Jason Kipnis competed at Cooperstown Dreams Park in 1999 during Week 5 with the Northbrook Stars (IL).
Jason went on to be a three-year baseball letter winner at Glenbrook North High School (Northbrook, IL) where he graduated in 2005. On the diamond, he was twice named team captain. Jason’s junior year (2004), he was named all-conference, batting .455 with a school-record 11 home runs. During his senior year, Jason went .521 with a .690 on base percentage and 32 stolen bases in 32 attempts; he was named first-team all-state, all-conference, and the Central Suburban League Most Valuable Player.
In addition to baseball, Jason played soccer and football in high school. As a freshman (2001) on the soccer field, Jason set the school’s single-season goal scoring record with 41. He switched over to football, playing his junior and senior years. Jason was an all-conference wide receiver, setting single-season school records for receptions, yards, and touchdowns and established school records for career receptions and receiving yards.
After high school graduation, Jason attended the University of Kentucky (Lexington, KY) where he was a baseball red-shirt his freshman year (2006). During the 2007 season, the outfielder took the field, batting .337 with a .450 on base percentage, stealing 11 bases in 12 attempts. At the end of his sophomore year, Jason transferred to Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ) where he played baseball his junior and senior years (2008 and 2009, respectively). In 2008, Jason batted .371 with 14 home runs and 73 RBI, finished second in the league with 24 stolen bases in 28 attempts, and became the second Arizona State player to win the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) Pacific-10 Conference Newcomer of the Year. In June of 2008, Jason was chosen by the San Diego Padres in the fourth round of the Major League Baseball amateur draft, but Jason declined the offer, opting to remain at Arizona State. Returning to the field for Arizona in 2009, Jason was the team’s leadoff hitter, batting .384 with a .500 on base percentage and a .709 slugging percentage, finishing with 16 home runs, 71 RBI, and 27 steals (33 attempts). His 2009 accolades include Pac-10 Conference Player of the Year (named by National Collegiate Baseball Writers Associate, Baseball America, and Collegiate Baseball), a Pac-10 Conference All-Star outfielder and a First Team College All-American outfielder.
During the off-seasons from collegiate baseball, Jason spent his summers playing for the Covington Lumberjacks (2006) and the Cotuit Kettleers (2008). Both teams are members of collegiate summer baseball leagues.
In June of 2009, Jason was once again selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft, this time in the second round by the Cleveland Indians. On July 22, 2011, Jason made his major league debut. He started the 2012 season as the starting second baseman for the Indians and was named a Major League Baseball All Star in 2013. Jason continued to excel for the Indians breaking the team record for most hits in a single month with 51 total hits in 2015. He helped lead the Indians to the 2016 World Series where they fell in game 7 to the Chicago Cubs. Jason signed with the Chicago Cubs in 2020 and then the Atlanta Braves in 2021.
Cooperstown Dreams Park
Facilities Administration/Shipping & Receiving
4648 State HWY 28
Cooperstown, NY 13326
Cooperstown Dreams Park Baseball Operations
330 South Main Street
Salisbury, NC 28144
Cooperstown Dreams Park Entrance
4550 State HWY 28
Milford, NY 13807
Phone: (607) 547-4061
FAX: (607) 548-0330