Kevin Kendall

Kendall has been a scout favorite since his days at La Mirada (Calif.) High, but he never put together the performance to match his tools. That changed this spring. After missing the 2020 season with a wrist injury, Kendall returned to hit .355/.409/.496 during the regular season as UCLA’s leadoff hitter and set new career highs in doubles (14) and home runs (four). Kendall is one of the most athletic and versatile college players in the draft class. He is nearly a plus-plus runner, was a plus defender at shortstop and showed he could play an above-average center field this season when he moved off of short in deference to Matt McLain. He is also a plus defender at second base and has the athleticism and instincts to play almost any position on the field. He has had injuries to his wrist and shoulder, so his arm strength will range from below-average to above-average depending on the day. At the plate Kendall has good hand-eye coordination and a loose, lefthanded swing to project as a potentially average hitter. He swung and missed too much in the past, but he made significant improvements in his approach this year and began chasing less to cut down on his strikeouts. Kendall lacks physicality and projects for below-average power, although he does flash the ability to drive the ball out to his pull-side. He uses his speed effectively on the basepaths and stole 32 bases in 141 career games. Kendall’s defensive versatility is his best asset and he projects to hit enough to stick on a big league bench. He is in the mix to be taken on the draft’s second day.