Kerry Carpenter

Organization Prospect Rankings

• 
  Ranked Detroit Tigers #8 prospect in 2023
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Carpenter starred at Eustis (Fla.) High and then for two years at St. John's River (Fla.) JC before transferring to Virginia Tech for one season in 2019. Drafted in the 19th round that year, he signed for $125,000 and spent his pro debut primarily in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Carpenter made the jump to Double-A Erie in 2021 after riding out the pandemic year in 2020. He returned to Erie in 2022 and set about climbing to Triple-A Toledo and then to Detroit on Aug. 10. Carpenter popped 30 home runs on the farm and led the minor leagues with a .645 slugging percentage. He placed fourth with a 1.025 OPS. In his time in Detroit, the lefthanded hitter put up an .851 OPS versus righthanders and was hitting in the middle of the order in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Carpenter is a sturdy 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and has a solid core and a lean lower half. His most noticeable achievement has been his ability to tap into plus raw power, the same power that had him leading the minors in home runs at the halfway point of the 2022 season. He has strong hands and good loft in his swing, but he is prone to chasing outside the zone. That contributed to his strikeout rate spiking to 28% in the big leagues and will be something to keep an eye on. With a clear bat-first profile, Carpenter is viewed as a below-average left fielder with fringe-average speed. His athleticism and instincts could benefit him as long as he can keep hitting.
  
  The Future: Once viewed as an organization player, Carpenter raised that evaluation to be a potential second-division strong-side platoon bat. He has nothing left to prove in the minors and is ready to take his swings against righthanders for a Tigers team that finished last in MLB in home runs in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45

• February, 2023 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Carpenter starred at Eustis (Fla.) High and then for two years at St. John's River (Fla.) JC before transferring to Virginia Tech for one season in 2019. Drafted in the 19th round that year, he signed for $125,000 and spent his pro debut primarily in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Carpenter made the jump to Double-A Erie in 2021 after riding out the pandemic year in 2020. He returned to Erie in 2022 and set about climbing to Triple-A Toledo and then to Detroit on Aug. 10. Carpenter popped 30 home runs on the farm and led the minor leagues with a .645 slugging percentage. He placed fourth with a 1.025 OPS. In his time in Detroit, the lefthanded hitter put up an .851 OPS versus righthanders and was hitting in the middle of the order in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Carpenter is a sturdy 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and has a solid core and a lean lower half. His most noticeable achievement has been his ability to tap into plus raw power, the same power that had him leading the minors in home runs at the halfway point of the 2022 season. He has strong hands and good loft in his swing, but he is prone to chasing outside the zone. That contributed to his strikeout rate spiking to 28% in the big leagues and will be something to keep an eye on. With a clear bat-first profile, Carpenter is viewed as a below-average left fielder with fringe-average speed. His athleticism and instincts could benefit him as long as he can keep hitting.
  
  The Future: Once viewed as an organization player, Carpenter raised that evaluation to be a potential second-division strong-side platoon bat. He has nothing left to prove in the minors and is ready to take his swings against righthanders for a Tigers team that finished last in MLB in home runs in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45
• December, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade/Risk: 45/Medium
  
  Track Record: Carpenter starred at Eustis (Fla.) High and then for two years at St. John's River (Fla.) JC before transferring to Virginia Tech for one season in 2019. Drafted in the 19th round that year, he signed for $125,000 and spent his pro debut primarily in the Rookie-level Gulf Coast League. Carpenter made the jump to Double-A Erie in 2021 after riding out the pandemic year in 2020. He returned to Erie in 2022 and set about climbing to Triple-A Toledo and then to Detroit on Aug. 10. Carpenter popped 30 home runs on the farm and led the minor leagues with a .645 slugging percentage. He placed fourth with a 1.025 OPS. In his time in Detroit, the lefthanded hitter put up an .851 OPS versus righthanders and was hitting in the middle of the order in September.
  
  Scouting Report: Carpenter is a sturdy 6-foot-2, 220 pounds and has a solid core and a lean lower half. His most noticeable achievement has been his ability to tap into plus raw power, the same power that had him leading the minors in home runs at the halfway point of the 2022 season. He has strong hands and good loft in his swing, but he is prone to chasing outside the zone. That contributed to his strikeout rate spiking to 28% in the big leagues and will be something to keep an eye on. With a clear bat-first profile, Carpenter is viewed as a below-average left fielder with fringe-average speed. His athleticism and instincts could benefit him as long as he can keep hitting.
  
  The Future: Once viewed as an organization player, Carpenter raised that evaluation to be a potential second-division strong-side platoon bat. He has nothing left to prove in the minors and is ready to take his swings against righthanders for a Tigers team that finished last in MLB in home runs in 2022.
  
  Scouting Grades: Hitting: 40. Power: 60. Speed: 50. Fielding: 40. Arm: 45
• April, 2022 Scouting Report
  BA Grade: 50/High
  
  Midseason Update: Carpenter has shown consistent power throughout his pro career, which is impressive when you consider his career MiLB slugging percentage is better than the best slugging percentage he posted in his two years at St. John&#39s River (Fla.) JC and one year at Virginia Tech. But it&#39s hard to say that anyone saw this coming, even after he tweaked his swing during the offseason. Carpenter was leading the minors in home runs at the halfway point of the season, earning a promotion to Triple-A Toledo after a dominant return to Double-A Erie. Long viewed as an excellent org player, Carpenter has raised that evaluation to where he&#39s now seen as a potential MLB backup outfielder. He is hitting the ball harder this year, but it&#39s viewed as plus power rather than 30-plus home run potential. He&#39s a pure left fielder who is a below-average runner.