David Kubiak’s Unorthodox Path to MLB

Somerset Patriots starting pitcher David Kubiak won Atlantic League pitcher of the month for the first month of the 2019 season. Through June 9, Kubiak led the league with 51 strikeouts and a 1.38 ERA. He was second in the league with five wins.

The big righty from Riverhead, NY is now in his third season with Somerset, and his fourth season in the Atlantic League. He is currently one of the top pitchers in the ALPB, but it was just a few years ago that Kubiak didn’t play baseball for a season, and considered retiring.

Somerset Patriots

“I didn’t really have any place to play. I got a little job in Manhattan at a hedge fund…doing kind of the rat race thing,” Kubiak tells me in the Patriots dugout during batting practice. “So far yea (I’m glad I didn’t retire). If I get to the big leagues, it will be a real good payoff.”

The big leagues may seem far-fetched, but for a pitcher with the make-up and four-pitch repertoire of Kubiak, it’s not. The Atlantic League is known for having a very high level of talent, and when players are signed out of the league, they often go to Triple-A, only one call away from the big leagues.

Kubiak was the Pitcher of the Month, but ALPB Player of the Month was Dante Bichette Jr. who was signed by the Washington Nationals just one day later. Could Kubiak be the next Atlantic Leaguer to make a push for the big leagues?

“I’m really just trying not to think about it,” Kubiak explained. “I’ve had blinders on for that over the last few months trying just not to jinx myself or think about it because it’s out of my control.”

Sunday, Kubiak toed the mound at TD Bank Ballpark in front of a packed crowd of nearly 7,000 as he dominated the York Revolution. In six innings of work, he struck out seven and allowed only three hits.

“It’s great. They (The Somerset Patriots) have been nothing short of amazing. This is home in indy ball for me,” Kubiak says regarding his time with Somerset. Through ups and downs, and over 200 games pitched in professional baseball without making it to the big leagues, David Kubiak is still fighting and isn’t looking to give up anytime soon.

“You’ve got to fail to succeed. I don’t think anyone has done well every day they’ve come out here. And you have to learn to deal with that. Failures just part of success,” Kubiak concluded.