Kenny Peoples-Walls
| AB | 694 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .239 |
| OBP | .283 |
| SLG | .33 |
| HR | 12 |
- Full name Kenneth Peoples-Walls
- Born 08/16/1993 in Los Angeles, CA
- Profile Ht.: 6'1" / Wt.: 180 / Bats: R / Throws: R
- School Westchester
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Drafted in the 4th round (140th overall) by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2011 (signed for $200,000).
View Draft Report
Middle infielder Kenny Peoples has above-average speed and a knack for making contact. He's a bit undersized and has below-average power, but he has good hand-eye coordination, which helps him hit despite a swing that fails to utilize his lower half effectively. While he plays shortstop in high school, scouts agree that his range, arm strength and actions fit better at second. Peoples lacks polish and has questionable instincts, but his athleticism and chance for an average bat should get him drafted between the seventh and 12th rounds.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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The electric athleticism that first drew Cardinals scouts to Peoples-Walls when he was a Los Angeles-area youth started to translate into production with Rookie-level Johnson City in 2013. One of the Appalachian League's top athletes, Peoples-Walls finished in the top 10 in average (.300), slugging (.468) and OPS (.820). The righthanded hitter connects with authority but had some stretches where his swing lengthened and his strikeout rate soared. He has worked to achieve better balance, a more level swing and to do so without limiting any power potential. Peoples-Walls doesn't project to hit many home runs but should have solid gap power. He played shortstop through the season until a change during instructional league, when the Cardinals shifted him to center field. His arm plays there, and given experience his strides and speed should excel at the free-range position. He'll have to prove his offensive upswing will continue at a rate that meets the higher demands of the new position. He'll vie in the spring for a chance to play center field for a full-season club.
Minor League Top Prospects
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Peoples was one of the best athletes in the league this season, and he has started to translate his athleticism to the field as he finished in the top 10 in the league in batting and slugging. Managers were impressed by Peoples? ability to drive the ball the other way. He has easy bat speed, a line-drive stroke and a gap-to-gap approach, and he could hit 10-15 home runs and a lot of doubles when he physically matures. He has an above-average arm and plus speed, but stiffness in his hands and defensive actions led to a league-worst 20 errors. ?He was a Shawon Dunston-type defender who will make some silly mistakes,? a manager said. ?He was raw but young. (He was) talented and had a good arm.? Peoples profiles best as an offensive-oriented second baseman. He?ll need to tone down his aggressiveness at the plate and improve his strike zone discipline.
