Every so often an organization drafts a young player that creates excitement and a buzz that can be felt throughout all of baseball. Of course, every player that is good enough to become a professional has elite skills, but some just seem different. Some have skills that make even other pros take notice, and Kendall George, the Dodgers #1 Draft Pick from last Summer, is one of those guys. 

George has “Elite” speed, that, on a scale from 20 to 80, registers somewhere above 100.

Elite Prep

George grew up just a touch South of Houston, in a place called Humble, Texas. It’s perfectly suited, because, despite having supreme confidence, and outrageous skill, the South Texan is one of the most humble human beings you will ever meet.

He addresses folks with “yes sir” or “no mam” and everything he does or says has a polite and respectful tone to it. 

And, it all comes honestly. 

George is very big on family, and then also considers the folks back in Humble, and specifically from  Atoscocita High, as family too. He grew up with those kind of values and it’s something he considers to be very important.

The people back there are like family to me. I really enjoyed my time there, especially my Senior year when I was really trying to be a leader for the younger guys. We were a little younger last year, so I felt like I had a big role in being a mentor, and even now, I still go around and see how they’re doing.

It’s like a big family down there, and they do things right, that’s for sure.

Elite Tools

Beyond his speed, his bat to ball skills are excellent, his instincts on the base paths are great, and his willingness to continue to learn is a strong suit to his personality. 

He works tirelessly to master the finer details of the game, and when asked about how he has learned to apply his skills onto the field, this is what he said.

There’s always something you can learn and get better at, said George. Base stealing is still something I’m learning and getting better at to this day. I felt like I wasn’t a “polished” base stealer in High School, and when I got to Pro ball it showed a little bit. I wasn’t really picking up on cues, and I was getting thrown out a little bit. 

But, then, I started “diving in”, and doing my research on pitchers, and dissecting their film to see what moves first, or their timing, or whether they have any tips about when they are about to go to the plate. 

George continued about learning to become a better base runner.

I’ve taken in a lot of information from the guys who are really good base runners. I still have a lot to learn, but I feel like that, in my short time in Pro ball, I’ve learned a lot about base running.

George has elite tools, and he is also hungry and humble, all of which have created a game that can be best described as, Electric!

Like the time he stole home this year to walk off a game for the Quakes. Or, when he went from 1st to home on a ball the hitter barely made it to 2nd base on. Both of those situations are ones that have become routine for the Atascocita Alum.

I actually wasn’t even playing in the game I stole home. But, when the 9th inning came around, they needed me to run. We had our runner on 1st steal 2nd, they actually threw down, and I took off. It was a bang/bang play because I kind of took off late, but it was a really cool moment.

Draft Day

Being a 1st Round Draft Pick, and the first player drafted by an organization as prestigious as the Dodgers is a pretty incredible experience. It does carry lot of expectations, but George feels as if it hasn’t and won’t change him in any way.

Just to be a 1st rounder it kind of carries a little extra weight with it. I feel like it puts more weight on my shoulders, but, at the end of the day, I still feel like the same guy from High School, and nothing has really changed for me. 

I still feel like a High School kid that’s living my dream!

George was set to go to Arkansas to play for Dave Van Horne and his elite baseball program, and he was very excited about it. Baum stadium is likely the best facility in College baseball, and Razorback fans show up by the 10,000s to watch their Hogs play. 

But, of course, when you’re a First round draft pick, and it’s by the Dodgers, that makes the decision fairly easy, especially when it’s always been your dream to play Professionally.

Playing Pro Baseball has always been a dream for me from a very young age. So, it was kind of a “no brainer” for me to say “yes”. I felt like there was no downside to it, and that I could still get an education, and I’m just out here living my dream. So, I felt like there was no wrong I could do by saying yes to playing Professional baseball.

Team USA

Being recognized as one of the best High School athletes in the nation, then getting recruited to a premier College Baseball program, then getting drafted in the first round is about as cool as it gets. 

But, it’s not the “coolest” thing he has gotten to experience. 

