Twins Sign Veteran Infielder Tony Kemp, Assign Him To St. Paul
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 18, 2024) - The Minnesota Twins signed Major League veteran, and 2017 World Series winner, Tony Kemp and assigned him to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, the team announced. Kemp started the 2024 campaign with the Baltimore Orioles, going hitless in his nine at-bats with a walk
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 18, 2024) - The Minnesota Twins signed Major League veteran, and 2017 World Series winner, Tony Kemp and assigned him to Triple-A St. Paul on Wednesday, the team announced. Kemp started the 2024 campaign with the Baltimore Orioles, going hitless in his nine at-bats with a walk and run scored. He was designated for assignment on April 10 and elected free agency.
Kemp, 32, spent the last four seasons with the Oakland A’s. He slashed .240/.330/.345 in his four years in Oakland, stealing a Major League career-high 15 bags in 2023. Kemp hit a career-high .279 in 2021 and followed that up with a career-best 117 hits in 2022, the third-most on Oakland’s roster. He was also the recipient of the Athletics’ 2020, 2021 and 2022 Dave Stewart Service Awards.
Kemp was traded to the A’s from the Chicago Cubs on January 13, 2020 in return for Alfonso Rivas. He played 44 games with the Cubs after coming over from Houston via trade on July 31, 2019. He was flipped from Houston to Chicago for Martin Maldonando.
The Franklin, Tennessee native was originally a Houston Astros prospect, getting drafted in the fifth round of the 2013 draft out of Vanderbilt (TN) University. He made his MLB debut in 2016 with the Astros and played in The Show every year since. Over his four years in Houston, Kemp slashed .240/.322/.376. Although he did not play in the 2017 playoff run, Kemp was on the 40-man roster when the Astros won the World Series. He has a career postseason batting average of .286, going 4-for-14 with a double and home run in the Astros’ 2018 ALCS run that was ended by the eventual World Series winners, the Boston Red Sox.
Kemp was named a MiLB.com organizational All-Star for Houston in 2014, 2015 and 2017 and received a Futures Game selection in 2015. He also won a Rawlings MiLB Gold Glove in 2014 for his play at second base while with the Lancaster JetHawks of the California League.
The Saints roster now consists of the league-maximum 28 players, 15 pitchers and 13 position players, one Major League rehab assignment and six on the Injured List.