Angels' Carter Kieboom: Signs with Angels, gets camp invite
Rotowire
Kieboom signed a minor-league contract with the Angels in December, per Maren Angus-Coombs of SI.com, and he has been invited to major-league spring training.
Kieboom was a first-round pick in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft, but he's been unable to find success in the majors, slashing .199/.297/.301 with 12 home runs, 42 RBI, 57 runs and no stolen bases over 508 regular-season plate appearances with Washington. He spent all of last season at Triple-A and recorded a mediocre .751 OPS across 359 trips to the plate. Kieboom likely faces an uphill battle in trying to break camp with Los Angeles, but there's at least a feasible path to doing so, as the Angels have suggested that Anthony Rendon isn't going to be handed the starting third-baseman role given his struggles in recent campaigns.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Outrighted to Triple-A
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Kieboom cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Rochester by the Nationals on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom is somehow still just 26 but has never come close to cashing in on the hype he had as a prospect. The fact that he passed through waivers unclaimed shows that the Nationals aren't the only organization down on his long-term outlook. Kieboom should play regularly at Rochester in hopes of earning his way back on the 40-man roster.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Smacks three-run homer
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Kieboom went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run, a walk and an additional run in Friday's 10-6 win over Atlanta.
Kieboom's long ball -- his fourth of the campaign -- was one of five home runs on the night for the Nationals, tying a season high for the club. The 26-year-old has heated up with a .762 OPS over his last 10 games, but he's still been stuck in a timeshare at third base with Ildemaro Vargas as the season winds down.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Not in Thursday's lineup
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Kieboom is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game versus the Pirates, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom was playing regularly for a while at third base after being called up in late August, but he's now started just two of the last six games and both of those came against lefies. Jake Alu is at the hot corner Thursday.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Takes seat Wednesday
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Kieboom is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Pirates.
Jake Alu will start at third base and bat eighth as Luis Garcia handles second base and hits sixth. Kieboom has slashed .182/.224/.364 in 58 plate appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 20.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Sitting against right-hander
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Kieboom is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Kieboom will take a seat for the second time in three days while the Nationals make room at third base for Ildemaro Vargas. With Kieboom turning in a modest .610 OPS in 15 games since his call-up from Triple-A Rochester in late August and with the switch-hitting Vargas offering a potential strong-side platoon option, Kieboom could see his opportunities against right-handed pitching take a hit as the season winds down.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Gets breather Saturday
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Kieboom isn't in the Nationals' lineup Saturday against the Dodgers, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom will get a breather Saturday after going 0-for-14 with six strikeouts across his last four games. Ildemaro Vargas will start at the hot corner and bat seventh while Kieboom regroups.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Rests Sunday
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Kieboom is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Marlins, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom will cede third base to Ildemaro Vargas for the series finale after starting in each of the past five games. Since receiving a call-up from Triple-A Rochester on Aug. 20, Kieboom has gotten on base at a .275 clip in 10 games, but he's showcased some good power (three home runs and a double). The Nationals will likely give Kieboom an extended look as their everyday third baseman down the stretch.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Belts third homer
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Kieboom went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 5-4 win over the Blue Jays.
The third baseman got the Nationals on the board in the second inning, crushing a first-pitch sinker from Jose Berrios into the stands in left field. Since returning to the big-league roster Aug. 20, Kieboom has gone yard three times in six games while batting .273 (6-for-22). Washington will give the 25-year-old every chance to prove he can still be a part of the team's future after he missed the entire 2022 campaign and most of 2023 due to multiple injuries, including Tommy John surgery in May 2022.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: On bench Monday
Rotowire
Kieboom is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Blue Jays, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Kieboom will hit the bench in favor of Ildemaro Vargas after he had started each of the past four games at third base while going 3-for-15 with a home run and a double. Though he's a few years removed from being one of the top prospects in the Washington farm system, Kieboom is still just 25 years old and could get a look as an everyday player in the infield down the stretch while the 61-70 Nationals play out the string.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Goes deep Friday
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Kieboom went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Friday's win over the Marlins.
Kieboom's blast off Braxton Garrett in the sixth inning wasn't a cheap one, travelling 409 feet with an exit velocity of 104.9 mph. It's his second long ball in three games since being recalled from Triple-A Rochester. Kieboom was making his second straight start and third start in the last four games at third base, and he should continue to see regular action at the hot corner -- he was one of the Nationals' top prospects prior to a spate of injuries that derailed his career and is still just 25.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: More reps at third base
Rotowire
Kieboom is starting at third base and batting fifth Thursday versus the Yankees.
