Twins Video
The Twins added depth to their Triple-A roster by signing infielder Tony Kemp to a minor-league deal Tuesday morning. Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported on Twitter that the nine-year veteran would be joining the team. In a bit of semi-serendipity, Kemp was available because he'd been cut to make room for Orioles wünderkind Jackson Holliday, and the Twins scooped him up while in Baltimore to face Holliday and company.
Kemp, 32, is joining his third organization for the 2024 season, as he signed with the Cincinnati Reds on February 24 and was released by them later in Spring Training, on March 19. A week later, he caught on with the Baltimore Orioles, made their Opening Day roster, and played in five games with the A.L. East favorites, going 0-for-9 at the plate.
Kemp, a lefty batter, spent the previous four seasons with the Oakland Athletics, becoming one of the better-known names in a dismal franchise where ownership is leaving everyone behind. His best season came in 2021, when he had a carer-best triple slash of .279/.382/.418.
While it has yet to be confirmed, Kemp is most likely to join the St. Paul Saints on their six-game road trip to Indianapolis this week. The Saints are depleted in the outfield, having only two outfielders on their active roster. Kemp has played left field and second base for the majority of his career, appearing in left 65 times last season with the A’s and 57 times at second base.
His offensive numbers saw a decline in 2023, but Kemp’s strike-zone judgment remains on par with some of the league’s best hitters. Per Baseball Savant, his 13.6% whiff rate and 10% strikeout rate were among the lowest in baseball, as he punched out only 40 times in 419 plate appearances, which would have been the lowest (by 11%) on the 2023 Twins for players with at least that much playing time.
Max Kepler had the lowest strikeout rate on the Twins with a minimum of 400 plate appearances in 2023, at 21.6%.
Major-league clubs still see talent in Kemp, although he's nearing the end of his run in MLB. If all goes in his favor, he could still be a part of the team and serve a strong role like Tim Beckham in 2022 or Jordan Luplow last season. For now, he will start his Twins tenure in Triple-A and serve as another mentor for the younger players itching to get their first crack in the majors. Kemp is one of the most beloved clubhouse guys in baseball, checking another important box for this character-conscious front office.
Interested in learning more about the Minnesota Twins' top prospects? Check out our comprehensive top prospects list that includes up-to-date stats, articles and videos about every prospect, scouting reports, and more!
View Twins Top Prospects
Recommended Comments
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now