With everyday shortstop Trea Turner on the Injured List and Wilmer Difo underwhelming as the Washington’s fill-in at short, the Nationals saw an opportunity to give 21-year-old Carter Kieboom a chance to test the water in the majors and see what he could do as part of the big league lineup.
“He’s performed admirably at the Triple-A level,” GM Mike Rizzo explained after the 2016 1st Round pick was called up on April 26th.
“With Trea still being weeks away, not months, but weeks away,” Rizzo continued, “... we felt that it not only will get one of our best prospect’s feet wet in the big leagues, give him some experience, but it also strengthens a strength of ours in putting Wilmer Difo back into a more comfortable role of being that super-utility player that can play multiple positions and help us off the bench.