Prospecting: Kenedy Corona
Astros add outfielder to 40 man roster
With the announcement that the Astros added right-handed hitting outfielder Kenedy Corona to the 40-man roster, I thought it might be a good idea to do an analysis similar to the others I’ve done for Spencer Arrighetti, Will Wagner and Joey Loperfido.
I recommend the work of Kenny Van Doren of Astros Future (highly recommend their podcast) for in-depth analysis and interviews with Astros Minor Leaguers.
No one knows more about Astros prospects than Kenny.
In the video below Kenny talks about Astros minor leaguers as a guest on the Bourbon and Baseball Podcast.
Background
The 23-year-old Corona originally signed with the Mets and came to the Houston system in the Jake Marisnick trade in December of 2019.
Corona played in three leagues for the Mets in 2019: The Dominican Summer League, the Gulf Coast League and the New York-Penn League, combining to slash .301/.398/.470 with 5 HR and 29 RBI in 263 at-bats.
That December, the 5’10, 184-pound Corona was traded with Taylor to the Astros.
In 2021 Corona played 57 games for Low-A Fayetteville, slashing .244/.306/.343 with 2 HR, 19 RBI and 19 SB over 224 plate appearances.
2022 saw Corona split time between Fayetteville and A+ Asheville, combining to hit .278 with 19 HR, 67 RBI and with 28 stolen bases in 410 at-bats. He also struck out 106 times.
Corona began 2023 with Asheville, but was quickly promoted to Double-A Corpus in mid-April and played the balance of the season with the Hooks, slashing .244/.325/.449 with 20 HR, 61 RBI and stealing 31 of 40 bases. He also struck out 127 times.
Corona also saw time in the Arizona Fall League where he slashed 240/.296/.320 in 25 at-bats.
The Scouting Report
Rated as the 11th-best Astros prospect, Corona has improved in his time in the system and also added some bulk without losing speed, which is his biggest plus.
Overall, he’s rated below average (40), but has several traits (power, arm, run) that are average or above average.
He’s an above-average defender and profiles as a “versatile fourth outfielder”.
The Conclusion
Despite being below-average size for a Major League outfielder, it’s easy to see why the Astros protected Corona as he’s shown improvement at every stop in the system and has the potential to help the big league club.
Despite his size, he’s learned to hit the ball harder and improved his launch angle.
As mentioned, the scouting report pegs him as a 4th outfielder and that’s a distinct possibility, but he has multiple traits that will serve him well if he continues to develop.
2024 seems like a crucial year for Corona as he turns 24 before the season begins.