Millville’s Buddy Kennedy is back in the majors, this time with a new team

Buddy Kennedy, a 2017 graduate of Millville High School, has made his way back to Major League Baseball, now as a member of the Toronto Blue Jays. The club selected his minor league contract on Tuesday, bringing him up to the big leagues. Although he didn’t appear in Tuesday’s 10-4 victory over the Colorado Rockies, he joined the team in Denver and is available as Toronto wraps up the series Wednesday afternoon.

The Blue Jays signed Kennedy on July 10 after the Philadelphia Phillies designated him for assignment on June 30. He chose free agency on July 5. During his brief stint with the Phillies this season, Kennedy went hitless in seven at-bats, drawing one walk and striking out twice.

Since joining Toronto, Kennedy has been playing with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Prior to this move, he was putting up solid numbers in the minors, earning International League Player of the Month honors for May while playing with the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In 77 games this year in Triple-A, he batted .268 with eight home runs and 45 RBIs.

Kennedy has a long-standing connection to South Jersey baseball. He and current Blue Jays teammate Davis Schneider were youth teammates on the South Jersey Young Guns and both earned All-South Jersey honors during their high school careers in 2016 and 2017. They’re now teammates once again — this time in the majors.

The Phillies initially acquired Kennedy from the Detroit Tigers on June 7, 2024. Across the last two seasons, he appeared in 12 MLB games for Philadelphia, going 2-for-18 with a double, three walks, and two RBIs. This year marked the second time the Phillies designated him for assignment; he previously cleared waivers following spring training and re-signed with the organization.

Now 26, Kennedy has logged time in the majors with the Diamondbacks, Tigers, and Phillies over four seasons. He was selected in the fifth round of the 2017 MLB Draft by Arizona.