MLB Draft 2023: Dodgers take OF Kendall George w/1st pick, 36th overall
The Dodgers with their first pick in the 2023 MLB Draft took outfielder Kendall George out of Atascocita High School in Texas with the 36th overall pick, just after the first round.
George was ranked the 52nd-best prospect in the draft by Kiley McDaniel at ESPN, rated No. 65 by MLB Pipeline, and slated 114th by Baseball America.
From his MLB Pipeline scouting report:
Scouts joke that George is a 90 runner on the standard 20-80 scale, and he makes the most out of his speed. He’s an aggressive basestealer and runs down balls from gap to gap in center field. The Arkansas recruit has a below-average arm but it’s playable in center and he compensates by getting to balls quicker than most players.
George is only the fourth high school position player drafted by the Dodgers this century, along with James Loney, 19th in 2002, Corey Seager 18th in 2012 Gavin Lux 20th in 2016.
Listed at 5’10, 170 pounds, the left-handed-hitting George talked to Dan Zielinski III at Baseball Prospect Journal in May:
“I have very good bat-to-ball skills,” George said. “With my growing strength, I think that will be the second-best tool in my game. Behind that real close is my defense. I take a lot of pride in playing really good defense. I can chase down almost any ball in the outfield due to my speed.”
George has a college commitment to Arkansas.
By postseason finish and record in 2022, the Dodgers’ first-round pick would have been 26th overall. But because they were competitive balance tax payers again and had a payroll at more than $40 million over the initial tax threshold, their draft pick dropped 10 spots to No. 36.
Related Dodgers 2023 MLB Draft tracker
It’s the second year in a row the Dodgers’ first draft pick dropped 10 spots because of a high payroll. In 2022, the 30th pick became No. 40 and they selected catcher Dalton Rushing out of Louisville, who has already become a top-100 prospect in baseball and played in the MLB Futures Game on Saturday in Seattle.
The 36th overall pick comes with a recommended slot value of $2,362,700. The Dodgers have a total draft bonus pool of roughly $7.27 million, a massive increase over the last two seasons.
George was the first of two Dodgers draft picks on Sunday. Their second-round pick is No. 60 overall.
Source: True Blue LA
