Kean Wong Moves Up to AA in 2016

Kean Wong. File photo from Flickr.com.

Kean Wong is making the next step in his goal of following his big brother to the major leagues.

The younger brother of St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong, Kean Wong is another step closer to getting his shot at the big league level, moving up to the Double-A level to open the 2016 Minor League Baseball season.

Last year, Kean Wong spent the season with the Charlotte Stone Crabs, the Class-A Advanced Affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays organization. In 103 games, he batted .274 with one home run and a career-high 36 runs batted in. He also tallied 15 stolen bases, a career best in his two-and-a-half professional seasons.

A sure sign that Kean Wong was taking another step forward in the Rays organization was shown when he was given a few opportunities to play in a few of the team’s Spring Training games, which allowed him to get a few at-bats against better pitching and a chance to be evaluated by the organization’s top coaches. In three Spring Training games, he batted .250 (1-for-4) with an RBI. He also showed some versatility by playing both second and third base.

Tampa Bay ranks Kean Wong as the 28th best prospect in its organization.

Kean Wong’s new team, the Montgomery Biscuits, will open the 2016 season on the road against the Jackson Generals, a Seattle Mariners farm club, on Thursday night. Both teams compete in the Southern League.