Carter Kieboom on Nats' selection: "Really a dream come true"

The Nationals' top selection in the 2016 First-Year Player Draft met with the media on a conference call Friday. Shortstop Carter Kieboom, the younger brother of Double-A catcher Spencer Kieboom, was selected with the 28th pick in the opening round on Thursday night.

"To be selected by the Nationals, that's very special," said the 6-foot-2, 185 lb. Carter Kieboom. "I've never been able to play with my older brothers. Now to be given the opportunity to potentially to play with Spencer in a few years, I think that'd be a very cool scenario to take place."

The selection was a pleasant surprise for Kieboom, but he didn't expect it just because his older brother already plays in the Nationals organization.

"I didn't know. Going into the day, I still had no idea who was going to take me," Kieboom said. "I narrowed it down to a few teams. But I found out probably 10 or 15 minutes beforehand that the Nationals were going to take me. It was really a dream come true of mine. It's really just the beginning now."

All of the Kieboom brothers played or were offered scholarships to play baseball for Clemson. Carter has a scholarship offer on the table with the Tigers. He said he will decide in the next 24 hours whether he will take the scholarship offer or play for the Nationals.

"It's something I've been thinking about a lot," Carter said. "I haven't told anyone 100 percent what I'm going to do yet. I plan to make that (decision) here within the next day - probably tomorrow, I'll make that decision. I'm very thankful for the Nationals organization to give me this opportunity I've been dreaming of my whole life. We will find out tomorrow what the decision is."

Carter plays shortstop but said he can work at pretty much any infield position.

"I like shortstop a lot because it's similar to catching. You see the whole field for the most part, you get to control it," Carter said. "You're right in the middle of the diamond. Growing up, I've played pretty much every position.

"I feel very comfortable anywhere in the infield. That's one thing I've actually really tried to work on is not to solidify myself at one position, but to be really good at a lot of positions to give me more options."

Carter said he is not influenced by hotshot plays by major leaguers or the new way of doing things, but believes in old school fundamentals to drive his game.

"I'd describe my game as a player that understands the game very well at a mature level," Carter said. "I'm one that goes out and plays my game. I don't try to do something I'm not capable of or if I see something on TV, I don't go out and try that. I just play my game because I know if I play my game, that will work, and that will take me where I want to be."

Carter said he got a very positive reaction from his brothers Spencer and Trevor when he told them the news.

"I talked to both my brothers," Carter said. "They were moreso congratulating me, enjoy it. Now you're about to embark on one of the greatest journeys of your life. It's going to be a grind. But remember why you started playing the game because you love it and have fun with it."