OF Jeren Kendall (Vanderbilt): 5'10", 180 lbs, born 2/4/1996
Overview
Hit: 50. Power: 50. Run: 70. Throw: 55. Field: 60.
When you hear high-risk, high-reward, you typically think of high schoolers, but that label applies very well to Vanderbilt outfielder Jeren Kendall. He has put up big college numbers against top pitching in the SEC, slashing .308/.391/.557 over his college career as of May 7th, but there is continued skepticism over his ability to hit at the higher levels. If he does maximize his tools, he has the upside of a Jacoby Ellsbury/Grady Sizemore type player. Coming into the season, he was seen as a top-five pick after slashing .332/.396/.568 and stealing 28 bases as a sophomore, with early mock drafts placing him as high as #2 to the Reds, but an up and down spring has damaged his stock a tad. Still, with a .302/.382/.568 and 16 stolen bases so far in 2017, he is considered a front half of the first round pick.
Strengths
Kendall is an athlete. His speed stands out the most, having stolen 63 bases in 79 attempts (79.7% success rate), including 16 of 20 this season (80%). His speed also helps him on defense, where he grades out as a plus defender and should have no problem sticking in center field. He also does have that strong track record of offensive performance in the SEC, and his .266 ISO this season is an improvement on his .236 last season. His strong wrists snap the bat through the zone, generating power with a quick, simple swing.
Weaknesses
Despite all the tools and even all the performance, whether he will be able to maintain that high level of performance at the next level is up for debate. Kendall has a lot of swing and miss in his game, and after he posted K/BB ratios of 60/21 as a freshman and 62/25 as a sophomore, there was hopes that he would improve that ratio in 2017. However, unlike other college hitters like Keston Hiura, Jake Burger, and Adam Haseley, he has been unable to do so, putting up a 55/23 ratio so far. His strikeout rate has actually increased from 23.6% as a freshman/sophomore to 24.8% as a junior, though his 10.4% walk rate is a career best. I stated in the strengths section that he has a quick, simple swing, but because he simply throws his hands at the ball and snaps his wrists through, his barrel often isn't in the zone for long, contributing to his swing and miss tendencies. Whether pro coaching can help him fix those issues is yet to be seen.
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