Drafted in the 2nd round (52nd overall) by the Toronto Blue Jays in 2019 (signed for $1,547,500).
View Draft Report
A 6-foot-6, 206-pound righthander who pitches alongside Brennan Malone at IMG Academy, Williams has added muscle and strength to his frame over the past few seasons, pairing a big league body with a solid mix of five pitches, clean arm action and adequate strike-throwing ability. Williams might not have a plus pitch at the moment, but each of his offerings project as average or above-average, led by a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 94-95 mph. He had previously used a mid-70s curveball as his go-to secondary offering, but he recently added a low-80s slider with short break that also showed out-pitch potential at USA Baseball’s National High School Invitational this spring. Meanwhile, Williams’ curveball varied in shape from an 11-to-5 downer to three-quarter breaker with finish to the glove side. He also throws a low-80s changeup and a two-seam fastball. There is some slight length in Williams’ arm action, but he repeats a high, three-quarter arm action well and throws strikes consistently. While he doesn’t have overwhelming pure stuff, the tall righthander gets good angle on his fastball and still has some physical projection remaining. Williams is a Vanderbilt commit and could be a tougher sign, but he has the talent to be selected on the first day of the draft.
Top Rankings
Organization Prospect Rankings
TRACK RECORD: Williams was IMG Academy's No. 2 starter behind Brennan Malone and boosted his stock with a strong showing at the 2019 National High School Invitational. The Blue Jays drafted him in the second round and signed him for $1,547,500. The Dodgers liked Williams in the draft and acquired him for Ross Stripling at the 2020 trade deadline.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams is a classic, projectable righthander with a 6-foot-6 frame, a polished delivery and room to grow into more velocity. His fastball presently sits in the low 90s and frequently touches 93-94 mph. His best secondary is a potentially plus changeup that tunnels well off his fastball before dropping off with power fade. Williams is still working to find a breaking ball. He began working on a hard slider with short tilt in the mid-80s during instructional league. Williams has a natural feel to manipulate the baseball and throw strikes from different angles. He should have at least average control.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter if his breaking ball develops. His full-season debut awaits in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays have made a habit in recent years of drafting extra-large framed pitchers with their top picks. They added two more in 2019, taking Alek Manoah in the first round and another 6-foot-6 righthander in Williams with their second-round pick, signing Williams for $1,547,500.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams has some similarities to righthander Adam Kloffenstein, Toronto's third-round pick the previous year, as a big-bodied righthander with good but not overpowering stuff that has a chance to tick up in the next few years. Williams throws strikes with downhill plane on a fastball that sits in the low-90s and can reach 95. He doesn't have a plus pitch, but he has feel for three secondary pitches—particularly his breaking stuff—that could all be average or better. That includes a mid-70s curveball that can miss bats at times, though he does tend to get around it sometimes, along with a slider and changeup both in the low 80s.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the stuff of a back-end starter, but he has the physical projection for his stuff to improve and potentially slot in higher up in a rotation. He could follow Kloffenstein's path by going to short-season Vancouver in 2020.
Draft Prospects
A 6-foot-6, 206-pound righthander who pitches alongside Brennan Malone at IMG Academy, Williams has added muscle and strength to his frame over the past few seasons, pairing a big league body with a solid mix of five pitches, clean arm action and adequate strike-throwing ability. Williams might not have a plus pitch at the moment, but each of his offerings project as average or above-average, led by a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 94-95 mph. He had previously used a mid-70s curveball as his go-to secondary offering, but he recently added a low-80s slider with short break that also showed out-pitch potential at USA Baseball's National High School Invitational this spring. Meanwhile, Williams' curveball varied in shape from an 11-to-5 downer to three-quarter breaker with finish to the glove side. He also throws a low-80s changeup and a two-seam fastball. There is some slight length in Williams' arm action, but he repeats a high, three-quarter arm action well and throws strikes consistently. While he doesn't have overwhelming pure stuff, the tall righthander gets good angle on his fastball and still has some physical projection remaining. Williams is a Vanderbilt commit and could be a tougher sign, but he has the talent to be selected on the first day of the draft.
