Jeff Keppinger

Jeff Keppinger
Keppinger with the Tampa Bay Rays
Infielder
Born: (1980-04-21) April 21, 1980 (age 36) Miami, Florida
Batted: Right Threw: Right
MLB debut
August 20, 2004, for the New York Mets
Last MLB appearance
September 23, 2013, for the Chicago White Sox
MLB statistics
Batting average	.282
Home runs	45
Runs batted in	295
Teams
New York Mets (2004) Kansas City Royals (2006) Cincinnati Reds (2007–2008) Houston Astros (2009–2011) San Francisco Giants (2011) Tampa Bay Rays (2012) Chicago White Sox (2013)

Jeffrey Scott Keppinger (born April 21, 1980) is a former American professional baseball infielder. He bats and throws right-handed. Known as a contact hitter, Keppinger had one of the lowest strikeout rates in Major League Baseball. He led the league in the "at-bats-to-strikeouts" ratio in 2008 (19.1) and 2010 (14.3). For his career (through 2013), he has only 214 strikeouts in 2,882 at-bats.

In 1994 Keppinger played on the Dunwoody Braves summer baseball team. Keppinger was named to the AAU All-American team. He also played for the New England Collegiate Baseball League's Keene Swamp Bats.

Keppinger compiled a .380 batting average at the University of Georgia where, in the 2001 College World Series, he hit a two-run home run off star pitcher Mark Prior. That same year, he was drafted by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 4th round of the Major League Baseball Draft.

Keppinger's older brother, Billy, a left-handed pitcher, played independent baseball and minor league baseball in the Kansas City Royals system.

At the 2004 trading deadline, while Keppinger was in double-A ball, he was traded to the Mets as part of the Kris Benson for Ty Wigginton trade. His average soared even higher with the double-A Binghamton Mets and stayed above .300 with the triple-A Norfolk Tides earning him a call to the majors on August 20. He responded by hitting .284 with three home runs and nine RBI in 33 games played.