2020 Big Ten Distinguished Scholar
2020 Spring Academic All-Big Ten
2019 Spring Academic All-Big Ten
2018 Spring Academic All-Big Ten
Career Highs
H: 3, two times
HR: -
RBI: 4, Columbia (5/1/18)
R: 3, at Florida Gulf Coast (3/16/18)
BB: 2, two times
SB: 2, at Old Dominion (3/1/19)
2020 (Redshirt Senior): Appeared in eight games ... earned Big Ten Distinguished Scholar (7/1) status ... named Academic All-Big Ten (6/10) for the third time ... laid down a sacrifice bunt against Monmouth (3/10) ... made season debut in the outfield at No. 3 Miami (2/16).
2019 (Redshirt Junior): Played in 46 games with 42 starts (31 in right field, 10 in left field, one in center field) ... named Academic All-Big Ten (5/29) for the second time ... collected 30 hits, 14 runs and 12 RBIs on the season ... stole seven bases ... scored a runner from third base with less than two outs 7-of-9 opportunities ... stroked an RBI single and stole a base at No. 21 Indiana (5/16) ... hit a single, walked and scored versus Villanova (5/7) ... laid down a successful safety squeeze in the win at Penn State (5/4) ... singled and scored at No. 30 Michigan (4/27) ... knocked in the first run of the game in the win over Purdue (4/19) ... totaled five hits and three RBIs in the series against Michigan State (4/12-14) ... collected two hits and two RBIs at Lafayette (4/10) ... singled twice and walked in the series at Iowa (4/5-6) ... picked up two hits against Indiana State (3/23) ... walked, stole a base and scored versus Harvard (3/20) ... had an RBI single as a pinch hitter at Florida Gulf Coast (3/16) ... collected three hits, two runs and two stolen bases in the series at Old Dominion (3/1-3) ... went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base versus Chicago State (2/24) ... started Opening Day at Miami (2/15) in right field and had an RBI double and a run scored.
2018 (Redshirt Sophomore): Played in 35 games with 18 starts in the outfield ... named Academic All-Big Ten (5/30) ... collected a .423 on-base percentage including 10 walks ... hit .310 overall, .379 (11-for-29) with runners on base and .429 on balls in play ... posted four productive plate appearances in win over No. 13 Michigan (5/4), taking two walks, hitting a single, a double and laying down a sacrifice bunt ... totaled four RBIs on three hits and a sacrifice fly versus Columbia (5/1) ... singled off the bench against Nebraska (4/21) ... drew a walk and made a diving catch in left field versus La Salle (4/7) ... singled in the first win over Penn State (3/23) ... had two singles, two runs, a walk and a stolen base to help clinch the series at No. 27 Florida Gulf Coast (3/18) ... went 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in the first win over the Eagles (3/16) ... collected two walks, a bunt single, an RBI and two runs against Army (3/11) ... made first career start in the first win over the Black Knights (3/9) and went 2-for-2 with a walk and the go-ahead RBI ... scored a run as a pinch runner at Old Dominion (3/3) ... collected a single and a run scored in the win over St. Bonaventure (2/24) ... made season debut as a pinch hitter at No. 9 Miami (2/16).
2017 (Sophomore): Redshirted.
2016 (Freshman): Appeared in seven games off the bench ... played twice in the series at No. 21 Michigan (5/6-7) ... recorded first career hit and scored in finale versus Nebraska (4/30) ... scored a run as a pinch runner against Villanova (4/27) ... appeared as a pinch hitter at Wagner (4/20) ... made career debut as a pinch hitter against Saint Joseph's (4/8) and also saw time in the outfield.
Prior to Rutgers: Three-year varsity letterwinner at Toms River North … voted Mariner-Man by baseball teammates during his senior season … part of 2013 team that won the Shore Conference and the Ocean County Tournament … also a three-year varsity letterwinner in basketball … voted best defensive player on the basketball varsity team as a senior ... played for the Frozen Ropes Rampage and Tri-State Arsenal during high school … member of the Little League World Series team from Toms River National in 2010 … high honor roll student all four years of high school … received the WOBM Christmas Classic Academic Scholarship.
Personal: Son of Karl Blum and Linda Tran … has two siblings: Karl and Kiera … brother of Karl Blum, who was a pitcher for the Scarlet Knights in 2018 ... a mechanical engineering major.
Know Your Knights
Nickname: Klein
One word to describe Coach Owens: Focused
Favorite Rutgers athletes, past or present: Quincy Douby/Brian Leonard
Best player ever competed against: Johnny Lazzaro
Major: Mechanical Engineering
Favorite place to hang out on campus: Locker room
The person I most admire is: Glen “Beef” Gardner because of his positivity and love for the game.
If I wasn’t playing baseball, I’d be: playing pick-up basketball at LA Fitness.
Favorite professional athlete: Jason Kidd
Favorite professional sports team: Mets
One word to describe myself on the field: Compete
One word to describe myself off the field: Livin’
Few people know that I: am an actor.
People who had greatest influence on my athletics career: My father and older brother
I started playing my sport because: My dad would always practice baseball with my brother and me. I also wanted to do everything my brother did.
I chose Rutgers because: of New Jersey, my major and my dad had taken me to many Rutgers sporting events as a child.
Favorite cereal: Cookie Crisp
The movie I have watched the most in my lifetime: School of Rock
The best actor to play me in a movie: Jackie Chan or Brad Pitt
Favorite musician/group: Teriyaki Boyz
The first song I knew all the words to: The Happy Birthday Song
If I could turn any activity into an Olympic sport, I would win a gold medal at: Submitting school assignments last minute.
Famous people I have met include: Jack Black
Rituals I have before, during or after a game: Music
Favorite all-time gift received: Reese’s
Pets I had growing up: Just one fish. I don’t know what kind. But it was small.
My favorite Halloween costume growing up: Scooby Doo
The place in the world I would most like to visit is: everywhere cool.
The website I visit most often: Google
My favorite teacher: Mrs. Delaney, second grade
The quote that most resonates with me: The Man in the Arena
If my life was a book, the title would be: Kev’s Place
If I could choose any color when buying a new car it would be: Black.
My spirit animal: Snow leopard
One thing on my bucket list: Learn to play the piano
Phone app you cannot live without: Maps
What would you like to say to the R Fund donors who have provided for your scholarship and/or facility resources? Thank you. From a first-hand experience, I can see how important every little thing matters to a team. Rutgers and donor support has helped our team be able to compete with the best in the country in every aspect that contributes to a program.
How has Rutgers and donor support changed your life? Rutgers and donor support have given me the resources to try and be as best as I can be at baseball.