Scouting Reports
TRACK RECORD: Williams was IMG Academy's No. 2 starter behind Brennan Malone and boosted his stock with a strong showing at the 2019 National High School Invitational. The Blue Jays drafted him in the second round and signed him for $1,547,500. The Dodgers liked Williams in the draft and acquired him for Ross Stripling at the 2020 trade deadline.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams is a classic, projectable righthander with a 6-foot-6 frame, a polished delivery and room to grow into more velocity. His fastball presently sits in the low 90s and frequently touches 93-94 mph. His best secondary is a potentially plus changeup that tunnels well off his fastball before dropping off with power fade. Williams is still working to find a breaking ball. He began working on a hard slider with short tilt in the mid-80s during instructional league. Williams has a natural feel to manipulate the baseball and throw strikes from different angles. He should have at least average control.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter if his breaking ball develops. His full-season debut awaits in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Williams was IMG Academy's No. 2 starter behind Brennan Malone and boosted his stock with a strong showing at the 2019 National High School Invitational. The Blue Jays drafted him in the second round and signed him for $1,547,500. The Dodgers liked Williams in the draft and acquired him for Ross Stripling at the 2020 trade deadline.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams is a classic, projectable righthander with a 6-foot-6 frame, a polished delivery and room to grow into more velocity. His fastball presently sits in the low 90s and frequently touches 93-94 mph. His best secondary is a potentially plus changeup that tunnels well off his fastball before dropping off with power fade. Williams is still working to find a breaking ball. He began working on a hard slider with short tilt in the mid-80s during instructional league. Williams has a natural feel to manipulate the baseball and throw strikes from different angles. He should have at least average control.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter if his breaking ball develops. His full-season debut awaits in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: Williams was IMG Academy's No. 2 starter behind Brennan Malone and boosted his stock with a strong showing at the 2019 National High School Invitational. The Blue Jays drafted him in the second round and signed him for $1,547,500. The Dodgers liked Williams in the draft and acquired him for Ross Stripling at the 2020 trade deadline.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams is a classic, projectable righthander with a 6-foot-6 frame, a polished delivery and room to grow into more velocity. His fastball presently sits in the low 90s and frequently touches 93-94 mph. His best secondary is a potentially plus changeup that tunnels well off his fastball before dropping off with power fade. Williams is still working to find a breaking ball. He began working on a hard slider with short tilt in the mid-80s during instructional league. Williams has a natural feel to manipulate the baseball and throw strikes from different angles. He should have at least average control.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the ingredients to become a mid-rotation starter if his breaking ball develops. His full-season debut awaits in 2021.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays have made a habit in recent years of drafting extra-large framed pitchers with their top picks. They added two more in 2019, taking Alek Manoah in the first round and another 6-foot-6 righthander in Williams with their second-round pick, signing Williams for $1,547,500.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams has some similarities to righthander Adam Kloffenstein, Toronto’s thirdround pick the previous year, as a big-bodied righthander with good but not overpowering stuff that has a chance to tick up in the next few years. Williams throws strikes with downhill plane on a fastball that sits in the low-90s and can reach 95. He doesn’t have a plus pitch, but he has feel for three secondary pitches—particularly his breaking stuff—that could all be average or better. That includes a mid-70s curveball that can miss bats at times, though he does tend to get around it sometimes, along with a slider and changeup both in the low 80s.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the stuff of a back-end starter, but he has the physical projection for his stuff to improve and potentially slot in higher up in a rotation. He could follow Kloffenstein’s path by going to short-season Vancouver in 2020.
TRACK RECORD: The Blue Jays have made a habit in recent years of drafting extra-large framed pitchers with their top picks. They added two more in 2019, taking Alek Manoah in the first round and another 6-foot-6 righthander in Williams with their second-round pick, signing Williams for $1,547,500.
SCOUTING REPORT: Williams has some similarities to righthander Adam Kloffenstein, Toronto's third-round pick the previous year, as a big-bodied righthander with good but not overpowering stuff that has a chance to tick up in the next few years. Williams throws strikes with downhill plane on a fastball that sits in the low-90s and can reach 95. He doesn't have a plus pitch, but he has feel for three secondary pitches—particularly his breaking stuff—that could all be average or better. That includes a mid-70s curveball that can miss bats at times, though he does tend to get around it sometimes, along with a slider and changeup both in the low 80s.
THE FUTURE: Williams has the stuff of a back-end starter, but he has the physical projection for his stuff to improve and potentially slot in higher up in a rotation. He could follow Kloffenstein's path by going to short-season Vancouver in 2020.
A 6-foot-6, 206-pound righthander who pitches alongside Brennan Malone at IMG Academy, Williams has added muscle and strength to his frame over the past few seasons, pairing a big league body with a solid mix of five pitches, clean arm action and adequate strike-throwing ability. Williams might not have a plus pitch at the moment, but each of his offerings project as average or above-average, led by a fastball that sits in the low 90s and touches 94-95 mph. He had previously used a mid-70s curveball as his go-to secondary offering, but he recently added a low-80s slider with short break that also showed out-pitch potential at USA Baseball's National High School Invitational this spring. Meanwhile, Williams' curveball varied in shape from an 11-to-5 downer to three-quarter breaker with finish to the glove side. He also throws a low-80s changeup and a two-seam fastball. There is some slight length in Williams' arm action, but he repeats a high, three-quarter arm action well and throws strikes consistently. While he doesn't have overwhelming pure stuff, the tall righthander gets good angle on his fastball and still has some physical projection remaining. Williams is a Vanderbilt commit and could be a tougher sign, but he has the talent to be selected on the first day of the draft.
Career Transactions
Tulsa Drillers released RHP Kendall Williams.
RHP Kendall Williams assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Great Lakes Loons.
RHP Kendall Williams assigned to Tulsa Drillers from Great Lakes Loons.
RHP Kendall Williams assigned to Great Lakes Loons from ACL Dodgers.
RHP Kendall Williams assigned to Great Lakes Loons from ACL Dodgers.
RHP Kendall Williams assigned to ACL Dodgers.
Download our app
Read the newest magazine issue right on your phone