A Glimpse Into Matthew Kim's Iconic Tenure With the TBolts
SILVER SPRING, JULY 26—Hampden-Sydney College infielder Matthew Kim has become an icon for the past three summers rocking the red, white and Thunderbolt blue. From the bare-handed batting approach, to the skull cap, to the “SOS” Rihanna walk up song, Kim has a crowd-pleasing persona that has echoed throughout Blair Stadium.
As a smaller player, Kim learned at a young age to establish a rigorous work ethic for himself. While he also played football and basketball for the Langley High School Saxons, Kim knew that baseball was the sport he wanted to give his all.
Thunderbolts Assistant Coach Max “Skip” Eckert coached a six-year-old Kim in baseball clinics, and the two eventually crossed paths over 10 years later. After Kim concluded his first year at Gettysburg College, he reunited with Skip to play for the Thunderbolts. During their 2024 campaign, he was “the same Kim, but not the same skill.”
After his first summer in Silver Spring, Kim ran into his TBolts teammate Josh Erd at Bethany Beach in Delaware. With his usual beachy vibes, Erd recruited Kim to join him at Frederick Community College. One spring later, and the two were playing together as cougars.
“Playing at Frederick helped a lot,” Kim expressed. “When I got there in the fall, it was kind of like a wake up call for me. It was like, if you didn’t run hard through first, you were pulled from the game immediately. That was kind of a culture that really stuck with me.”
Kim and Erd have spent three memorable summers together in Silver Spring, and were part of a Frederick team that made the 2025 Division II JuCo World Series. Over time, the two have developed an indestructible friendship.
“I’ve never met someone that works truly as hard as he does towards anything in life. He’s made incredible improvements because he wants it, and he’ll do anything it takes,” Josh Erd shared. “He’s been there for me countless times, and he’s helped me get out of holes on and off the field in tremendous ways. He’ll always be a brother for that.”
Thunderbolts outfielder Cam Baker also played with Kim at Frederick,—and was with Erd at the beach during the FCC recruitment—but they did not see much playing time together. This summer, Kim’s family has hosted Baker, who joined the TBolts later than expected. As a result, the two had a chance to bond in a more personable way.
“Staying with him and his family, and actually getting to be out on the field with him has been a lot different,” Baker said. “I think he’s been a great leader, and he leads by example.”
Thunderbolts Head Coach Brock Hunter said being a leader was not something that came easily for Kim in his first two seasons with the team. As a veteran presence this summer, he held everyone accountable, assisted hitters with their mechanics, and aided his teammates with the mental side of the game. More importantly, Kim is always willing to help anyone struggling with off the field matters; he is “always one phone call away,” as Erd explained.
“Matthew Kim is the heartbeat of the team,” said Thunderbolts first baseman Connor Frickey. “As Matthew Kim goes, the TBolts go. He’s very dependable, and you know what he’s bringing to the ballpark every day.”
What Kim has brought to the ballpark has been consistent hitting, hustle plays, plate discipline, and drastic improvement. In 28 games this summer, the second baseman batted .292 with 26 hits, 14 RBIs, and 13 walks, which were all career highs.
On July 20, Matthew pulled off what many thought was Kimpossible. In a square-off with the Southern Maryland Senators, Kim crushed a three-run homer over North Point High School’s left-field fence. As an established singles hitter for three summers, Kim finally hammered his first home run as a Thunderbolt. In storybook style, it came in what may be his final regular season game with the team.
“I think Kimmy’s home run was the highlight [of the season],” Brock Hunter reflected. “Right before it, I turned to Stu, and I was like, ‘Hey, man, if there’s any day for Kim to do it, it’s right here.’ And the next thing you know, he hits a nuke. That’s just the coolest part about baseball.”
Coaches like Brock Hunter and Max Eckert are the reason Kim chose to return to the TBolts time and time again. More times than not, they want to see him succeed and win more than he does. This is saying a lot, considering the type of competitor Kim is.
After spending three seasons with the Thunderbolts, Kim spoke about the largest lesson he has learned.
“It’s just coming to understand that it’s about you versus you, and getting 1% better every day. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter where the guy you’re facing goes to school,” he explained. “I don’t care who you are, I’m still gonna beat you. You find out how good you are, and you even surprise yourself sometimes.”
Matthew Kim has become the epitome of grit for the Silver Spring-Takoma Thunderbolts. As a spunky spark-plug, Kim’s work ethic, consistency, and determination on the diamond are what every baseball player should strive to replicate. If this was truly his last hoorah, then “Kimmy” can go out knowing he made a tremendous impact on his teammates and TBolts fans who watched him at work every night.