MINOR LEAGUE/PROSPECTS Thread

Discussion in 'Los Angeles DODGERS' started by Based God, Mar 31, 2015.

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  1. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    Yaisel Sierra will probably start in AA or AAA given his age if nothing else. The rest (Alvarez, Diaz, Heredia, Estevez etc) will go to short season.
     
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  2. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    Bellinger on twitter today thanked his trainer for helping him gain 20 lbs this off season. Scouts always have said he has potential to see his numbers explode if he fills out, and that could be the case here. Excited to see this kid this season, and we could also be seeing that the team is shifting him full time to 1B as he starts to pack it on.
     
  3. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    No more Bones Bellinger?
    We all should thank that trainer
     
  4. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    Great to hear in the long run, but could be detrimental short-term, with Adrian on the books for 3 more years, he could keep himself in the minors if he builds himself to where he can only play 1st.
     
  5. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Big as this FO is on versatility, they probably won't let him go that far
     
  6. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    I'm sure they could squeeze him into LF for a year, but he is also probably going to need 2016 in AA and 2017 in AAA with a Sept call up would be fine as long as he continues to progress. A one year overlap is preferable than a forceful change of hands.
     
  7. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    And might there be a DH spot by 2018? Maybe.
    But I mean even with the weight gain, I wonder if he's even cracked 200lbs.
    He was at what before the weight gain? 170-175? At the most 180.
    Had to be done.
     
  8. ColoradoKidWitGame

    ColoradoKidWitGame DSP Legend Administrator

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    His prospect page has him at 6'4" 180 lbs, so getting to 200 and 6'4 is a good start, but that is still probably pretty lean for his height. 210 would probably be pretty ideal, though 22o isn't terribly bad either. Having extra weight on at the start of the season is best as the average player tends to lose around 10+ lbs by the end of the season.
     
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  9. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Yeah 210 is a good goal to have, hopefully it's a gradual thing over the next couple years focusing on functional strength.
    Let him go balls to the wall once he gets the show and solidifies himself, if that's ultimately what he wants...have you seen Moncada? Haha
     
  10. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    Dodgers top prospects: #6 Austin Barnes
    by David Hood | True Blue LA — 6 hours ago

    Austin Barnes spent his 2015 season putting the finishing touches on his prospect development, earning his first big league call-up and, later, a September roster spot. Barnes lived up to the offensive expectations he brought in from Miami while exceeding the expectations on his catcher defense. Unfortunately for Barnes, his arrival to the organization came during a career renaissance season for A.J. Ellis, preventing him from taking full advantage of the playing time opening created by Yasmani Grandal’s shoulder injury. Barnes enters 2016 as the underdog in the battle to back up Grandal, but his inclusion in the discussion makes the Dodgers’ catching situation the best in baseball.

    The biggest open question I had on Barnes entering 2015 was his defense behind the plate, and he answered any concerns in the biggest way possible. Statistically, Barnes’ performance in pitch framing, blocking, and controlling the run game was the second most valuable season across any level of professional baseball, according the Baseball Prospectus. While we had some clue as to Barnes’ ability as a pitch framer, it was good to see the "how" in person this season.

    Barnes' short stature gives him the advantage of setting up lower in his crouch than most catchers. This allows him to frame pitches at the bottom or below the zone with minimal movement to drop down or the need to turn his glove over. His receiving is very quiet and his actions are subtle, not trying to oversell pitches on the black. Barnes has soft hands and his athleticism makes him a capable backstop, and his blocking will only improve with experience (he was a college second baseman).

    While Barnes doesn’t have the strongest arm, his strength is at least average and he plays it up with a quicker-than-average release and plus accuracy. The only defensive question mark that Barnes has slowly answered with his track record is durability. His slight frame might make some question his longevity behind the plate, but he’s logged 256 games behind the plate since his minor league conversion, with no significant time spent on the disabled list.

    At this point, defense might be Barnes’ calling card, which is saying quite a bit when you look at his offensive tools. Barnes has some of the best pitch recognition and arguably the best batting eye in the system. Barnes has never posted a walk rate lower than 9.5 percent at any stop during his professional career, and his 16.2-percent strikeout rate at the major league level (in only 37 plate appearances) is his high water mark.

    Like several undersized hitters with better than expected pop, Barnes’ pitch recognition allows him to get away with a long swing. Barnes employs a high leg kick for timing and likes extending his hands through the zone, though his swing is fairly level. Barnes generally employs a gap to gap approach, but he’s capable of turning on a ball for pull power. Power is not likely to be a big part of his game, though, and his .164 isolated slugging percentage in Oklahoma City likely represents his absolute best case scenario.

    While Barnes is an above-average athlete for a catcher with enough quickness left over from his second base days to possibly fill a utility role, his future is behind the plate as a starter. That outlook might be tough in Los Angeles, where Grandal casts a long shadow. If he makes the 2016 team, it will likely be in a pseudo-utility role, but he could be just as valuable long term to the franchise spending the year working with the prospect laden pitching staff in Oklahoma City. Obviously, Barnes is first in line for a call up should Grandal or Ellis spend time on the disabled list, and he could eventually supplant Ellis in a backup role if Ellis hits like the 2014 version.

