Nationals release former top prospect among numerous MiLB Transactions

Last week, a plethroa of Nationals Minor League transactions were logged by the organization. Among the notable ones was that Carter Kieboom, a former first-round pick, will enter free agency after six years of minor league service. Other notable players included Joey Meneses and Illdemaro Vargas, and fellow former first round pick Mason Denaburg. The story behind Kieboom leaves a bad taste in the mouth of many Nationals fans who will always wonder what could have been.

Kieboom was selected in the first round of the 2016 MLB Draft out of Marietta, Georgia. Standing 6-foot-1, 221 pounds, Carter was always known for his bat. His fielding at the hot corner was never his strong suit. In his first full season in the minors, Kieboom hit .297 with 9 home runs and 35 RBI in 61 games due to a hamstring injury. He remained healthy for the next two seasons, hitting .280 and .303 in 2018 and 2019. He hit 16 home runs each season and drove in a combined 148 runs. The future looked very promising for Kieboom in 2019 when he was called-up to the Nationals for his Major League debut.

In his first stint with the Nats, Carter hit .128 in 39 at-bats across 11 games played. It was not pretty to watch, as Kieboom struck out 16 times in those 39 at-bats. There was an awesome moment as his first hit was a home run that tied the game against the Padres in the late innings. Things weren't clicking for Carter and was sent down to AAA after those 11 games. Most experts gave him the benefit of the doubt as 11 games is not a big sample size.

In the 2020 COVID season, Kieboom played in 33 games and hit .202 in 99 at-bats and hit no home runs. His OPS was an abysmal .556 and struck out in 33 at-bats. Then the injury bug hit. Carter played in just 62 games in the 2021 season due to a few different stints on the IL. He hit .207 in 217 at-bats, showing little signs of improvement at the plate. In May of 2022, Kieboom underwent Tommy John Surgery and missed the entire 2022 season, putting a sharp halt in the young third baseman's development.

Carter got another chance with the Nationals in 2023 but hit .207 in 27 games. It was never in the card for Kieboom to have success in D.C. The now 27-year-old hit .199 with 12 home runs and 42 RBI in 133 games. His OPS was just .598 and he struck out in 138 of his 442 at-bats. What happened to the former first-round pick? A combination of injuries and a lack of production stunted the career of Kieboom.

Another first-round pick for the Nats that didn't pan out, what's new? You can add Kieboom to Mike Rizzo's list of failed prospects. As much of a dig on Rizzo that is, the Nats could have it much worse than him. What do you think of Kieboom's tenure as a Nat?