Mike Trout Not The Only Player From Millville, NJ At Spring Training

Most Baseball fans know that three-time MLB MVP Mike Trout is from South Jersey and many locals know that he graduated from Millville High School. But there is another Thunderbolts Baseball Player who is trying to make an impact for the 2024 season.

Drafted in the Fifth Round of the 2017 MLB Draft, Buddy Kennedy has taken the long road to the Major Leagues. After playing 207 games in the Minor Leagues from 2017 to 2021, Kennedy finally got called up to the big leagues in 2022.

For the Arizona Diamondbacks, he played in 40 games and showed that his prowess as a Good Fielder at the Minor League level also translated to the Major Leagues.  Kennedy has played a total of 446 games at Second Base and Third Base at both levels combined, posting a Fielding Percentage of above .910 overall.

But for the 25-year-old from Millville, New Jersey, he did not do enough for him to stay with the Diamondbacks organization.  Arizona placed Kennedy on waivers in September as they reworked their roster ahead of their postseason run.  After a "Cup of Coffee" with the Oakland Athletics, the versatile Infielder was waived again before landing with the Saint Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals added Kennedy to their 40-man roster because there is uncertainty with their infield depth ahead of the 2024 MLB season. The starting Second Baseman is expected to be Nolan Gorman who had a breakout 2023 season. But there is no clear candidate for who will be the backup for Gorman this upcoming season.

The Cardinals have the following players who will be competing with Buddy Kennedy for a spot on the 2024 Opening Day Roster:

*Matt Carpenter is returning to the Cardinals after two years away from Saint Louis. The 38-year-old played 11 seasons for the Cardinals so he is popular with the fans. The problem is he hasn't played any games at Second Base since 2021, spending the last two seasons at Third Base and 1st Base.

*Brendan Donovan is returning from an Elbow Injury that ended his 2023 season. The 27-year-old is a versatile guy who can play Second Base, Outfield, and Third Base. There's no guarantee what player he will be coming off the injury.

*Tommy Edmann is a veteran of the Cardinals organization playing five years in Saint Louis. He turns 29 years old this upcoming season and even though he's not as athletic of a fielder as Donovan, he's a more consistent hitter who can play all the Infield Positions and the Outfield.