Kevin Kendall

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked New York Mets #27 prospect in 2022
  Track Record: Kendall stood out at UCLA in 2021 for his athleticism, versatility and performance. He had underwhelmed in college to that point—and he missed 2020 with a wrist injury—but a big junior year got him drafted by the Mets in the seventh round. Kendall shined in his pro debut for Low-A St. Lucie, hitting for average while showing strong plate discipline and speed.
  
  Scouting Report: The Mets’ scouting department views the lefthanded-hitting Kendall as a similar athlete to Adam Frazier, a player whose ability to hit and play multiple positions have created MLB value. That will be Kendall’s ticket to advancement in pro ball, too. His strongest offensive assets are his swing decisions, high contact rate on pitches in the zone and plus speed that borders on double-plus. The Mets worked with all their hitters invited to instructional league in 2021 to improve their strength and learn to impact the ball with greater frequency. Kendall is a plus defender at shortstop and second base with an average arm. He even proved to be above-average in center field, where he played at UCLA in deference to Reds first-rounder Matt McLain.
  
  The Future: Kendall’s encouraging pro debut and strong showing at instructs sets him up for a productive 2022 season. His upside may fall short of MLB regular but should be enough for utility consideration.
  

Draft Prospects

• Ranked #192 prospect in 2021 draft
  Kendall has been a scout favorite since his days at La Mirada (Calif.) High, but he never put together the performance to match his tools. That changed this spring. After missing the 2020 season with a wrist injury, Kendall returned to hit .355/.409/.496 during the regular season as UCLA’s leadoff hitter and set new career highs in doubles (14) and home runs (four). Kendall is one of the most athletic and versatile college players in the draft class. He is nearly a plus-plus runner, was a plus defender at shortstop and showed he could play an above-average center field this season when he moved off of short in deference to Matt McLain. He is also a plus defender at second base and has the athleticism and instincts to play almost any position on the field. He has had injuries to his wrist and shoulder, so his arm strength will range from below-average to above-average depending on the day. At the plate Kendall has good hand-eye coordination and a loose, lefthanded swing to project as a potentially average hitter. He swung and missed too much in the past, but he made significant improvements in his approach this year and began chasing less to cut down on his strikeouts. Kendall lacks physicality and projects for below-average power, although he does flash the ability to drive the ball out to his pull-side. He uses his speed effectively on the basepaths and stole 32 bases in 141 career games. Kendall’s defensive versatility is his best asset and he projects to hit enough to stick on a big league bench. He is in the mix to be taken on the draft’s second day.

• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 45/Extreme
  
  Track Record: Kendall stood out at UCLA in 2021 for his athleticism, versatility and performance. He had underwhelmed in college to that point—and he missed 2020 with a wrist injury—but a big junior year got him drafted by the Mets in the seventh round. Kendall shined in his pro debut for Low-A St. Lucie, hitting for average while showing strong plate discipline and speed.
  
  Scouting Report: The Mets&#39 scouting department views the lefthanded-hitting Kendall as a similar athlete to Adam Frazier, a player whose ability to hit and play multiple positions have created MLB value. That will be Kendall&#39s ticket to advancement in pro ball, too. His strongest offensive assets are his swing decisions, high contact rate on pitches in the zone and plus speed that borders on double-plus. The Mets worked with all their hitters invited to instructional league in 2021 to improve their strength and learn to impact the ball with greater frequency. Kendall is a plus defender at shortstop and second base with an average arm. He even proved to be above-average in center field, where he played at UCLA in deference to Reds first-rounder Matt McLain.
  
  The Future: Kendall&#39s encouraging pro debut and strong showing at instructs sets him up for a productive 2022 season. His upside may fall short of MLB regular but should be enough for utility consideration.
• December, 2021 Scouting Report
  Track Record: Kendall stood out at UCLA in 2021 for his athleticism, versatility and performance. He had underwhelmed in college to that point—and he missed 2020 with a wrist injury—but a big junior year got him drafted by the Mets in the seventh round. Kendall shined in his pro debut for Low-A St. Lucie, hitting for average while showing strong plate discipline and speed.
  
  Scouting Report: The Mets’ scouting department views the lefthanded-hitting Kendall as a similar athlete to Adam Frazier, a player whose ability to hit and play multiple positions have created MLB value. That will be Kendall’s ticket to advancement in pro ball, too. His strongest offensive assets are his swing decisions, high contact rate on pitches in the zone and plus speed that borders on double-plus. The Mets worked with all their hitters invited to instructional league in 2021 to improve their strength and learn to impact the ball with greater frequency. Kendall is a plus defender at shortstop and second base with an average arm. He even proved to be above-average in center field, where he played at UCLA in deference to Reds first-rounder Matt McLain.
  
  The Future: Kendall’s encouraging pro debut and strong showing at instructs sets him up for a productive 2022 season. His upside may fall short of MLB regular but should be enough for utility consideration.