WASHINGTON, DC – APRIL 26: Carter Kieboom # 8 of Washington citizens celebrates after hitting a home race against the San Diego Padres during the eighth inning of his championship debut at Nationals Park on April 26, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)
Carter Kieboom is seen by many as the future at third base for Nats. However, in the spring he showed that his glove was not ready yet. Despite this, the Nats have yet to find a way to implement his club in training.
Before the 2020 season was suspended and Spring Traning ended early, a big question for citizens was whether Carter Kieboom was ready to take the next step. During the 2019 season, the team’s best prospect was called up for 11 games in late April. The 22 year old hit .128, with two humeri and two RBI. On the field, it was a responsibility, making four mistakes while short staffed. Despite his disastrous first call, Kieboom immediately started raking when he returned to Triple-A. In 109 games with the affiliate Triple-A team, Fresno Grizzlies, he hit .303, with 16 homers, 79 RBI and an .902 OPS.
Entering Spring Training, he was the first classified to take over as third starting base, but unfortunately he faltered. In 30 at-bat, the team’s highest prospect hit 0.233, with two RBI and nine strikeouts. On the field, Kieboom’s inexperience at the hot corner showed; makes three mistakes and ends with a fielding percentage of .875.
After showing signs of not yet ready to equip the third, some expected that Kieboom would be sent back to the minors to work on his defense. Compared to the success of the Coronavirus, wiping out the 2020 minor league season. With that season canceled and a new spring training about to begin, citizens will have a decision to make with the 22-year-old. Unlike in previous years, given that 2020 has only 60 games, citizens have several options available to them.
According to Todd Dybas of NBC Sports Washington,
“The teams will open with 30 players active for the first two weeks of the season. The roster is reduced to 28 for the third and fourth week, then to 26 for the last two weeks (which would have been the total of the roster in 2020 if it had been a normal season).
Each team will also designate 60 players eligible for the season. About half will be inactive and will train at an alternative site from the active roster. They are separate as yet another coronavirus mitigation step.
Teams can transport three players to a traveling “taxi team” in case a list change is needed. You will no longer fly the same day from Fresno. Those players will not receive the service time if they are not activated. If a team brings all three players with it, one must be a catcher.
There is no doubt that Carter Kieboom will play the role of 60 men, but what follows is whether he will activate the role of 30 men to start the season. I believe 100% that Kieboom should start the season on the active roster. With the cancellation of the minor league season, Kieboom needs more reps on the hot corner. Cabrera will get the nod as an appetizer, but Kieboom should be the primary backup. While he still seems uncomfortable in that position, the only way to solve it is by giving him more game time.
Another reason to put Kieboom on the active roster is to help strengthen their already impressive infield / DH depth. The Kiebooms bat is in front of his glove and once he is used to launching MLB, he should be able to lend a hand immediately. Eric Thames, Ryan Zimmerman and Howie Kendrick will be the team’s main hitters in DH with Asdrubal Cabrera and Starlin Castro completing when needed. Kieboom has shown minors that he can hit and put him on DH is a way to get his club into the formation. With Ryan Zimmerman still undecided on how to play this season, Kieboom could fill up when Kendrick needs a day off and the River Thames is starting early. After struggling for most of the spring training, Kieboom ended with a string of successes, ending the last few games by hitting .286, with two homers and two RBI. With the national teams playing 40 games against East Holland and the other 20 games against East East, all hands will be on the deck.
