DODGERS 2017 MINOR LEAGUE/PROSPECTS Thread

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by irish, Apr 2, 2017.

  1. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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  2. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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  3. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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    Even Santana gets a promotion before Yadier Alvarez and they are both the same age. Have to wonder why this is the case other than Yadier is struggling but he's our #1 rated spec according to mlb.com
     
  4. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Alvarez is LAD's #1 spec in general because LAD essentially sees Verdugo and Buehler as guys that are ready to make the jump to MLB
     
  5. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Dodgers Midseason Top 10
    1. Walker Buehler, RHP
    2. Alex Verdugo, OF
    3. Yadier Alvarez, RHP
    4. Willie Calhoun, 2B/LF
    5. Yusniel Diaz, OF
    6. Mitchell White, RHP
    7. Jeren Kendall, OF
    8. Dustin May, RHP
    9. Brock Stewart, RHP
    10. Will Smith, C
    All the years of the Dodgers holding on to their elite prospects is starting to pay off. The Dodgers resisted the urge to trade Corey Seager, Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson and others in previous years for David Price, Chris Sale or other big-ticket names, keeping the prospect cream of the crop for themselves while trading away other good but not elite prospects.
    It proved to be a wise decision. Pederson, Seager and Bellinger have starred as rookies three consecutive years and helped elevate the Dodgers into the powerhouse of the National League. The Dodgers have won 31 of 35 and own majors’ best record at 66-29.
    Bellinger has earned the headlines with an historic rookie campaign, but it has been more than a one-man show in Los Angeles. The Dodgers’ offense ranks second in the NL in runs, thanks not just to star turns by Bellinger and all-star third baseman Justin Turner but the entire lineup. The pitching staff has delivered the lowest ERA in the majors. Both their starters ERA and bullpen ERA are the best in the NL, even with a down year by former top prospect Julio Urias.
    Oh, and they also possess one of the best pitching prospects in baseball in Walker Buehler and two of the minors’ most advanced hitters with Alex Verdugo and Willie Calhoun waiting in Triple-A.
    The Dodgers are a complete organization firing on all cylinders. They could very well be a buyer at the deadline, but with no gaping holes and a track record of holding onto their top prospects, it is very possible they hold serve with the group they have to try and reach their first World Series since 1988.

    1. Walker Buehler, RHP
    Triple-A Oklahoma City
    Age: 22

    Buehler’s meteoric rise has been one of the season’s main storylines, having gone from undersized injury risk to earning true No. 1 starter grades from some evaluators. Buehler had Tommy John surgery in 2015 shortly after the Dodgers drafted him in the first round and he pitched only five innings in 2016. He has returned this year firing 96-99 mph fastballs, a present plus curveball, a future plus slider and a usable changeup he can throw for strikes. Overall Buehler went 2-2, 2.89 with 90 strikeouts and 21 walks in 65.1 innings between high Class A and Double-A before earning the bump to Triple-A.

    2. Alex Verdugo, OF
    Triple-A Oklahoma City
    Age: 21

    Verdugo showed an advanced feel to hit beyond his years with Team Mexico at the World Baseball Classic and has continued in Triple-A. His status as a potential high-average, everyday-caliber center fielder remains intact, although the lack of loft in his swing has produced only three home runs and thrown his power potential into question.

    3. Yadier Alvarez, RHP
    High Class A Rancho Cucamonga
    Age: 21

    Alvarez throws 95-99 mph fastballs with remarkable ease, but his lack of fastball command or reliable secondaries has resulted in a 5.31 ERA and more than a hit allowed per inning. Rancho Cucamonga pitching coach Kip Wells recently adjusted Alvarez’s grip on his four-seam fastball to prevent it from cutting over the plate, in hopes that will stop the pitch from running into barrels.

    4. Willie Calhoun, 2B/LF
    Triple-A Oklahoma City
    Age: 22

    Calhoun is tied for the system lead with 20 home runs and increasingly has evaluators viewing him as a future 30-home run threat in the majors. He remains poor defensively at second base, however, and has started playing left field, where scouts note he tracks balls well enough to be potentially fringe-average.

