According to multiple sources, the Washington Nationals have called up top farmhand Carter Kieboom for Friday’s home game vs the San Diego Padres. So far this season, Carter spent time with the AAA Fresno Grizzlies and put up some nice numbers.
Thanks to handling a good bat, Kieboom is slashing .379/.506/.636 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 18 games with Triple-A Fresno. In his final three games, before he was called up, the 21-year-old went 6-for-11 with five RBIs and four walks. He also hit a home run in his final game for the Grizzlies.
Carter is an American born son from a Dutch father, who played in the Dutch hoofdklasse before moving to the United States. He is one of three brothers of which all play(ed) baseball. The best known of the other two is Spencer Kieboom, who played 52 games (49 as a catcher) with the Nationals, batting .232. Spencer also posted a .991 fielding percentage behind the plate. Currently, Spencer is playing with the AA Harrisburg Senators.
Carter’s first season in professional baseball (2017) after being drafted as 28th overall in 2016, was cut short due to a hamstring injury. In 61 games. He started the 2017 season with the Hagerstown Suns, batting .296 before he got injured. After a rehab stint with the GCL Nationals, he was moved up to the Auburn DoubleDays (A-Short season, New York-Penn League), where he batted .250.
The next season, he started at A-Advanced Potomac and proved why he is one of the Nats’ top prospects as he batted .296. Those numbers dropped somewhat after his promotion to Harrisburg (.262).
Throughout his minor league career, Carter has posted a .949 fielding percentage at shortstop, so there is some room for improvement there.
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