    Austin Barnes has been overlooked for too long by the prospect community, and brings a unique set of offensive skills and athleticism to the position in a slight frame somewhat reminiscent to Jason Kendall. He won’t match Kendall’s stolen base totals, nor would I rate his hit tool as high at his peak, but Barnes has the potential to be the rare catcher/table setter that will hold value on both sides of the ball. Between Barnes, Farmer, and Grandal, the Dodgers have an embarrassment of riches in young catching talent that any team in baseball (perhaps not their chief rivals by the Bay) would be envious to employ.
     
  11. bestlakersfan

    bestlakersfan DSP Legend

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    I wish you truly would understood that none of this matters. They are nerds and they didn't sign ZG, which makes them suck ass. God, don't you know it is this FO's fault we haven't won in the past 27 years?!?!
     
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  12. Doughty8

    Doughty8 DSP Legend

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    Sorry man but still on Zack? He CHOSE the money. The other part of your post smells like sarcasm so I won't fall into that trap again lol.
     
  13. bestlakersfan

    bestlakersfan DSP Legend

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    I hope this helps....

    :sarcasm:
     
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  14. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    so does this mean they're tools? :retard:

    Seager, Urias named to ‘Best Tools’ list
    by Daniel Starkand | Dodger Blue — 2 hours ago

    [​IMG]

    The Los Angeles Dodgers currently have one of the best farm systems in all of baseball, and that has become particularly evident this offseason with Jose De Leon, Corey Seager and Julio Urias being named on nearly every top prospect list.

    Most notably, MLB Pipeline and Baseball Prospectus ranked the trio in their top 100 and 101 prospects, respectively.

    Seager received an opportunity to showcase his talent in the Majors last season as he was promoted from Triple-A Oklahoma City once active rosters expanded in September.

    Over 27 regular-season games with the Dodgers, he batted .337/.425/.561 with four home runs, eight doubles, 17 RBIs, a .421 wOBA and 175 wRC+.

    The 21-year-old shortstop went on to become youngest position player to start a postseason game in franchise history when he was penciled in the lineup for Game 1 against the New York Mets in the 2015 National League Division Series.

    After naming their top 100 prospects for the 2016 season, MLB.com named a top Minor Leaguer for various toolsets. Seager was crowned the best-hitting prospect:

    Best hitter: Corey Seager, SS, Dodgers
    Seager’s combination of a sweet left-handed swing, advanced feel for hitting, bat speed and hand-eye coordination allow him to repeatedly barrel balls. He led the Minors in hitting with a .349 average in 2014, then sliced his strikeout rate to a career-best 14 percent last year, when he batted .337/.425/.561 as a September callup. The only shortstop with a higher offensive ceiling is Carlos Correa, who rated as the best hitter on the Top 100 Prospects list a year ago.

    Meanwhile, Urias was given the honor of best changeup:

    Best changeup: Julio Urias, LHP, Dodgers
    Urias sells his low-80s changeup with fastball arm speed, and its deception, sink and fade generate repeated swings and misses. It’s part of what makes him baseball’s most precocious pitching prospect and would help him to hold his own in the Majors right now — at age 19. Urias has a better chance than any pitcher on the Top 100 to develop three legitimate plus offerings.

    Seager was also a runner-up for “best power,” and De Leon was a runner-up in the “best changeup” category. Dodgers teammate Adrian Gonzalez recently gave Seager high praise, saying he sees Hall of Fame potential in the youngster.

    Urias began last season with Double-A Tulsa, where he went 3-4 with a 2.77 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in 13 starts. His final two starts of the season were with the OKC Dodgers, however there was little success to be had as Urias posted an 18.69 ERA over 4.1 innings pitched.

    Urias and De Leon are part of the group of non-roster invitees who will be with the Dodgers’ big league camp during Spring Training.​
     
  15. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    props to pops
    good stuff

    Bellinger talks about father’s impact
    by Justin Russo | Dodgers Nation — 16 minutes ago

    Los Angeles Dodgers first base prospect Cody Bellinger had a breakout campaign in 2015, where he hit .264 in High-A ball while slugging 30 home runs, driving in 103 runs, slamming 33 doubles, scoring 97 runs, and even stealing 10 bases. On top of that, he was good defensively, finishing with a .991 fielding percentage.

    Over the last couple years, Bellinger has done a solid job of adding weight to his lanky 6’4″ frame, and that’s one of the things that’s going to bode well for him as he progresses through the minor league system. Well, that and the fact that Cody’s father Clay also happened to be a big leaguer.

    From Robert Murray at Baseball Essential dot com:
    “He’s taught me all I know,” Bellinger said of his father. “On and off the field, he taught me to play the game with respect.”

    This was just one of the highlights from Bellinger’s interview with Murray. The two went on to talk about Bellinger’s diet and nutrition program, how he’s added “good weight” this offseason, and how his father has helped him grow as a player.

