Clifton Lewis "Buddy" Kennedy (born October 5, 1998) is an American professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

infielder An infielder is a baseball player stationed at one of four defensive "infield" positions on the baseball field, between first base and third base. Standard arrangement of positions In a game of baseball, two teams of nine players take turns pla ...

in the

Toronto Blue Jays The Toronto Blue Jays are a Canadian professional baseball team based in Toronto. The Blue Jays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Since 1989, the team has p ...

organization. He has previously played in

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

(MLB) for the

Arizona Diamondbacks The Arizona Diamondbacks are an American professional baseball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. The Diamondbacks compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) West Division. The franchise was established ...

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. One of the AL's eight chart ...

, and

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

Amateur career

Born and raised in

Millville, New Jersey Millville is a city in Cumberland County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 27,491, a decrease of 909 (−3.2%) from the 2010 census count of 28,400, which in turn reflected an in ...

, Kennedy attended Millville Senior High School. There, he played

and batted .493 with six

home run In baseball, a home run (abbreviated HR) is scored when the Baseball (ball), ball is hit in such a way that the batting (baseball), batter is able to circle the bases and reach home plate safe (baseball), safely in one play without any error ( ...

s as a senior in 2017. He was selected by the

in the fifth round of the

2017 Major League Baseball draft The 2017 Major League Baseball draft began on June 12, 2017. The draft assigned amateur baseball players to MLB teams. The first 36 picks, including the first round and compensatory picks, were broadcast on MLB Network on June 12, while the remai ...

. He signed for $550,000, forgoing his commitment to play

college baseball College baseball is baseball that is played by Student athlete, student-athletes at institutions of higher education. In the United States, college baseball is sanctioned mainly by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA); in Japan, ...

at the

University of North Carolina The University of North Carolina is the Public university, public university system for the state of North Carolina. Overseeing the state's 16 public universities and the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics, it is commonly referre ...

Professional career

Arizona Diamondbacks

Kennedy made his professional debut with the

Arizona League Diamondbacks The Arizona Complex League Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team competing as a Rookie-level affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the Arizona Complex League of Minor League Baseball. The team plays its home games at Salt River Fields a ...

, batting .270 with nine doubles, eight triples, and twenty RBIs over fifty games. In 2018, he played with the

Missoula Osprey The Missoula PaddleHeads are an independent baseball team of the Pioneer League, which is not affiliated with Major League Baseball (MLB) but is an MLB Partner League. They are located in Missoula, Montana, and play their home games at Ogren Pa ...

with whom he slashed .327/.396/.465 with four home runs and 32 RBIs over 57 games. For the 2019 season, he played for the

Kane County Cougars The Kane County Cougars are a professional baseball team located in Geneva, Illinois, and are members of the American Association of Professional Baseball, an official Partner League of Major League Baseball (MLB). They play their home games a ...

, hitting .262 with seven home runs and 49 RBIs over 101 games. He did not play a minor league game in 2020 after the season was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

. Kennedy began the 2021 season with the

Hillsboro Hops The Hillsboro Hops are a Minor League Baseball team in the Pacific Northwest, northwest United States, located in Hillsboro, Oregon, a city in the Portland metropolitan area. The Hops are members of the Northwest League and are the High-A affilia ...

and was promoted to the

Amarillo Sod Poodles The Amarillo Sod Poodles, nicknamed the Soddies, are a Minor League Baseball team of the Texas League and the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Amarillo, Texas, and play their home games at Hodgetown in downtow ...

in mid-June. Over 96 games between the two clubs, Kennedy slashed .290/.384/.523 with 22 home runs, sixty RBIs, and 16 stolen bases. He was selected to play in the

Arizona Fall League The Arizona Fall League (AFL) is an off-season baseball league owned and operated by Major League Baseball (MLB) which operates during autumn in Arizona, United States, at six different baseball complexes. Arizona Fall League rosters are filled ...

for the

Salt River Rafters The Salt River Rafters are a baseball team that plays in the East Division of the Arizona Fall League. They play their home games at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick in the Salt River Pima–Maricopa Indian Community near Scottsdale, Arizona. ...

after the season. Kennedy was assigned to the

Reno Aces The Reno Aces are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks. They are located in Reno, Nevada, and play their home games at Greater Nevada Field, w ...

of the Triple-A

Pacific Coast League The Pacific Coast League (PCL) is a Minor League Baseball league that operates in the Western United States. Along with the International League, it is one of two leagues playing at the Triple-A (baseball), Triple-A level, which is one grade bel ...

to begin the 2022 season. On June 17, the Diamondbacks selected his contract and he made his MLB debut that night as the starting designated hitter versus the

Minnesota Twins The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis. The Twins compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central Division. The team is named afte ...

