| Connor Kaiser | |
| Team: | Colorado Rockies |
| Position: | Shortstop |
| Birth Date: | 20 November 1996 |
| Birth Place: | Shawnee Mission, Kansas, U.S. |
| Bats: | Right |
| Throws: | Right |
| Debutleague: | MLB |
| Debutdate: | June 19 |
| Debutyear: | 2023 |
| Debutteam: | Colorado Rockies |
| Statyear: | 2023 season |
| Statleague: | MLB |
| Stat1label: | Batting average |
| Stat1value: | .000 |
| Stat2label: | Home runs |
| Stat2value: | 0 |
| Stat3label: | Runs batted in |
| Stat3value: | 0 |
| Teams: | |
Connor William Kaiser (born November 20, 1996) is an American professional baseball shortstop in the Colorado Rockies organization. He made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 2023.
Kaiser attended Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas,[1] and Vanderbilt University, where he played college baseball for the Vanderbilt Commodores. In 2017, he played collegiate summer baseball with the Yarmouth–Dennis Red Sox of the Cape Cod Baseball League.[2] During the 2018 NCAA Division I baseball tournament, Kaiser tied a school-record with three home runs and an NCAA tournament record with 10 runs batted in (RBIs) during a game against the Clemson Tigers.[3]
The Pittsburgh Pirates selected Kaiser in the third round, with the 86th overall selection, of the 2018 Major League Baseball draft.[4] He signed with the Pirates and made his professional debut with the Low–A West Virginia Black Bears, also appearing for the Single–A West Virginia Power later in the year.[5] In 2019, he played for the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Across 79 appearances, Kaiser batted .200/.331/.325 with career–highs in home runs (7) and RBI (36).[6]
Kaiser did not play in a game in 2020 due to the cancellation of the minor league season because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[7] He returned to action in 2021, and spent the year with the Double–A Altoona Curve, also playing in 5 games for the Triple–A Indianapolis Indians. In 48 games in Altoona, he struggled to a .195/.280/.322 batting line with 4 home runs and 14 RBI.[8] Kaiser began the 2022 season with Triple–A Indianapolis, but played in just three games before he was released by the Pirates organization on May 4, 2022.[9]
On May 10, 2022, Kaiser signed a minor league contract with the San Diego Padres organization.[10] He played in 54 games for the Double–A San Antonio Missions, hitting .202/.299/.360 with 7 home runs, 28 RBI, and 9 stolen bases. He elected free agency following the season on November 10.[11]
On December 9, 2022, Kaiser signed a minor league contract with the Colorado Rockies organization.[12] He began the 2023 season with the Triple–A Albuquerque Isotopes, playing in 50 games and hitting .278/.376/.506 with 7 home runs, 26 RBI, and 6 stolen bases.[13] On June 19, 2023, the Rockies selected Kaiser's contract to the 40-man roster and promoted him to the major leagues for the first time.[14] In 3 contests for Colorado, Kaiser went hitless in 4 at–bats. He was designated for assignment by the Rockies on July 2, following the promotion of Fernando Abad.[15] Kaiser cleared waivers and was sent outright to Triple–A Albuquerque on July 4.[16]