Ex-Phillies sixth-round draft pick with international experience joins Dodgers' system

24-year-old Kendall Simmons has gained some valuable baseball experience both in the U.S and overseas, but just seven years ago, he was a high school senior with a big decision to make. In 2018, as an infielder and part-time pitcher, he found himself ranked No. 35 on Baseball Factory's Top 100 High School Prospects list, with his scouting report stating that he "reacts well to off-speed stuff," "can drive balls out of the park" and is a "special prospect with an extremely high ceiling." And at only 18 years old, he was faced with two options that thousands of kids dream of -- play D1 baseball, or go pro.

Simmons ultimately made the choice to take his skills to professional baseball, where he was drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the sixth round of the 2018 MLB Draft. In his first full season, he put up outstanding numbers, reaching a .345 OBP and a .745 OPS. He finished with a slugging percentage of .400, but this improved impressively the following year, finishing at .521 for the 2019 season.

His numbers stayed pretty consistent over the next four years, but some seasons shined more than others. The infielder reached an OPS of over .800 in three of those four seasons and came close to making it four straight seasons at .789 in 2024 during his call up to Double-A with the Reading Fightin Phils.

In late 2020, Simmons was granted an opportunity to play international baseball, landing himself down under in South Australia with the Adelaide Giants of the Australian Baseball League.

In this short season, he only saw 64 at-bats, but was able to learn from other affiliated and former professional players, as well as continue his development under current Triple-A Lehigh Valley Iron Pigs bench coach Chris Adamson. He was welcomed back for another season in 2023.

In December 2024, after seven years of combined experience with the Phillies and abroad, he elected free agency, quickly finding a new place to call home.

Phillies 2018 sixth-round draft pick with international experience joins the Dodgers system

While Simmons will likely prove to be a strong defensive addition to the Dodgers system, the 24-year-old also brings standout offensive capabilities to the diamond. His fielding percentage across five minor league seasons sits at .969, and his Range Factor/9 is 3.90. For reference, Dodgers Miguel Rojas led the National League in 2022 with a 4.23 RF/9 (while with the Miami Marlins). Simmons is known to throw hard and fast across the diamond, and can throw from many different arm angles while also on the move.

Los Angeles has had a lot of unexpected and rather unusual rotations within their infield, and the franchise expects 2025 to consist of a similar game plan. Mookie Betts is one player who moved quite a bit last season, and there's a chance the All-Star will spend another season shuffling. The Dodgers infield has grown accustomed to the constant shifting.

Another guy who's no stranger to versatility? Kendall Simmons. He has gained valuable experience at shortstop, as well as third and second base in the minors so far, and could be an essential and significant asset to the Dodgers infield.