible. Like my mom always told me, you can do anything you set your mind to. Sometimes we just need a little extra push. And that’s why I’m so passionate about sharing these stories with the world.