Kendrick Perkins (Photo: Kelly O’Connor – sittingstill.net)
If the name Kendrick Perkins sounds familiar to Boston sports fans, it should. Perkins is the name of a popular center that was traded from the Celtics to Oklahoma City in February of 2011.
Perhaps sometime in the next few years, another Kendrick Perkins will make an impression on the Boston sports scene.
The Kendrick Perkins in this case is the Red Sox’ sixth-round pick in the 2010 draft, a corner outfielder who’s so popular in his home town of La Porte, Tex. that it holds a “Kendrick Perkins Day” on December 14.
Multi-talented is the appropriate adjective to describe Perkins, a 6-foot-3, 220-pounder who was offered scholarships to play baseball and football at Texas A&M. As a senior in high school, he ran for 1,728 yards and 27 touchdowns and earned All-State honors – an accolade he also received as a junior in baseball. But once he informed Boston he preferred a baseball career, he received a $600,000 signing bonus.
In his first season of pro ball (2011), Perkins played 49 games for the Gulf Coast Red Sox and hit .257 with 11 doubles, three home runs and 19 RBI, replete with 27 walks and 62 strikeouts in 171 at-bats. Through his first 42 games this season with Lowell in the New York-Penn League, Perkins’ average has dipped to .223 with four homers and 16 RBI.
That Perkins is a gifted athlete isn’t an issue. His plus arm makes him a good candidate for right field.
“One thing this kid must do is to improve on being selective and do a better job with off-speed pitches,” said an American League scout. “He lacks a good idea of the strike zone and tends to chase balls out of the zone.
“I’d like to see him keep his weight back so he doesn’t hit in front of his body. If he’s going to be a power hitter, and I think he has the potential to be a good one, he’ll have to focus on making contact and hitting the ball up the middle.”
As his rushing stats may indicate, Perkins was a speed back in high school which should translate well into baseball.
“The kid has what I’d call a unique combination of power and speed,” said the scout. “I wouldn’t consider him raw because he has been playing baseball for some time.
“He just needs to get experience and face better pitching.”