    5. Yusniel Diaz, OF
    High Class A Rancho Cucamonga
    Age: 20

    Diaz got off to a poor start offensively before moving full-time into what used to be his two-strike stance, eliminating excessive pre-pitch movement and toning down his leg kick. The results have been outstanding. Since May 16, Diaz is hitting .328/.379/.534, and is increasingly cited as one of the brightest prospects in the California League.

    6. Mitchell White, RHP
    Disabled list
    Age: 22

    The Dodgers’ 2016 second-rounder did not allow an earned run in his first 32 professional innings before the streak ended in April at Lancaster. Overall White went 2-1, 3.72 with 49 strikeouts and 16 walks in 38.2 innings for Rancho Cucamonga before landing on the disabled list June 1 with a broken toe.

    7. Jeren Kendall, OF
    Not Yet Assigned
    Age: 21

    Kendall put on a show at Dodger Stadium as a member of the USA Collegiate National Team last summer, and the Dodgers remembered that as they drafted him No. 23 overall in June. He signed for just under $2.9 million at the deadline. Kendall brings power, speed, and defensive excellence in center field, but his propensity for striking out at Vanderbilt was a red flag for many.

    8. Dustin May, RHP
    Low Class A Great Lakes
    Age: 19

    The 2016 third-rounder has been the best of a talented group of pitchers at Great Lakes, going 5-5, 3.83 with 90 strikeouts and 19 walks in 91.2 innings as a 19-year-old. May is also proving increasingly durable, one of the main questions about him after he entered pro ball needing to add weight and strength.

    9. Brock Stewart, RHP
    Los Angeles
    Age: 25

    Stewart began the year on the disabled list with shoulder tendinitis and did not make his season debut with the Dodgers until June 20. He is currently serving as the long man in their bullpen and has thrown 11 scoreless innings. With Scott Kazmir, Julio Urias and Hyun-Jin Ryu all down with injuries, Stewart is next in line to enter the rotation should another injury occur.

    10. Will Smith, C
    Double-A Tulsa
    Age: 22

    Smith was tasked with handling the flamethrowing arms of Buehler, Alvarez, White and Dennis Santana at Rancho Cucamonga and did so beautifully, earning plaudits for his plus receiving, blocking, and leadership. He did so while delivering consistent sub-1.95 second pop times, getting on base at a .358 clip and hitting 11 homers before being promoted.

    RISING

    • 1B/3B Edwin Rios led the Double-A Texas League with an .891 OPS before being promoted to Triple-A Oklahoma City last week. He’s also started seeing time in left field.

    • C Keibert Ruiz hit .317 with a .372 on-base percentage as an 18-year old in the Midwest League while maintaining his excellent defensive reputation, and earned a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga.

    • OF DJ Peters has 19 homers and leads the California League with a .935 OPS while playing an above-average center field for Rancho Cucamonga. He strikes out a lot even for today’s style of baseball, ranking in the top 10 in the minors in punchouts.

    FALLING

    • SS Gavin Lux has failed to resolve concerns about his bat with a .204 average and .607 OPS at low Class A Great Lakes.

    • RHP Josh Sborz ran into trouble against better competition as some scouts predicted, with nearly as many walks (38) as strikeouts (46) through 71 innings at Double-A Tulsa.

    • OF Johan Mieses did not improve his penchant for wild swings and hit .133 with a 39.7 percent strikeout rate in Double-A before being demoted to high Class A.

    HURTING

    • Diaz is on the 7-day DL with an unspecified hand injury but is expected to return shortly.

    • Smith suffered a small fracture in his right hand after being hit by a pitch in his Double-A debut and is out at least six weeks.

    • White did not need surgery on his broken toe and began a rehab assignment in the AZL on July 6.

