Post by nutsberryfarm 🏜 on Dec 10, 2019 14:46:02 GMT
www.baseballamerica.com/stories/stephen-strasburg-signing-opens-path-for-carter-kieboom/
SAN DIEGO— The Nationals announced the signing of Stephen Strasburg to a seven-year contract on Monday. While the announcement was a joyous occasion for the franchise, an unspoken consequence of the deal is it means third baseman Anthony Rendon likely will not be returning to Washington.
Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner told NBC Sports Washington last week the team could afford to keep only keep one of Rendon and Strasburg in free agency. Barring a change in circumstances, Strasburg’s deal means the Nationals will have an opening on their infield next season.
With that, Nationals No. 1 prospect Carter Kieboom now has a path to an everyday job in 2020.
"He's close,” Nationals manager Davey Martinez said. "After we had him, he went back down to Triple-A, kept his head up, and played really well. Hit well, made some adjustments. He's going to come to spring training and get a shot to play different positions. We'll see what transpires, but he's a kid that we value very much.”
Kieboom, 22, hit .303 with 16 home runs, 79 RBI and a .902 OPS at Triple-A Fresno last year and ranked as the Pacific Coast League’s No. 4 prospect. He went 5-for-39 in 11 games with the Nationals while filling in for an injured Trea Turner at shortstop.
"I really feel that he learned a lot just coming up that short period of time,” Martinez said. "We know what kind of player we think he can be, and like I said, he's learned how to become that player. He went back down, and I've seen a lot of guys that came up and had a rough time that go back down and don't quite put it together. He went back down there and had a really good year in Triple-A.”
A shortstop by trade, Kieboom also played second base and third base last season for the first time in his professional career at Triple-A. With Turner entrenched at shortstop and Howie Kendrick re-signed—"When Howie's healthy, he'll play second base” Martinez said—third base becomes Kieboom’s most direct path to the majors if Rendon departs as expected.