    Bellinger is a unique prospect, and Murray knows it:

    Bellinger, who plays both first base and center field — a rare defensive combination — took a huge step forward in 2015, his first full season in the minor leagues. With the muscle he has added to his 6’4? frame, he seems likely to continue that progression at Double-A this coming season.

    That’s the exciting part about all of this. Bellinger changed his approach at the plate in 2015 to become more of a power hitter, but if he’s able to find a perfect balance between power hitter and contact hitter then the Dodgers could have something truly special on their hands.

    It does sound like Bellinger will begin the season at Double-A, and hopefully he continues to do amazing things because the team might have a first base spot opening up when Adrian Gonzalez hits free agency after the 2018 season. We’re rooting for you, Cody.​
     
  16. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    :fiesta:
    Urias through a scout’s eyes
    by Justin Russo | Dodgers Nation — 37 minutes ago

    Los Angeles Dodgers uber-prospect Julio Urias is one of the game’s most tantalizing young stars. The 19-year old native of Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico has done nothing short of taking baseball by storm ever since he stepped on the mound in the Dodgers farm system. He’s been so impressive that scouts from other teams are starting to break him down publicly.

    Justin Goetz, a Washington Nationals scout in the Southeast, does this really awesome thing where he uploads videos to Instagram and breaks down the prospect that the video is about in absolute full detail. It’s truly quite astonishing. A couple weeks ago, the talented Goetz did a video breakdown of left-hander Julio Urias.

    From Justin Goetz’s (@mlbscoutbreakdowns) official Instagram page:
    There’s a ton of information there, believe me. It’d take you a long, long time to read through it. Basically, the gist of it is that Urias is as consistent of a pitcher there is when it comes to his muscle memory, tempo, arm slot, and landing spot. In essence, Urias is a unicorn in the industry since he’s got all of this down at the ripe age of 19.

    That wasn’t all Goetz wrote, though. The first comment he left was this:
    This is a future #1 who could have the impact of Fernando Valenzuela on the city of Los Angeles.

    Now that is some high praise for Urias, but it’s not a shocking comparison. After all, Valenzuela came out of Mexico and was a talented left-hander that excelled at a young age much like Urias is doing right now. That’s the beauty of that comparison in the first place.

    If Urias is able to put together a career even close to Valenzuela’s then the Dodgers can definitely consider themselves lucky. If he exceeds that, then look out. Urias will likely begin 2016 at Triple-A, with the probability of making the Opening Day roster in 2017.
     
  17. Dodgers99

    Dodgers99 DSP Legend

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    If he, JDL, Jharel Cotton, among others, are on one staff together I might have to subscribe to MILB.tv
     
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  18. doyerfan

    doyerfan MODERATOR Staff Member Moderator

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    Right now the Triple A rotation might be: Urias, JDL, Montas, Yaisel, Cotton? And I'm probably missing some, but that's definitely worth MILBTV
     
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  19. Fall Winslow

    Fall Winslow McRib

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    Key factor in why he's probably untouchable, like a supersized cherry on top.
     
  20. irish

    irish DSP Staff Member Administrator

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    Cotton, De Leon and Urias share competitive, close friendship
    by Daniel Starkand | Dodger Blue — 1 hour ago
    :prospects:
    Since Andrew Friedman was hired by the Los Angeles Dodgers as president of baseball operations in October 2014, the front office has worked tirelessly to replenish the club’s Minor League cupboard that was depleted under previous owner Frank McCourt.

    With headliners Corey Seager and Julio Urias, both of whom are considered top-10 prospects in all of baseball, the Dodgers boast one of the best farm systems. While Seager and Urias draw plenty of attention, Los Angeles also has the likes of Cody Bellinger and Jose De Leon in their organization.

    De Leon was recently ranked the fifth-best right-handed pitching prospect in the Minors. Additionally, he’s among the players who received a 20 non-roster invite to big league camp with the Dodgers for Spring Training.

    The group includes Chris Anderson, Bellinger and Urias, among others. In an interview with Dodger Talk host David Vassegh of AM 570, De Leon discussed the close relationship he shares with Jharel Cotton and Urias:

    “We’re brothers, we live together in Tulsa. Julio is our little brother. It’s amazing, we get along really well, pull for each other and push each other hard. It’s really helpful.”

    De Leon added he and Cotton often set competitive goals against one another during their respective starts:

    “Jharel and I always try to mess around and say, ‘Let’s see who can strike more people out in the next outing.’ Just some small goals you set for yourself in every outing and you try achieve them. We push each other and at the end of the day, we try to get the best out of each other. That’s the kind of relationship we have.”

    De Leon began last season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, where he went 4-1 with a 2.15 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and averaged 13.9 strikeouts per nine innings over seven starts (37.2 innings). The 23 year old then joined Double-A Tulsa, making his debut on May 22.

    In 16 starts with the Drillers, he was 2-6 with a 4.11 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. With this being the first time De Leon will be part of Major League camp, he’s hoping to learn from Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw.
     
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