Matt Carpenter comes back home to join the Texas Rangers

On Friday, the Texas Rangers and infielder Matt Carpenter agreed to a minor-league deal, pending a physical.

Carpenter, a native of Galveston, Texas who lives in Fort Worth, will come back to where it all started for him. He began his collegiate career with Texas Christian University (TCU) and ultimately got drafted in the 13th round in the 2009 MLB Draft by the St. Louis Cardinals.

Texas Rangers add more experience to the mix with Matt Carpenter signing

Well, the Rangers did manage to convince at least one player to return home this season after falling short on recruiting another former World Champ to do the same!

Carpenter, in his 11 seasons as a member of the Cardinals, finished with hitting .232 avg, 576 RBI’s and 155 home runs in 1,329 games. His best season came in 2018 in which he hit 36 home runs. During his tenure there, he was a three-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger in 2013.

Carpenter now comes to Texas, where he adds flexibility as he can play all over the infield. He’s known to play third base, first base and second base, giving him the versatility the Rangers value in players. By joining the Texas Rangers, he will also add some key leadership to these young players as they have eyes on the 2023 season. Third base is still up in the air for the Rangers this spring, and this signing might open the door for Carpenter to sneak in as a roster addition. At the very least, depth isn’t a bad thing to have on a roster.

He can still play a little, even after struggling in 2021, and it will be interesting to see how Carpenter fits in the Rangers lineup. Carpenter now gets a fresh start and a change of scenery after spending his entire career with the Cardinals.