Kyle Jensen Stats & Scouting Report

AB	31
AVG	.194
OBP	.265
SLG	.452
HR	2

Full name Kyle Gregory Jensen
Born 05/20/1988 in Walnut Creek, CA
Profile Ht.: 6'3" / Wt.: 255 / Bats: R / Throws: L
School Saint Mary's (CA)
Debut 09/03/2016
Drafted in the 12th round (368th overall) by the Miami Marlins in 2009 (signed for $100,000).

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Teams looking for college bats were having to look harder than usual this year. One option is St. Mary's outfielder Kyle Jensen. He was a skinny 6-foot-2, 180-pound lefthanded pitcher in high school, with an ordinary mid-80s fastball. Now a slugging righthanded-hitting outfielder, he has grown into a powerful 6-foot-4, 230-pounder. Jensen enjoyed a sensational 2008 season, belting 13 home runs while hitting .421 to lead the West Coast Conference. He also was productive in the Alaska League, hitting .265 for Mat-Su. His 2009 encore wasn't quite as impressive, as he swung for the fences more. He wound up at .286 with 58 strikeouts in 213 at-bats. Scouts love Jensen's huge raw power but are concerned about his contact rate. Some scouts think his high strikeout numbers came because he was pressing, though he does have holes in his swing. Despite his bulk, Jensen has excellent speed---6.7 seconds on the 60-yard dash. He played both corners in college but profiles better in left, with a solid-average arm and acceptable defensive skills. He could go out as high as the third round despite his poor season.

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In an organization starved for power bats, Jensen stands out as a big, physical righthanded batter with the raw strength and bat speed to hit the ball out to all fields. The question is how much will he hit. He struggles to identify pitches and is tempted too frequently by breaking balls in the dirt, resulting in 306 strikeouts over the past two seasons. Though he's a below-average runner, Jensen will pick his spots to swipe a bag. Through hard work, he has turned himself into a slightly below-average corner outfielder who positions himself properly and gets good jumps. His arm strength is average with good accuracy, making him more suitable for left field but playable in right. Jensen may fit best in a platoon role.
Jensen bashed his way through the high Class A Florida State League in 2011, capturing MVP honors despite playing in a tough park. He hit the wall upon moving up to Double-A last year, struggling to stay above .200 for the first four months before a late surge saw him hit .325 with 12 homers and 36 RBIs over the last five weeks. His calling card is plus power and strength. His swing is long and his hit tool rates below-average. When he struggled, he was late to fastballs, fouling off pitches he should have been squaring up. In trying to catch up, he created holes in his swing. Once behind in the count he would often guess wrong, looking for one pitch and getting another. When he's going well, he drives the ball between left-center and right-center and doesn't look to pull for power. An adequate left fielder, he catches what he gets to and has an average arm. He's a below-average runner and has attempted just three stolen bases the past two seasons. Quiet and unemotional, he's a hard worker who needs to relax and not outthink himself. He mashed to a .330/.390/.593 line in the Arizona Fall League, earning a spot on the 40-man roster, and will challenge for a Triple-A job this spring.
As a college sophomore, Jensen set a St. Mary's record by hitting .421. In his third pro season last year, he won high Class A Florida State League MVP honors after putting on a power display despite a tough home park in Jupiter and virtually no protection in the lineup. Despite being promoted to Double-A with nearly a month remaining, he finished third in the FSL home run chase with 22. Jensen generates his power more with strength than bat speed, though he times pitches well enough to catch up with good fastballs. Scouts question whether he can do as much damage against better pitching, because his swing gets long and he struggles against quality breaking balls. He does use the entire field, an approach that gives him a chance to be an average hitter. He goes to the plate with an idea of what he's looking for and punishes mistakes. While he's a below-average runner and little threat to steal a bag, Jensen isn't a clogger on the bases. He has enough athleticism to do a passable job on the outfield corners, where his range has improved since he signed and he generally makes good reads. His arm is fringy, making him better suited for left field. Jensen likely will return to Jacksonville to begin 2012.