Tony Kemp Joins Reds on Minor League Deal

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Tony Kemp has inked a minor league contract with the Cincinnati Reds. Kemp eventually earned his chance at free agency in 2020 after signing with the Oakland Athletics. Kemp has been the subject of interest from the Reds this offseason. Despite his difficulties, Kemp remained a vital member of the A’s team and many of the younger players looked to him as their seasoned leader. Kemp’s.209 batting average and.303 on-base percentage are the lowest of his Oakland career. A versatile defender and a leader of the clubhouse are what the Reds will receive on a squad that is far more competitive than the A’s.

Tony Kemp Signs Minor League Deal

Kemp finished his fourth big league season with the Athletics, making it eight total. He was selected by the House Astros in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, and he spent four seasons with them until being transferred to the Chicago Cubs in 2019. In the winter, he was eventually traded to the Athletics, sending prospect Alfonso Rivas the other way. Kemp just finished a season with Oakland in which he appeared in 65 games in left field and 57 games at second base.

Two things that Kemp brings to the table are his on-field worth and his ability to put the ball in play and prevent strikeouts. I regret to say that he had a difficult season at bat. In 50 plate appearances versus left-handed pitchers, he hit.320, while in 309 at-bats against right-handed pitchers, he hit.191. After the All-Star break, Zack Gelof finally took over at second base.

Kemp has always been on the opposite end of Shohei Ohtani’s free agent spectrum. Nonetheless, he hits the pinch well and moves quickly. With 35 home runs, 184 RBI, 53 stolen bases, 460 hits, and 297 strikeouts over his career, his slash line is.238/.325/.352.

The Reds Crowded Depth

The Reds have an abundance of talented position players on the diamond. The players fighting for playing time include Jeimer Candelario, Matt McLain, Elly De La Cruz, Christian Encarnacion-Strand, TJ Friedl, Noelvi Marté, Jonathan India, Will Benson, Tyler Stephenson, and Jake Fraley. However, a large number of those guys are unskilled and young. Cincinnati may choose to have any of them receive regular reps in the lower leagues rather than bench them if they experience a setback.

There are minor league contracts for Josh Harrison, Erik González, Hernán Pérez, and Mark Mathias as well. Kemp will enter the fray and attempt to prove himself worthy of a veteran bench job.