Kane Kepley Hit His First Home Run of the Year, and That is Particularly Exciting in His Case - Bleacher Nation

"The Chicago Cubs took a very specific risk last year when they drafted UNC outfielder Kane Kepley with their second round pick. Everyone who'd evaluated him seemed to agree that the outfield defense was legit. The speed was legit. The contact ability was legit. But the big question was whether he could transition into pro ball and make the kind of hard, quality contact necessary to support his overall offensive production."

"In other words, the risk the Cubs took in drafting Kepley with such a high pick: can we help him add enough power to support the rest of his profile and let him shine as an overall player? A lot of teams were clearly unwilling to take that risk and/or not confident in their ability, because the talent outside of that one big question is so drippingly obvious when you watch Kane Kepley play."

"Nobody was expecting him to become a slugger, but we know that this kind of profile can eventually flame out at the upper levels of the minors when pitchers are much better at controlling the strike zone and defenses are much better at taking away marginal hits and extra bases. In other words, the real challenge will come at Double-A and above."

"To that end, I expect what the Cubs want to see from Kepley at High-A (among other standard things) is some real power. Even if you don't think home runs are going to be a huge part of his eventual game, you would still want to see that kind of power against younger pitching like he's facing now. Kepley, who has sent a lot of balls to the wall this year, finally put one over the fence."

The Chicago Cubs drafted UNC outfielder Kane Kepley with a high second-round pick based on strong outfield defense, speed, and contact ability. The main uncertainty was whether he could transition to pro pitching and produce hard, quality contact that supports offensive production. Teams were hesitant because similar profiles can struggle in higher minor-league levels where pitchers control the strike zone and defenses limit marginal hits and extra bases. Kepley’s performance at Low-A and High-A met baseline expectations for a college bat. The next challenge is Double-A and above, where the Cubs want to see real power, even if home runs are not the entire goal. A High-A home run indicates progress, and his physical development suggests further upside.

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