KD Kang
| AB | 2681 |
|---|---|
| AVG | .269 |
| OBP | .355 |
| SLG | .433 |
| HR | 70 |
- Full name Kyeong Duk Kang
- Born 02/06/1988 in Yang-San, South Korea
- Profile Ht.: 6'2" / Wt.: 210 / Bats: L / Throws: L
- School Chattahoochee Valley CC
- Drafted in the 15th round (439th overall) by the Tampa Bay Rays in 2006.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
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Kang became the first South Korean to enter professional baseball via the amateur draft when the Rays signed him for $75,000 as a draft-and-follow. They took him in the 30th round out of an Atlanta-area high school in 2006 after he had moved to Georgia from his native country two years earlier. He improved in all phases of the game in 2008, earning Hudson Valley's MVP award. Kang is strong and the ball jumps off his bat. While he has above-average power, he's still figuring out nuances of hitting, such as solving lefthanders and tightening his strike zone. He has plus speed and good baserunning instincts, though he's not yet much of a threat to steal. Kang's biggest improvements last year came on defense. He went from a below-average outfielder to one capable of manning center field on occasion for Hudson Valley. His arm strength is fringe-average, and he'll probably wind up in left field. Kang remains raw but is making progress. He'll advance to low Class A in 2009.
