(Bridgewater, N.J., March 11, 2019) - The Somerset Patriots today announced the signing of infielder Will Kengor for the 2019 season. His rights were acquired from the Milwaukee Milkmen (American Association) for a player to be named later and future considerations.
“Getting the chance to come play over in Somerset is really exciting,” said Kengor. “I know a lot of the guys personally on the team. I’ve been looking at Somerset for a while and am happy to try it out this year. It should be a good experience and I will be giving it everything I got.”
Kengor enters his first season with the Somerset Patriots and first in the Atlantic League. The left-handed hitting infielder has spent each of the last three years with the Traverse City Beach Bums (Frontier League); all three in which he was named a Mid-Season All-Star. Kengor slashed .304 with 35 home runs, 166 RBI and 25 stolen bases over his three combined seasons in Travese City, leading the team in all three categories over that stretch. Additionally, he twiced finished top 10 in the league in batting: seventh in 2018 (.311) and eighth in 2017 (.324).
The Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania native primarily played shortstop in his time with the Beach Bums, but has also played a significant amount of first base through his career. Kengor was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers organization and played all of 2015 season with Single-A West Michigan, where he started 109 games at first base. The 6’3” infielder made his professional debut with Triple-A Toledo fresh out of college in 2014 before spending the rest of the season in Rookie ball.
“We cannot wait to get our eyes on Kengor,” said Somerset Patriots manager Brett Jodie. “Kengor is a young infielder that has a good skill set for all infield positions. He is ready to come in and compete for time on the field. Will brings the right work ethic and attitude that fits what we are trying to do perfectly. He has been a consistent hitter throughout his career and we are anxious to see how he translates to our league.”
Kengor played his collegiate ball at Slippery Rock University (Slippery Rock, PA). There, the 26 year-old ranks third all-time in batting (.394), fourth in triples (13), seventh in on-base percentage (.460) and ninth in hits (209). Additionally, Kengor hit .449 his senior season: fourth-best in the nation. He was selected in the 28th round of the 2014 MLB draft by the Detroit Tigers.
The former Rock has a .296 career average with 36 home runs, 225 RBI and 35 stolen bases over five professional seasons.
The Somerset Patriots will be back in action on Friday, April 26th for Opening Day at TD Bank Ballpark. Stay up to date on all the team news throughout the offseason online; on all of our social media platforms, and on our mobile app. For more information, visit www.somersetpatriots.com.
About the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball (ALPB)
With eight teams in the Mid-Atlantic and Texas, the ALPB is a leader in baseball innovation and a player gateway to Major League Baseball. Through its exclusive partnership with MLB, the Atlantic League tests Major League Baseball rules and equipment initiatives. The Atlantic League has sent over 900 players to MLB organizations while drawing more than 40 million fans to its affordable, family-friendly ballparks throughout its 22-year history.
For more information, please visit www.atlanticleague.com.
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