Detroit Tigers claim infielder Buddy Kennedy, who had .432 OBP in Triple-A, off waivers

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Detroit Tigers have claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy, who has played in 40 games across parts of two seasons in his MLB career, off waivers from the St. Louis Cardinals.

Kennedy, 25, primary plays second base.

Infielder Andre Lipcius, who made his MLB debut last season, was designated for assignment Tuesday to create room for Kennedy on the 40-man roster.

Kennedy has been claimed off waivers three times since September 2023. The Oakland Athletics claimed him off waivers from the Arizona Diamondbacks in early September, then the St. Louis Cardinals claimed him off waivers from the Athletics in late October.

Now, Kennedy has joined the Tigers as a waiver claim — scooped up by president of baseball operations Scott Harris — after getting designated for assignment by the Cardinals.

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Kennedy hit .308 with five home runs, 76 walks (16.4% walk rate) and 81 strikeouts (17.5% strikeout rate) across 101 games for Triple-A Reno and Triple-A Las Vegas last season, posting a .432 on-base percentage.

Back in 2021, Kennedy launched 22 home runs in 96 games with High-A Hillsboro and Double-A Amarillo, but he hasn't delivered the same power at the higher levels.

He has a .380 OBP in his 498-game career in the minor leagues.

Kennedy, who has one minor-league option remaining, was selected by the Diamondbacks in the fifth round, at No. 142 overall, of the 2017 draft out of Millville Senior High School in New Jersey, the same high school as three-time MVP Mike Trout.

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Kennedy made his MLB debut in June 2022. He has played 40 games in his MLB career, all for the Diamondbacks, hitting .206 with one home run, 12 walks and 29 strikeouts.

Lipcius, a third-round pick in the 2019 draft out of Tennessee, hit .286 with one home run, three walks and eight strikeouts in 13 games with the Tigers last season.

The 25-year-old can be outrighted to Triple-A Toledo, thus remaining in the Tigers' organization, if he clears waivers. He hit .272 with a .363 on-base percentage in 97 games for the Mud Hens in 2023, before his September promotion to the Tigers.

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Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Tigers add Buddy Kennedy, who had .432 OBP in Triple-A