Dodgers’ first-round pick Jeren Kendall begins his professonal career

Jeren Kendall hit 15 homers at Vanderbilt University this season, but the dynamic outfielder’s focus as he begins his professional career with the Dodgers will be to put the ball in play — and not so much out of play — more consistently.

Kendall, a first-round pick who signed for $2.9 million last week, had 74 strikeouts and 24 walks in 261 at-bats, acceptable numbers for a pure power hitter but not one with the speed of Kendall, who had 10 doubles, five triples and was successful on 20 of 24 stolen-base attempts.

“You see high strikeout numbers with guys who hit the ball out of park, that’s part of their job,� Kendall said on a conference call Sunday. “But for a guy like me who likes to hit the ball on the ground, my approach should be a little different.

“I’m more of a gap-to-gap guy who can get on and steal bases. I need to put the ball in play more consistently, make the defense play a little more aggressively.�

The 6-foot-1, 190-pound Kendall, who bats left-handed and throws right-handed, reported to the team’s Arizona training facility over the weekend and expects to join Class-A Great Lakes (Mich.) this month.

Short hops

Brandon McCarthy, Alex Wood and Rich Hill will start the Dodgers’ first three games in Miami after the All-Star break. … Shortstop Corey Seager took Sunday off after playing eight of nine games since returning from a right hamstring strain in late June. … Catcher Yasmani Grandal, who left Saturday’s game in the seventh inning because of a bruised left hand, did not play Sunday, but the swelling at the base of his index finger subsided. … Plate umpire Kerwin Danley left Sunday’s game in the second inning after taking a Cody Bellinger foul tip off his face mask in the first. The game resumed with three umpires.

mike.digiovanna@latimes.com

Twitter: @MikeDiGiovanna