Drafted in the 8th round (230th overall) by the Minnesota Twins in 2015 (signed for $175,400).
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Last summer, Kendrick looked like a nice addition to Southeast Louisiana's recruiting class, but little more. His body was softer than scouts would have liked and his pull-heavy, sellout-for-power approach didn't impress, which explained why he wasn't selected to go to the East Coast Pro showcase. He slimmed down and added strength with a CrossFit regime and retooled his swing with a hitting coach, turning himself into a significantly better prospect this spring. Kendrick's power is his calling card. It's top-of-the-scale 80 raw power that has paid off in some epic home runs this spring. He's shown increased fluidity in his lefthanded swing and has shown that he can drive the ball to the opposite field and get solid swings against lefthanders. His hit tool will determine his value. Scouts who like him think he could make enough consistent contact to let his power play. Others still see some stiffness and length to his swing and believe he'll struggle to unlock his power. He a below-average first baseman, albeit with an average arm that let him play some third base in high school. He runs well for his size, but is still a below-average runner who will likely slow as he matures. If it all comes together, he's a potential home run champ thanks to his best-in-the-class power. But he's a boom-or-bust type in the mold of 2006 Braves first-rounder Cody Johnson, who flamed out in Double-A.
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Draft Prospects
Last summer, Kendrick looked like a nice addition to Southeast Louisiana's recruiting class, but little more. His body was softer than scouts would have liked and his pull-heavy, sellout-for-power approach didn't impress, which explained why he wasn't selected to go to the East Coast Pro showcase. He slimmed down and added strength with a CrossFit regime and retooled his swing with a hitting coach, turning himself into a significantly better prospect this spring. Kendrick's power is his calling card. It's top-of-the-scale 80 raw power that has paid off in some epic home runs this spring. He's shown increased fluidity in his lefthanded swing and has shown that he can drive the ball to the opposite field and get solid swings against lefthanders. His hit tool will determine his value. Scouts who like him think he could make enough consistent contact to let his power play. Others still see some stiffness and length to his swing and believe he'll struggle to unlock his power. He a below-average first baseman, albeit with an average arm that let him play some third base in high school. He runs well for his size, but is still a below-average runner who will likely slow as he matures. If it all comes together, he's a potential home run champ thanks to his best-in-the-class power. But he's a boom-or-bust type in the mold of 2006 Braves first-rounder Cody Johnson, who flamed out in Double-A.
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