Kerry Carpenter
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 1997)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
| name = Kerry Carpenter
| image = Kerry_Carpenter_25.jpg
| caption = Carpenter with the Detroit Tigers in 2025
| team = Detroit Tigers
| number = 30
| position = Outfielder
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1997|9|2}}
| birth_place = Eustis, Florida, U.S.
| bats = Left
| throws = Right
| debutleague = MLB
| debutdate = August 10
| debutyear = 2022
| debutteam = Detroit Tigers
| statyear = June 29, 2025
| statleague = MLB
| stat1label = Batting average
| stat1value = .271
| stat2label = Home runs
| stat2value = 60
| stat3label = Runs batted in
| stat3value = 163
| teams =
- Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|2022}}–present)
}}
Kerry William Carpenter (born September 2, 1997) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2022.
Amateur career
Carpenter attended Eustis High School in Eustis, Florida, where he batted .463 with three home runs as a senior in 2016.{{cite web | url=https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/clermont/2019/04/01/next-level-carpenter-continues-mashing-ball-at-virginia-tech/5562642007/ | title=A hitting machine }} After graduating, he enrolled at St. Johns River State College where he played two years of college baseball, before transferring to Virginia Tech to play for the Virginia Tech Hokies for the 2019 season. In his year with Virginia Tech, he started 53 games, and hit .272 with ten home runs and 45 RBI.{{cite web | url=https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/clermont/2019/06/03/next-level-lake-minneolas-mendoza-keys-fsus-run/4998542007/ | title=Going out in style }}
Professional career
Carpenter was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in the 19th round, with the 562nd overall selection, of the 2019 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web | url=https://www.dailycommercial.com/story/news/local/eustis/2019/06/05/eustis-carpenter-drafted-by-detroit-in-19th-round/4981042007/ | title=Eustis' Carpenter drafted by Detroit }} Carpenter signed with the Tigers and split his first professional season between the rookie–level Gulf Coast League Tigers and Low–A Connecticut Tigers, batting .303 with nine home runs and 35 RBI over 47 games. He did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | last=West | first=Jenna | title=Minor League Baseball's 2020 Season Canceled | website=SI.com | date=June 30, 2020 | url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2020/06/30/minor-league-baseball-season-canceled-2020-coronavirus | access-date=February 9, 2025}} Carpenter spent 2021 with the Double–A Erie SeaWolves and hit .262 with 15 home runs, 74 RBI, and 24 doubles over 112 games.{{cite web | url=https://www.goerie.com/story/sports/mlb/seawolves/2022/04/21/erie-seawolves-outfielder-kerry-carpenter-shows-power-potential-early-detroit-tigers-prospect/65351205007/ | title=Erie SeaWolves outfielder Kerry Carpenter developing power stroke early in season }} He returned to Erie to open the 2022 season.{{cite web | url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/05/22/detroit-tigers-farm-kerry-carpenter-erie-seawolves/9883955002/ | title=Around the Tigers' farm: Kerry Carpenter is putting up 'real' numbers at Double-A Erie }} He was named Eastern League Player of the Month for May.{{cite web | url=https://www.goerie.com/story/sports/mlb/seawolves/2022/06/05/erie-seawolves-kerry-carpenter-hot-start-faith-looking-up-triple-crown-swing-change-eastern-league/65358219007/ | title=Erie SeaWolves outfielder Kerry Carpenter's hot season, faith have him looking up }} After batting .304 with 22 home runs and 48 RBI over 63 games with Erie, he was promoted to the Triple–A Toledo Mud Hens in late June.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2022/06/tigers-promote-power-hitting-outfielder-to-toledo.html | title=Tigers promote power-hitting outfielder to Toledo | date=June 25, 2022 }}
File:Kerry Carpenter (52205731031) (cropped).jpg
On August 10, 2022, the Tigers selected Carpenter's contract and added him to the Major League roster.{{Cite web |title=Minor League HR leader to debut for Tigers |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kerry-carpenter-tigers-minor-league-slugger-to-debut |access-date=August 11, 2022 |website=MLB.com}} He made his MLB debut the same day as Detroit's starting designated hitter, going hitless over four at-bats.{{Cite web |last=McCosky |first=Chris |title=Tigers rookie Kerry Carpenter hitless in debut; Guardians hold on for 3-2 victory |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2022/08/10/detroit-tigers-rookie-kerry-carpenter-hitless-debut-guardians-hold-3-2-victory/10284767002/ |access-date=August 11, 2022 |newspaper=The Detroit News}} He collected his first MLB hit on August 14, a single versus the Chicago White Sox.{{cite web | url=https://www.mlb.com/news/kerry-carpenter-gets-first-mlb-hit-with-family-in-stands | title=Family in tears after witnessing Tigers prospect's first MLB hit | website=MLB.com }} Carpenter hit his first MLB home run on August 15 off of Eli Morgan of the Cleveland Guardians.{{cite web | url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/2022/08/15/gimnez-hits-go-ahead-3-run-hr-guardians-beat-tigers-4-1/50604247/ | title=Schoop, Carpenter homer, Tigers split DH with Guardians | website=USA Today }} For the 2023 season, Carpenter played in 118 games, batting .278 with 20 home runs and 64 RBI.
