The Dodgers have officially announced one of the two players to be named later that will complete yesterday’s trade with the Blue Jays that involved right-hander Ross Stripling going to Toronto.
One of the two players to be named in the Stripling trade to Toronto is RHP Kendall Williams, a 2019 second-round pick. He's expected to join the player pool later this week.
— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) September 1, 2020
The Dodgers have acquired right-hander Kendall Williams. Williams, 20, was drafted by the Blue Jays in the 2nd round of the 2019 MLB Draft out of IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida. He was their #13 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.
Williams pitched briefly for the Blue Jays Gulf Coast League minor league affiliate shortly after getting drafted and went 0-0 with a 1.13 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, and a 19/7 K/BB ratio in 16.0 innings.
Here is MLB Pipeline’s scouting report on Kendall Williams:
In January 2017, in the middle of his sophomore year of high school, Williams made the decision to relocate from his home in Mississippi to attend IMG Academy in Florida, with the hopes that the instruction plus the challenge of better competition would pay off. That it did, as Williams shot up Draft boards over the next couple of years en route to an above-slot bonus after the Blue Jays made the Vanderbilt commit their second-round pick. In an abbreviated pro debut in 2019, the selection paid early dividends, with the 18-year-old posting a 1.13 ERA over six games – five starts – and 16 innings in the rookie Gulf Coast League, where he walked seven and struck out 19.
At 6-foot-6, Williams is the quintessential projectable high school right-hander, and he’s still maturing. His velocity continues to creep up to the mid-90s and his fastball plays up because of its steep plane and angle. He throws both a slider and a curveball, with success, with some scouts thinking the curve will ultimately work better with its spin and coming from his high-three-quarter slot. He has some feel for a future average changeup.
Despite his size, Williams tends to throw strikes and should have solid command and control, not to mention sharper stuff, once he figures out how to consistently repeat his delivery with his long limbs. There’s a lot to dream on and potentially huge upside, though he’ll need time to develop and refine his craft in the Minors.
Williams is expected to join the Dodgers 60-man player pool later this week and will begin his journey in the Dodgers organization.
If you would like to welcome Kendall to the organization, you can message him via Twitter at @kwilliams2019.