Fort Worth Star-Telegram
Former Horned Frog Matt Carpenter signs with the Texas Rangers.
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Per Ken Rosenthal of The Atlantic, former TCU Horned Frog legend Matt Carpenter is returning home, having signed a minor league contract with the Texas Rangers.
Carpenter reportedly had at least one other club offer him a major league contract but chose to bet on himself, signing a minor league contract with a spring training invite which would yield $2mm if he makes the MLB roster. The former Horned Frog lives in Fort Worth, TX., just a short drive to the Rangers beautiful new retractable roof stadium.
The St. Louis Cardinals selected Carpenter in the 13th round of the 2009 Major League Baseball draft, and he made his MLB debut June 4th, 2011. The TCU record holder for most games played and most at bats had spent his entire career with the Cardinals organization. The now 36 year old is a 3x All-Star and won the Silver Slugger Award at the second base position in the National League in 2013.
In 2018 Carpenter had one of the hottest hitting stretches in recent memory. He was named MLB player of the month for July, hitting a league leading 11 home runs while batting .333 and breaking the St. Louis Cardinals' franchise record for lead-off home runs previously held by MLB Hall of Famer Lou Brock.
The shift has taken its toll on Carpenters' production and career during the three years since his unbelievable hot streak in 2018. Despite remaining among the league leaders in hard hit balls, the predictive nature of his swing saw those hard hit balls routinely hit right at fielders playing outside of their respective positions and in spots on the field where analytical data suggested Carpenter repeatedly hits the ball. Teams routinely placed four fielders in the outfield and left the infield third base position unoccupied due to statistical data that showed Carpenter almost never hit ground balls to the left side of the infield.
Carpenter had been taking measures to rework his swing because of this. But now with MLB set to ban the defensive shift starting in 2023, all of that work to retool his swing may be for not, but in a good way.
With Texas Rangers' top prospect third baseman Josh Jung having recently undergone surgery for a torn labrum that is expected to keep him out for 6 months, and presumptive starter Isiah Kiner-Falefa being traded to the Yankees, there is a decent chance for Carpenter to see playing time at third base or DH. His biggest competition at the hot corner for now is recent signing Brad Miller or Andy Ibanez, both of whom play multiple positions. Willie Calhoun is currently in line to see most of the DH at bats. If Carpenter is able to revive his swing he is more than capable of competing for at bats and playing time in Arlington.
Horned Frog fans are behind you Mr. Carpenter, welcome home!
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