With Wieters out, Kieboom ready for opportunity with Nats

Saturday, Nationals catcher Spencer Kieboom (key-BOOM) made his first Major League start in game one against the Dodgers. It marked his first appearance in a game since he walked and scored a run against the Marlins on October 2, 2016.

In his first at-bat, Kieboom laced a single to left field off of Dodgers starter Ross Stripling for his first major league base hit.

Update: Tanner Roark on having Kieboom catch for him Saturday: "Good, really good actually. He's very vocal between innings. Usually I just sit by myself and just stay focused. He's very vocal. I liked it. Just talking about what we're going to do with the first hitter and who we got coming up. That was his first time ever catching me, ever. I thought he did a pretty dang good job catching me. And he got his first knock."

"We are definitely going to get him into games. I like him," said Nationals manager Davey Martinez. "He's worked really hard. I talked to (Syracuse manager) Randy Knorr about him and he said he was catching really well."

So what has Kieboom done in spring training hitting and catching to best prepare for this opportunity?

Kieboom said he worked tirelessly on his fitness and his swing with a coach. Ironically, he would see a lot more of that coach once spring training in Florida began.

"I felt good. I hit with (Nationals hitting coach) Kevin Long this off season, good friends with his son Jaron," Kieboom said. "It kind of even worked out. I was actually planning on hitting with him before the Nationals even hired him. Last year rolling off the year I had last year I think was really big. Finding that rhythm and finding that right swing kind of just rolled with it in spring."

Kieboom, 27, said Long focused his swing on taking advantage of the best pitch available.

"He preaches getting your 'A' swing off," Kieboom said. "If you can do that more times than not, most times good things will happen. You go up there and you don't want to get yourself out. Going up there and getting your 'A' swing off and doing those things has been beneficial.

"Recognizing pitches, not missing your pitch. Regardless if it's a fastball, slider, curveball or changeup, you get your pitch you got to take advantage of it. Because you may not get another one in that at-bat."

Kieboom worked out all offseason in Georgia with his younger brother, Carter, who is an infielder in the Nats system. Carter Kieboom, 20, a 2016 first round selection, is a shortstop for the high Single-A Potomac Nationals and is slashing .268/.381/.443 in 36 games.

Spencer said that working with Carter, major leaguers and coaches that know his swing helped him improve after his 2017 season.

"I see him every single day. We workout at the same facility," Kieboom said. "Rapid Sports Performance in Woodstock, Ga. There are a good group of guys there. You learn a lot, worked out with (Rockies) Charlie Blackmon the last five years. Tyler Flowers, D.J. LeMahieu, Jeremy Hermida, some of the guys off the top of my head, kind of pick their brains. Hitting with Charlie last two years has been great for me.

"I hit with (Georgia Tech's) Jay Hood. He does a great job. He's not there to tinker with you, he's there to help you. He'll maybe mention something if he sees something off and go from there."

So how much did all that offseason work help his swing?

Kieboom hit .250 with four doubles, a homer and 10 RBIs in 25 games for Triple-A after slashing .324/.405/.324 in 26 spring training games.

The backstop outlined his mentality in the batter's box and how he prepares for each at-bat.

"To me it's a feeling thing. If you can go into the game with the right feeling every single day good things happen," Kieboom said. "Obviously, I think you need to look at video because bad habits start to develop regardless of who you are.

"I think if you can watch the right amount of video with right amount of good feeling when you step out of the cage I think you are setting yourself up for the best recipe for success."

Kieboom said he came into this season confident based on his solid spring and his time with the Nationals in West Palm Beach.

"It helped a lot. The fact that it was my fourth camp this year," Kieboom explained. "I have been around these guys for four spring trainings. Now I'm lucky enough to be around them right now. I'm trying to get in there and catch as many bullpens as I can with these starters and even relievers before a game just to see as much as I can before game time. I'm hoping it's an easy transition."

Defensively, Kieboom relishes his spot behind the plate. He has admired the position since he was a kid. And this season, playing some games at a different spot on the infield, made him realize how much he cherishes being the catcher.

"To me I would catch just because it was kind of the one position I was good at. But it's grown to more of an appreciation because I love everything that goes into catching," he said. "I think I've realized it more because I have taken reps at first base and I just love everything that goes into it.

"Studying the other team. Knowing your guy's strengths on the mound. Knowing weaknesses of the other hitters. Which is going to play better in situations that are going on in the game. Different things like that to me is what excites me. That's what I love to do."

The best part of playing catcher for Kieboom is that he touches the ball on every pitch.

"You are in it. It's fun. There's nothing that sucks more when you get into a bases loaded situation with no outs, but there's nothing more rewarding when you get out of it with no runs. Those are the kind of moments right there where you hope that your preparation that you've taken in comes into play and it works out."

With Matt Wieters out for a long period of time, some started asking if the club should find a veteran to back up Pedro Severino? Martinez said bottom line is they have confidence in what Keiboom can do.

"He's ready. Trust him," Martinez said. "We like him. That's why he is here."