George was lucky enough to be selected to play on the Team USA 18U team, and it’s an experience that he puts at the top of the line.

With a HUGE Kendall George smile, here’s what he had to say about that experience.

Oh man, that was an unbelievable experience, for sure.  Just the Coaching staff, and learning about the “Culture” of America, and meeting veterans, and then, in the end, to win the Gold Medal, was something that was once in a lifetime. 

I’ve never felt that kind of joy putting on a jersey and representing my country, so, it’s definitely on a pedestal for me, for sure.

What Can He Become

George comes to the Dodgers with a whole basket full of elite tools. His speed is obvious, the defensive skills in the outfield are very good, and his bat to ball skills are something this organization needs. But, as good as he is, he plans on just continuing to get better. When asked what type of player he is, and what type of player he wants to become by the time he reaches L.A., here’s what he had to say.

I feel like I’m a spark plug kind of guy. I feel like everyone feeds off of my energy, especially when I get on base, because when I get on base, I kind of create havoc. I’m a real big On Base Percentage guy, I’ll take my walks, I have a very small strike zone, and I consider myself to be a very disciplined player.

George continued 

The kind of guy I want to be is just me, right now, but with a little bit more power. I feel like players like me kind of get overlooked a little bit, but with the new rules, I think my style will be more useful than ever. 

When asked about his potential to add power, this is what George said.

I don’t really think about it. As of now, I’m only 19, so I’m still maturing, so I feel like I’ll worry about power when that comes around. But, as of now, I feel like it’s important to stay true to who I am, and staying true to the player I’ve been, and I feel like it’s all gonna work.

So, I feel like the power is going to come, but that I need to keep my identity, and that’s what matters the most. 

Hot Start in Rancho

Despite being the Dodgers #1 overall pick, George is only 19, and was coming to the Organization straight from High School. So, he wasn’t even slated to make it to an affiliate in the short season last summer. 

But, he did after he burst onto the scene hitting .362 in 16 games at the complex. He also posted an OPS of .865, stole 11 bases and scored 11 runs. His debut was impressive enough for the Dodgers to promote him to Rancho, where he continued to show just how talented he is. 

In 12 regular season games with the Quakes, the Dodgers #1 pick hit .381, had an OPS of .898, had 6 stolen bases, and 11 runs scored. 

He said that he felt like he had a lot to prove.

I feel like I still have a lot to prove. I feel like there were a lot of people who doubted me, and I felt like there was no better landing spot for me. The development of the Dodgers and staff in unbelievable, and the staff is full of amazing people, but I feel like I was always prepared for this moment.

A hit is a hit, and I just try and take advantage of my skill set to maximize my potential. I feel like that’s why I went out there and performed, because I wasn’t trying to be anybody else. I was just trying to be myself out there, and it was important for me to do that, because it’s always worked.

Huge Future

George is a Dodger through and through. He has the type of tools and talent this organization covets, he’s an elite human being, he has an elite work process, and he’s humble, but, yet, very confident.

I speak often of the Culture the Dodgers create, and, in a nutshell, that’s it. Kendall George is it, so it’s gonna be a lot of fun watching him sprint, pun intended, through the Minor League ranks.

Big thanks to Kendall for joining Dodgers Daily for an interview. He is a big family person, and these guys only have a limited amount of time to spend with their families in the off season, so for him to take some of that time and give it to us for an interview was super kind. 

Dodgers Daily will be rooting for Kendall all along the way, and, looking forward to seeing him play for the next team he plays for in California, the LA Dodgers, something that will happen sooner rather than later.

Become a subscriber to our Dodgers Daily YouTube page and follow us on Twitter @dodger_daily, on Instagram @dodger.daily, or on TikTok @dodgers_daily.

Also, please consider donating to our GoFundMe to help Dodgers Daily keep growing. To do so, click this link https://gofund.me/db54a295. This site will always be free to its viewers, but it does take time and money to run, so any sized donation would be greatly appreciated.