It took the Tuesday demotion of the popular but offensively unproductive center fielder Jake Marisnick, but Tony Kemp was promoted, Wednesday, May 16 to the Houston Astros.

According to Houston Chronicle Astros beat writer, Chandler Rome, “Kemp took a flight from Fresno to Phoenix (late Tuesday, following the Fresno day game), then another from Phoenix to El Paso (where the Grizzlies were to start a road trip on Thursday, May 17). He found out he was called up upon deplaning in El Paso at 10:30, Tuesday night. A return flight to Anaheim, California left at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday morning.” #KempinAintEasy

Marisnick was hitting .141 with three homers and seven RBIs. During his 85 Houston at-bats, he struck out 41 times and walked only once. He was six-for-53 with 27 strikeouts in his last 24 games.

Kemp was chosen over equally raking and deserving Fresno players JD Davis and Tyler White, largely because his tools not only slightly mirror Marisnick’s (outfield defense, speed), but provides, generally, more defensive flexibility than do Davis and White. Plus, he hits from the left side.

Related: Astros’ Dynamic Duo, Kemp & Tyler White, Have Earned Spot on Playoff Roster

Kemp can play 2B, CF, and LF, while Davis has spent time, recently, at 3B, 1B, and more recently, in left field (a Houston front office directive) for Fresno. White can play all infield positions but SS and has played LF only a couple times during his Houston tenure in 2017.

Kemp was a fifth-round draft pick for Houston in 2013, out of Vanderbilt.

Related: Tony Kemp’s Hugs For Homers Helping Houston Kids

Patience Has a Hashtag

This recent promotion to Houston will be Tony Kemp’s fifth directly from Fresno. He will be 27 on Halloween and has spent parts of each of the last four seasons in Triple-A, with three of those years featuring the “obligatory” big league call-up. Not that his promotions have been undeserved; quite the contrary.

Kemp, originally a second baseman, could start, easily, for three-quarters of MLB teams. But, reigning batting champ and AL MVP Jose Altuve has dibs on second base, thank you very much, and Kemp has been nudged into the outfield to give himself a better chance at breaking through. Kemp, in fact, is an Altuve-like 5’6″, 165 pounds.

Davis, White, and several other longtime Fresno players share Kemp’s arms crossed, toe-tapping borderline impatience, as they have more than proven their competence at the AAA level, and find themselves looking up at World Champions at their respective big league positions.

Third baseman Colin Moran wriggled himself free this past offseason, as he and pitcher Joe Musgrove were ticketed east to Pittsburgh in exchange for starting pitcher Gerrit Cole, one part of the Astros’ current 3-headed potential Cy Young Award monster.

Related: Colin Moran Sees the Day

Kemp’s patience and perseverance have even spawned a social media lament: #KempinAintEasy on Twitter.

Through May 15, Kemp was slashing .335/.407/.435 in 183 plate appearances with Fresno, and unfortunately saw his 20-game hitting streak snapped in Tuesday’s game against Salt Lake. Kemp’s 13 stolen bases (in 15 attempts) were topping the Pacific Coast League upon his promotion.

Kemp is the first Astros-affiliated player to own a major Fresno Grizzlies (for many years, a San Francisco Giants affiliate) offensive career record: triples, with 21, topping the 20 by Todd Linden, an eventual five-year veteran with the Giants and Marlins (2003-2007).

Kemp’s five 2018 triples ended up tied for second in the PCL, while his 33 runs scored were enough for third.

Related: Tony Kemp and his Hall of Fame Comp: The Young Joe Morgan