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The Orioles introduced that they’ve signed infielder/outfielder Tony Kemp to a significant league contract, with infielder/outfielder Nick Maton designated for task in a corresponding transfer. Kemp will make a wage of $1MM, per Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, a bit north of this yr’s $740K league minimal.
Kemp, 32, is coming off an honest stretch with the A’s over the previous 4 years. His 11.7% strikeout price was fairly low and he drew walks at a strong 10.5% clip. He didn’t present a lot thump when placing the bat on the ball, as he hit simply 20 house run in his 1,488 plate appearances in that point. However his .240/.330/.345 batting line was nonetheless near common, translating to a 97 wRC+.
Sadly, the newest season of these 4 was the worst, as he hit simply .209/.303/.304 in 2023. He settled for a minor league take care of the Reds this winter and had a pleasant spring, slashing .333/.391/.619, although in a tiny pattern of 23 plate appearances. Regardless of that good type, he wasn’t going to make the roster of a Reds membership that has a reasonably crowded place participant combine, so he returned to the open market. He had an opt-out on his minor league deal and he both triggered it or the Reds merely let him go to discover different alternatives.
The Orioles are additionally loaded with place participant expertise however will discover a method to squeeze Kemp in one way or the other. They appear to have opted to get a few of their proficient kids extra enjoying time on the Triple-A stage, with guys like Jackson Holliday, Coby Mayo, Kyle Stowers and Heston Kjerstad all being optioned or reassigned final week.
Whereas these guys are getting common enjoying time on the farm, Kemp will tackle a multi-positional bench position with the key league membership. He’s not likely an choice at shortstop, with simply two profession innings there, however he has loads of expertise at second base and left discipline.
Kemp has pretty impartial platoon splits in his profession, 100 wRC+ versus lefties and 93 in opposition to righties, however Ramón Urías and Jordan Westburg are each right-handed. Since Urías and Westburg will seemingly be protecting second and third base in some mixture, Kemp can present a lefty-swinging complement. Left fielder Austin Hays and first baseman/designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle are additionally right-handed, which maybe offers one other path for Kemp to issue into the membership’s plans.
He additionally had double-digit stolen bases in every of the previous two years, which may permit him to function a pinch-runner at instances. His left discipline protection has been thought-about round league common although the metrics are break up on his work on the keystone, with seven Outs Above Common however -17 Defensive Runs Saved.
The O’s have been seemingly deciding between Tyler Nevin and Nick Maton for a bench/utility position, as each are out of choices and have been acquired from the Tigers in separate money offers this offseason. Nevin hit .333/.367/.474 this spring whereas Maton hit simply .000/.207/.000.
That poor efficiency has seemingly value Maton his roster spot. The O’s will now have per week to commerce him or attempt to go him by means of waivers. He has struggled within the majors, with a .208/.306/.361 batting line to date, however he’s naturally been higher within the minors. He’s hit .274/.383/.440 on the farm over the previous two years for a 118 wRC+ whereas spending time in any respect 4 infield positions and the outfield corners.
That would result in him discovering some curiosity from different golf equipment, however since he’s out of choices and the season is about to start, he may get squeezed by the truth that many golf equipment are making powerful roster cuts proper now. If he have been to go by means of waivers unclaimed, he would keep on with the O’s as non-roster depth.
What stays to be seen is strictly how Baltimore will construction its bench earlier than Opening Day. James McCann could have one spot as a backup catcher, with Kemp and Jorge Mateo serving as infield/outfield items. That leaves only one spot for Nevin or Colton Cowser, the latter of whom continues to be optionable.
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