Carpenter began the 2024 campaign with Detroit, hitting .283 with eight home runs and 29 RBI across 50 games. He was placed on the injured list with lumbar spine inflammation on May 29, 2024.{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Kerry Carpenter goes on IL with back injury|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40240071/tigers-kerry-carpenter-goes-il-back-injury|access-date=July 23, 2024|website=espn.com|language=en}} Carpenter was transferred to the 60–day injured list on July 21.{{Cite web|title=Tigers' Kerry Carpenter: Shifts to 60-day IL|url=https://www.cbssports.com/fantasy/baseball/news/tigers-kerry-carpenter-shifts-to-60-day-il/amp/|access-date=July 23, 2024|website=cbssports.com|language=en}} He was activated on August 13.{{Cite web |last=McDonald |first=Darragh |date=April 20, 2023 |title=Tigers Reinstate Kerry Carpenter |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/08/tigers-reinstate-kerry-carpenter.html |access-date=February 9, 2025 |website=MLB Trade Rumors}} In his return, Carpenter hit two home runs against the Seattle Mariners. In the regular season, Carpenter hit .284 with 18 home runs and 57 RBI in 87 games. On October 7, in Game 2 of the 2024 American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians, Carpenter hit a three-run home run with two outs in the top of the ninth inning off of Cleveland closer Emmanuel Clase, who had given up only 2 home runs in 74.1 innings, breaking a 0–0 tie and leading to a 3–0 Tigers win.
On June 2, 2025, Carpenter hit three home runs in a 13–1 Tigers victory over the Chicago White Sox. It was the first three-homer game of his career, and the first by a Tiger since Victor Martínez in 2016.{{Cite web |last=Petzold |first=Evan |date=June 2, 2023|title=Kerry Carpenter hits 3 home runs in Detroit Tigers' 13-1 win over Chicago White Sox |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/mlb/tigers/2025/06/02/detroit-tigers-score-kerry-carpenter-hits-3-homers-in-tigers-13-1-win/84000942007/ |access-date=June 3, 2025 |publisher=Detroit Free Press}} Carpenter was placed on the 10-day injured list with a hamstring injury on July 2, 2025.{{Cite web |date=2025-07-01 |title=Tigers To Place Kerry Carpenter On Injured List |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/tigers-to-place-kerry-carpenter-on-injured-list.html |access-date=2025-07-02 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}}
Personal life
Carpenter is a Christian. He has said, “My goal, basically, is to just be as great as I possibly can be, to reach my full potential. And I personally believe the only way to do that is through Jesus Christ. That’s the foundation. That’s the rock. He’ll guide me and lead me wherever, but that’s kind of the way I think I can honor Him through this sport that I play.”.{{Cite web |last=Doering |first=Joshua |date=August 14, 2023 |title=Tigers slugger Kerry Carpenter enjoys 3-homer weekend as he plays 'all for His glory' |url=https://sportsspectrum.com/sport/baseball/2023/08/14/tigers-kerry-carpenter-3-homer-weekend-his-glory/ |access-date=August 25, 2023 |website=Sports Spectrum}} Carpenter got engaged to girlfriend, softball player Lauren Burke, in December 2023.
References
{{reflist|30em}}
External links
{{baseballstats|mlb=681481|espn=42714|br=c/carpeke01|fangraphs=25961|brm=carpen000ker|retro=C/Pcarpk001}}
- [https://hokiesports.com/sports/baseball/roster/kerry-carpenter/9221 Virginia Tech Hokies bio]
{{Detroit Tigers roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Kerry}}
Category:Sportspeople from Eustis, Florida
Category:Baseball players from Lake County, Florida
Category:Major League Baseball outfielders
Category:Detroit Tigers players
Category:Virginia Tech Hokies baseball players
Category:St. Johns River State Vikings baseball players
Category:Gulf Coast Tigers players
Category:Connecticut Tigers players