    • OF Andrew Toles was starting in left field for the Dodgers before suffering a season-ending torn ACL in his right knee at the end of May.

    GRADUATING

    • 1B Cody Bellinger hit 25 home runs in his first 70 games with the Dodgers and made the NL All-Star team. He’s the impact rookie in L.A., but not the only rookie there.

    • Toles exhausted his prospect eligibility shortly before his season-ending injury.

    • C/2B Austin Barnes is hitting .288 with a .928 OPS as the Dodgers’ backup catcher, and he’s made two starts at second base to boot.

    • LHP Grant Dayton has held lefthanded hitters to a .135/.250/.216 line out of the bullpen.
     
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  6. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Woo
    Big red May rising fast
     
  7. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    Wonder what a package of Diaz, Calhoun and White could get us... those are some promising evaluations that I hope other teams agree with
     
  8. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    That would probably be my limit for Britton, if they had to have Alvarez (instead of Calhoun), then replace White with a lesser arm, like AJ Alexy or Jordan Sheffield. Not parting with White & Alvarez in the same deal, for a potentially damaged reliever no less.
     
  9. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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    No it's based on potential not whether or not they are closer to majors. Scouting grades if you will and it's other evaluators not the FO. Alvarez has plus stuff but again their many a pitcher who has plus stuff that never make it to the MLB. He'll get there HOPEFULLY, not rooting against him in any way but again you have to give to get. Gray is now hot on the Stros' wish list. So again moot point. I'm resigned to the fact that we won't do anything in the rotation before both deadlines. I'm just hoping it won't bite us in the ass.
     
  10. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    I know that
    What I'm saying is that Alvarez is just next in line as he was behind those two on many lists
    Who knows when he'll actually land in the show


    Alvarez isn't the 1st to struggle in the Cal league and his control issues can be fixed.
    If a young pitcher has to struggle with any part of their game, you want him to struggle with control
    The stuff is god given


    Gray has been on HOU's radar for a long time, I tried to tell you that
    Brewers are hot for him as well
    Both are armed with excellent farms and value the fact that he a controllable asset
    LAD paid the 100% tax for Alvarez..it just doesn't make sense to sell him right now.
     
  11. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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    Money is rarely the FO problem. Already dumped Alex and Hector Olivera. The depth of right handed pitchers in this organization is an embarrassment of riches so much so that in our top 30 there are NO left handed pitchers. We have plenty waiting in the wings. On baseball americas midseason top 100 Alvarez dropped from 26 to 60 in the rankings. Sell high on his ability and position within our top 30 and it doesn't have to be Sonny Gray but that is what I am hoping for because I think we need a right handed starter for the play-offs. If Houston gets him with that line-up and we are lucky enough to get to the WS I fear it won't end well.
     
  12. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    This was money spent on a then 19yr old though, so the belief is there and you want to see how he blossoms before you do anything drastic
    Olivera and Guerrero were old men in comparison
    We have plenty waiting in the wings, but Alvarez started the Future's Game a couple weeks ago for a reason, his ceiling is sky high
    If HOU gets Gray they'll more than likely pay an ace's price to get him and dress him up as an ace, but he's not an ace anymore
    That's not efficient spending, but they don't have Kershaw or Alex Wood, so they're desperate..LAD is not
     
  13. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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  14. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Diaz and maybe Peters should not be far behind. Lots of moving parts on the farm right now.
     
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  15. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    seems like our farm system has grown ripe overnight
    really have to applaud the front office for having a plan and sticking to it
     
  16. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Ump is squeezing Buehler big time.
     
  17. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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  18. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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    Last edited: Jul 23, 2017
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  19. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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  20. lastatman

    lastatman DSP Legend Staff Member Moderator

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    For Rancho today, Adam Bray pitched a one hitter, going the distance with only 93 pitches. No walks, no runs, 8 K's... and just the one hit. The Panda was 0-3 against him.

    And... Keibert Ruiz had 2 more hits, including another HR.
     
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