The Kansas City T-Bones have signed outfielder Kevin Keyes and two pitchers — Will Morris and Chris Perry — to contracts for the 2017 season.
Keyes, 28 (03-15-89), who is 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds out of Austin, Texas, has spent all seven years of his professional career in the Washington Nationals’ farm system.
He split time in 2016 between double-A Harrisburg and triple-A Syracuse, batting a combined .204 with 66 hits, including 12 home runs, 45 RBIs and 35 runs scored.
Keyes’ best season was 2015 when he split time between Harrisburg and Syracuse, and batted .248 with 117 hits. The previous season, 2014, Keyes hit 20 home runs at Harrisburg. The Nationals selected Keyes in the seventh round of the 2010 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Texas.
Morris, 23 (05-02-93), is a 6-foot-4 and 180-pound right hander from Las Vegas, Nev. In 2016, splitting time between high-A Clearwater and double-A Reading in the Philadelphia Phillies’ organization, Morris went 9-4 with a 3.68 ERA in 28 games (14 starts). He struck out 59 and walked 25 in 107 2/3 innings.
The Phillies selected Morris in the 24th round of the 2013 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the College of Southern Nevada. In four professional seasons, Morris is 18-10 with three saves, a 3.04 ERA, 179 strikeouts and 55 walks in 89 games (23 starts).
Perry, 26 (07-15-90), is a 6-foot-2 and 215-pound right hander from Cary, N.C. He has spent the first four seasons of his professional career in the St. Louis Cardinals’ organization, after the club selected him in the 17th round of the 2012 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Methodist College.
Last season, Perry went 1-2 with a 3.38 ERA in 37 relief appearances. He struck out 60 and walked 40 in 53 1/3 innings. Perry has a career record of 12-13 with 20 saves and a 3.29 ERA. In 143 games (13 starts), Perry has a strikeout-to-walk ratio of 274-125.
The T-Bones open the 2017 regular season at home on May 19 against Lincoln.
– Story from Matt Fulks, T-Bones