2/12/2021 baseball Edit

NC State reliever Kent Klyman has unfinished business in 2021

Justin H. Williams • TheWolfpackCentral

Staff Writer

Senior relief pitcher Kent Klyman is as big of an NC State fan as they come, physically and figuratively.

The 6-7, 261-pound lefty comes from a bloodline rooted in Wolfpack tradition. His grandfather played basketball for legendary head coach Everett Case in the 1950s before joining the military, and his grandfather’s brother in-law also played for Case back in the early days of the ACC.

Now Klyman carries out his family tradition on the mound for the Pack baseball team.

Last year was supposed to be his final go-round at the college level, but that was before the COVID-19 pandemic prompted the NCAA to cancel the remainder of the spring season in early March.

Klyman, whose love of the Wolfpack is second only to his head coach Elliott Avent, couldn’t imagine his experience in Raleigh ending like that.

“Coach Avent jokes all the time that he's 1-A, and I think I'm 1-B for all-time NC State fans,” Klyman said. “I've got a long line of NC State lineage here.

"My mom's side of the family is all Carolina, and my dad's side is all State. Slowly, through me being at NC State for half a decade, I've kind of brought my mom over to the good side and away from the dark side.

"It's been that way my whole life. I love NC State, and I'll always love NC State. There's nowhere else I'd rather be.”

NC State Wolfpack baseball Kent Klyman. — Senior relief pitcher Kent Klyman in the lone senior on NC State's 2021 baseball roster. (Ken Martin/The Wolfpacker)

Klyman was one of four players on last year’s roster that were set to graduate in 2020 but the only one that decided to return in 2021 after the NCAA granted an extra season of eligibility for spring athletes.

Catcher and designated hitter Brad Debo, outfielder Lawson McArthur and pitcher James Ferguson all decided to pursue other opportunities after graduating in the spring of 2020.

Klyman completed his degree in Sports Management this past fall and is now pursuing a minor in coaching to come back as the lone fifth-year player on the team.

“This is a great place, and I've been able to grow as not only a person but also as an athlete here,” Klyman said. “My goal is to play professional baseball and make it to the big leagues.

"Of course, there's always unfinished business. I've been to a regional every single year, and something just happens at the end of the year and we can't quite get over that hump.”

I would love to get to Omaha this year, especially for Coach Avent. He's going through a lot right now, so I think as a team, we're a little extra motivated to help him out.

— Kent Klyman, senior reliever for NC State baseball

With the exception of juniors Nick Swiney (pitcher) and Patrick Bailey (catcher), who were picked in the limited five-round MLB Draft last summer, and the graduates, NC State has practically everyone back from the 2020 campaign.

The Wolfpack won its first 12 games last spring before losing three of its last five. After defeating North Carolina A&T 8-7 on March 11, the remainder of the college baseball season was canceled due to concerns with the virus.

The Pack climbed as high as No. 8 in the first national rankings of March according to D1 Baseball.

“We've got a good group of core guys, and a lot of really good young guys that we're trying to bring along,” Klyman said. “I would love to get into Omaha this year, especially for Coach Avent. He's going through a lot right now, so I think as a team, we're a little extra motivated to help him out.

“It's a new season with a, new beginning kind of feel. I'm looking forward to it. I know some of the other sports had their seasons cut short and haven't played a full schedule. I've definitely moved past last year — it's over and done with. We're moving on to a new season, and we're going to play these 50 games like each one is the last.”

Klyman’s best individual season came during his sophomore campaign in 2018. The lefty had a 2.34 ERA and accumulated four saves through 61.2 innings in 31 appearances. He was credited with an 8-2 record that year, recording 61 strikeouts and holding opponents to a .204 batting average.

The Virginia native then saw his ERA jump to 3.41 through 29 innings in 21 appearances in 2019 before bouncing back last spring.

Although it was early, the reliever had a 1.42 ERA and earned two saves in 6.1 innings, giving up just five hits and one run off of a solo homer, in the truncated 2020 campaign.

“I struggled a little bit staying healthy my junior year with some lingering, nagging injuries,” Klyman said. “Last year, my preparation leading up to the season was good. I was able to stay healthy and be a little bit more of myself like I was my sophomore year.

"This year, I feel like I'll be even better. We've worked really hard in the weight room trying to stay healthy. A lot of guys got banged up here and there, so we've taken a little bit more of a stability approach."

Consistency is Klyman’s calling card on the mound.

The lefty admits his fastball isn’t overpowering, and his breaking ball won’t be mistaken for that of a Cy Young winner. But when it comes to the big moments, that’s where the fifth-year pitcher excels.

Opposing batters have trouble tracking the ball from his high, left-handed release due to his 6-7 frame, which is why he’s recorded a 1.21 career WHIP over the past four seasons.

Klyman has an opportunity to make his mark in the program’s record books in 2021.

His 77 career appearances already rank 10th all-time in NC State history, and 19 more this season would set the school record.

If he can maintain his career ERA of 2.53 over 36.2 innings this spring, he would rank sixth all-time in career ERA with the program. He’s also four saves shy of tying for seventh in that category of the school’s record books.

“I'm a very, very competitive person,” Klyman said. “It doesn't matter if we're playing Tic-Tac-Toe or playing horse, I always want to win.

"I just want my teammates to have that trust in me and know in that big spot, 'Here comes Kent running out of the bullpen, he's our guy.' Coach Avent has grown to trust me a lot. Knowing that when it's live or die that my name is going to be called, I take a lot of pride in that.”