. He recorded his first MLB hit that night with a single off Devin Smeltzer. On June 19, he recorded his first MLB home run, a grand slam off

Caleb Thielbar Caleb John Thielbar (born January 31, 1987) is an American professional baseball pitcher for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Minnesota Twins. He made his MLB debut with the Twins in 2013. ...

of the

. He was sent outright off the roster on November 11, 2022. He was assigned to Triple-A Reno to begin the 2023 season, where he played in 87 games and hit .318/.447/.480 with 5 home runs and 46 RBI. On August 12, 2023, the Diamondbacks selected Kennedy's contract, adding him to the major league roster. In 10 games for Arizona, Kennedy went 4-for-24 (.167) with 1 RBI. On September 6, he was

designated for assignment Designated for assignment (DFA) is a contractual term used in Major League Baseball (MLB). A player who is designated for assignment is immediately removed from the team's 40-man roster, after which the team must, within seven days, return the pla ...

following the waiver claim of

Seby Zavala Bernardo Sebastian Zavala (born August 28, 1993) is an American professional baseball catcher in the Boston Red Sox organization. He has previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago White Sox, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Seattle ...

Oakland Athletics

On September 9, 2023, Kennedy was claimed off waivers by the

Oakland Athletics The Oakland Athletics (frequently referred to as the Oakland A's) were an American Major League Baseball (MLB) team based in Oakland, California from 1968 to 2024. The Athletics were a member club of the American League (AL) American League We ...

. In 11 games for the Triple-A

Las Vegas Aviators The Las Vegas Aviators, formerly known as the Las Vegas 51s and Las Vegas Stars, are a Minor League Baseball team of the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Athletics. They are located in Summerlin South, Nevada, a comm ...

, Kennedy hit .216/.326/.216 with no home runs, four RBI, and six walks.

Detroit Tigers

On October 25, 2023, Kennedy was claimed off waivers by the

St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals are an American professional baseball team based in St. Louis. The Cardinals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Centra ...

. He was designated for assignment on February 27, 2024, following the signing of Brandon Crawford, and claimed off waivers by the

on February 29. Kennedy was optioned to the Triple-A

Toledo Mud Hens The Toledo Mud Hens are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League and the Triple-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Toledo, Ohio, and play their home games at Fifth Third Field. A baseball team nicknamed the ...

to begin the 2024 season. The Tigers called up Kennedy on April 20 to replace

Gio Urshela Giovanny Urshela Salcedo (born October 11, 1991) is a Colombian professional baseball third baseman for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Cleveland Indians, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees ...

, who was placed on the injured list. In 6 games for Detroit, he went 2-for-10 with one home run and four RBI. On June 3, Kennedy was designated for assignment by the Tigers.

Philadelphia Phillies

On June 7, 2024, Kennedy was traded to the

in exchange for cash considerations. On September 9, in his third game with the Phillies, Philadelphia fans chanted "Buddy," repeatedly as Kennedy walked in a pinch-hit appearance, one batter before Kody Clemens hit a bases loaded walk-off single in a 2–1 win over the

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

. In eight appearances for the Phillies, Kennedy went 2-for-11 (.182) with two RBI and two walks. Kennedy, the final cut from the Phillies 2025 Opening Day roster, was designated for assignment on March 27, 2025. On April 1, he cleared waivers and elected free agency in lieu of an outright assignment to the Triple-A

Lehigh Valley IronPigs The Lehigh Valley IronPigs are a Minor League Baseball team of the International League (IL) and the Triple-A affiliate of the Philadelphia Phillies. They are located in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and they are named in reference to pig iron, used ...

. However, he re-signed with the organization on a minor league contract the same day. In 61 appearances for Lehigh, Kennedy batted .283/.388/.447 with eight home runs, 40 RBI, and three stolen bases. On June 19, the Phillies selected Kennedy's contract, adding him to their active roster. In four appearances for Philadelphia, he went 0-for-7 with one walk. Kennedy was designated for assignment by the Phillies on June 30. He elected free agency after clearing waivers on July 5.

Toronto Blue Jays

On July 9, 2025, Kennedy signed a minor league contract with the

.https://www.mlb.com/bluejays/roster/transactions

Personal life

Kennedy is close friends with

Los Angeles Angels The Los Angeles Angels are an American professional baseball team based in the Greater Los Angeles, Greater Los Angeles area. The Angels compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League West, ...

outfielder An outfielder is a person playing in one of the three defensive positions in baseball or softball, farthest from the batter. These defenders are the left fielder, the center fielder, and the right fielder. As an outfielder, their duty is to catch ...

Mike Trout Michael Nelson Trout (born August 7, 1991) is an American professional baseball outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Major League Baseball (MLB). Trout is an 11-time Major League Baseball All-Star Game, All-Star, three-time American League (A ...

and trains with him in the off-season. Kennedy's grandfather, Don Money, played in MLB for the

and

Milwaukee Brewers The Milwaukee Brewers are an American professional baseball team based in Milwaukee. The Brewers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (baseball), National League (NL) National League Central, Central Di ...

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy, Buddy 1998 births Living people Amarillo Sod Poodles players 21st-century American sportsmen Arizona Diamondbacks players Arizona League Diamondbacks players Baseball players from Cumberland County, New Jersey Buffalo Bisons (minor league) players Detroit Tigers players Hillsboro Hops players Kane County Cougars players Las Vegas Aviators players Lehigh Valley IronPigs players Major League Baseball third basemen Millville High School (New Jersey) alumni Missoula Osprey players Sportspeople from Millville, New Jersey Philadelphia Phillies players Reno Aces players Salt River Rafters players Toledo Mud Hens players