Kai Roberts Stats & Scouting Report

Full name Kai Jackson Roberts
Born 03/15/2001 in Orem, UT
Profile Ht.: 6'4" / Wt.: 200 / Bats: L / Throws: R
School Utah
Drafted in the 7th round (210th overall) by the San Diego Padres in 2024 (signed for $10,000).

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Roberts is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter who started his career at Utah as an infielder and outfielder, but became a primary outfielder in his final two seasons and the team’s everyday center fielder in 2024 as a senior. He had a career offensive season this spring and hit .356/.430/.562 with seven home runs and 33 stolen bases. He’s a plus-plus runner and slasher type hitter in the box who might have a chance to develop into an average defender in center field despite a below-average arm. Roberts is the son of Ryan Roberts, who was drafted in the 42nd round of the 1996 draft by the Cardinals.

Top Rankings

BA Grade/Risk: 45/Extreme.

Track Record: Roberts showed flashes throughout his four-year career at Utah, then parlayed a strong 2023 summer circuit into a breakout 2024 season where he posted career-highs in every major statistical category. The Padres drafted him in the seventh round and he carried it over to Low-A Lake Elsinore, hitting .340/.414/.470 in 24 games.

Scouting Report: Roberts has a tall, lanky frame and stands tall in the box. He has a noticeable barrel tip and his hands drift a little bit in his load, and he is a small-strider with present bat speed. Roberts posted just a 69% overall contact rate and did most of his damage against fastballs. He’ll need to get better at picking up spin. Although he struggled to make contact against secondaries, Roberts’ swing decisions were advanced and his overall chase rate was just 20% in his pro debut. He uses the entire field with a particular knack for going the other way. Roberts is a double-plus runner and instinctual, effective base-stealer. He is a rangy outfield defender whose speed and athleticism allow him to cover plenty of ground in all directions. Roberts’ arm is fringe-average, but his overall defensive skillset gives him a chance to stick in center field.

The Future: Roberts is entering his age-24 season, but his present tools are intriguing. He figures to reach High-A Fort Wayne in relatively short order.

Scouting Grades: Hit: 45 | Power: 40 | Run: 70 | Field: 55 | Arm: 45.

Roberts is a 6-foot-5, 205-pound outfielder and lefthanded hitter who started his career at Utah as an infielder and outfielder, but became a primary outfielder in his final two seasons and the team’s everyday center fielder in 2024 as a senior. He had a career offensive season this spring and hit .356/.430/.562 with seven home runs and 33 stolen bases. He’s a plus-plus runner and slasher type hitter in the box who might have a chance to develop into an average defender in center field despite a below-average arm. Roberts is the son of Ryan Roberts, who was drafted in the 42nd round of the 1996 draft by the Cardinals.