Jake Alu is poised to play more in left field with the Nationals losing Stone Garrett to a fractured left fibula Wednesday, which likely shifts Ildemaro Vargas into the bulk of starts at second base and opens up a lot of reps for Kieboom at third. The 25-year-old former top prospect hit a solo home run Tuesday off Carlos Rodon in his first major-league at-bat since 2021. He had posted a .789 OPS with five homers and 23 RBI in 34 games for Triple-A Rochester prior to his promotion.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Homers in big-league return
Rotowire
Kieboom went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Tuesday's victory over the Yankees.
In his first major-league at-bat since 2021, Kieboom launched a solo home run off Carlos Rodon to put the Nats ahead 1-0 in the third. Once a top prospect, the 25-year-old Kieboom had struggled to a .198 average in his first two big-league seasons. He'd been swinging the bat well in Triple-A, going 24-for-82 (.293) with a .814 OPS over his last 22 games, earning another look in Washington. The rebuilding Nats could give Kieboom an extended opportunity at third base down the stretch.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Called up as 27th man
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Kieboom was recalled from Triple-A Rochester to serve as the 27th man for Sunday's Little League Classic against the Phillies, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports.
Kieboom returned from the injured list at Rochester in early August after missing nearly two months with an oblique injury, and he'll now have the chance to make his first MLB appearance since 2021. Since the 25-year-old is up with the Nationals as an extra player Sunday, he could be sent back down immediately following the contest.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Begins rehab assignment
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Kieboom (oblique) is set to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with High-A Wilmington, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom has been on the minor-league injured list since June 20 because of an oblique strain, but he's rounding back into good health and could potentially get a look in Washington down the stretch. The 25-year-old former top prospect hasn't appeared in a major-league game since 2021, battling various injuries along the way, but with Jeimer Candelario traded to the Cubs, Kieboom could get a look at third base for the Nationals down the stretch if he can stay healthy.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Placed on minor-league IL
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Kieboom (oblique) was placed on the injured list Tuesday at Triple-A Rochester, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom is headed for an MRI after tweaking his left oblique in a recent game versus the Triple-A affiliate of the Yankees. The 25-year-old former top prospect has also missed time this season with shoulder and lat problems. He sat out all of 2022 due to Tommy John elbow surgery.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Returns to action Tuesday
Rotowire
Kieboom (lat) returned to the Triple-A Syracuse lineup Tuesday and has gone 1-for-7 with a double, three walks and a run while playing in both of the team's last two games.
Kieboom missed just under a week after experiencing soreness in his right lat following a May 10 contest. The 25-year-old had previously missed the first month of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and then tending to a shoulder impingement, but he appears fortunate to have avoided any sort of major setback.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Activated and optioned
Rotowire
Washington activated Kieboom (shoulder) from the 10-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Rochester on Sunday.
Kieboom will likely make his 2023 debut for the Triple-A club Tuesday after he wrapped up a four-game rehab assignment at Double-A Harrisburg over the weekend. He went 3-for-12 with a 4:6 BB:K during his time in the Eastern League. The 25-year-old remains on the Nationals' 40-man roster and could get a look in an everyday role at third base at some point later this season, but he'll likely need to stay healthy and enjoy some prolonged success at Triple-A before he merits a call-up. Kieboom was sidelined for the entire 2022 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery and missed the first month of the current campaign due to a right shoulder impingement.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Ready for rehab assignment
Rotowire
Kieboom (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Harrisburg on Wednesday, Mark Zuckerman of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom's recovery from Tommy John surgery hit a snag in the spring when he suffered a right shoulder impingement, but he's now ready to return to a live setting for the first time since 2021. While the shine has faded on the former top prospect, Kieboom is still only 25 years old and the Nationals figure to give him another chance to prove himself at the major-league level once he's fully up to speed.
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Nationals' Carter Kieboom: Taking part in baseball activities
Rotowire
Kieboom (shoulder) is hitting in the cage and making throws across the diamond, Bobby Blanco of MASNSports.com reports.
Kieboom is starting to incorporate more and more baseball activities as he recovers from a right shoulder impingement, but the Nats figure to bring him along slowly after he missed the majority of spring training. The 25-year-old former top prospect could be ready for activation in early May.
