DODGERS 2017 MINOR LEAGUE/PROSPECTS Thread

D.J. Peters expected to play with AA Tulsa during 2018 season
by Matthew Moreno | Dodger Blue —- 81 minutes ago

While the Los Angeles Dodgers got away from boasting a strong farm system under previous owner Frank McCourt, the organization has worked to restore it since the Guggenheim group took control. It’s an area team president and CEO Stan Kasten excelled in during his storied tenure with the Atlanta Braves.

With the help of president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, general manager Farhan Zaidi and a robust front office, the Dodgers in recent seasons have assembled a farm system that’s ranked among the best in baseball. Their recent standout draft picks includes outfielder D.J. Peters.

The Glendora, Calif., native was taken in the fourth round of the 2016 Draft. He spent his first professional season with Rookie-level Ogden, and spent this past season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga before seeing time with the Glendale Desert Dogs of the Arizona Fall League.

Peters was among the Dodgers prospects who were recently on hand to provide instruction in the youth camp series at Dodger Stadium.

During a conversation with David Vassegh of AM 570 L.A. Sports Radio, Peters revealed he’s slated to play for the Double-A Tulsa Drillers next season:

“The only thing I know is that I’ll be going to Tulsa next year. Haven’t really been told anything about big league camp or Minor League camp. But to be honest with you, whether I go to big league camp or back to Minor League camp, I’m just going to enjoy it. I’m just going to get better, keep on learning, keep on improving my game, and just kind of better myself as a person and baseball player.”​

In 132 games with the Quakes, Peters batted .276/.372/.514 with 29 doubles, five triples, 27 home runs and 82 RBI. He set career highs in doubles, triples, home runs and RBI. Most notably, Peters hit two home runs off Madison Bumgarner in the same inning of a rehab outing for the southpaw.

Peters struggled in 10 games with the Desert Dogs, tallying only eight hits, while striking out 20 times and drawing four walks in 47 plate appearances. Though of his eight hits, two were doubles, one was a triple, and three were home runs.

In combined time with the Raptors and Quakes, Peters is a batting a combined .302/.394/.548 with 53 doubles, eight triples, 40 home runs, 130 RBI and eight stolen bases over 198 games. He’s played all three outfield positions, with the bulk of the experience coming in center field.

 

Breaking down Will Smith
by Blake Coble | Dodgers Nation — 7 hours ago

Every Friday we will be doing a profile and analysis of a farmhand on our team. We will look at their background, the kinds of future projections scouts generally have about them, associated risk with them booming or busting, and then our personal take on what they will most likely become as a ball player. We will do one a week up until pitchers and catchers report, and will be counting down our top ten prospects (more or less who I see to be our top ten).

Today we are covering our #9 prospect, Will Smith.

The Basics
• Name: Will Smith
• DOB/Age: March 28, 1995 – 22 years old
• Height/Weight: 6’0″/192lbs
• Home State/Country: Kentucky
• Highest Level Reached: AA
• On the 40-Man Roster: No
• ETA: Earliest would likely be 2020 as a backup

Other Notable Rankings
• Baseball America: #9
• Baseball Prospectus: N/A
• MLB.com: #8
• TrueBlueLA: #10
• Dodgers Digest: #9 (mid-season)

Risk Level
(1-10, with 1 being very low, and 10 being very high)
2, maybe even 1. Now let’s get something straight, Smith’s floor is really high. However, his ceiling isn’t particularly high. The likelihood of him fulfilling his potential is pretty good, even if he isn’t going to be the next Mike Piazza. He is a very safe, very low risk prospect.

The Past
Will Smith is the athletic catcher drafted out of Louisville in Round 1 (pick 32) of the 2016 draft. Born and raised in Louisville, Smith is often compared to the Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes because of his discerning batter’s eye and athletic ability.



While there were, and still are, some questions about his overall offensive potential as a catcher, there are zero concerns about his defensive abilities as a catcher. Scouts have long loved his receiving abilities, and rave about his arm. He is quick for a catcher, takes quite a few walks, and has a little pop. As stated above, the scouting report on him reads very similar to Barnes, right down to the fact that Smith also has seen time at 2B and 3B in the minors.

The Present
So what has he brought to the table? Well as stated, his calling card is his defense. He threw out 42% of base stealers in 2016, and an even more impressive 48% would be base stealers in 2017. His triple slash so far hasn’t been terribly impressive (.238/.357/.393), it definitely would be passable for a backup catcher with his glove-work skills. Unfortunately, he broke his hand in July of this year, so his 2017 season was cut short shortly after getting the call to AA.

It is getting more interesting as he hit an extremely impressive .371/.454/.565 during the Arizona Fall League. It will be curious to see if his offensive game can take a step forward in 2018 at AA. Which is where we can expect him to start.

The Future
What can we expect from someone like Smith in the future? Honestly, best case scenario is that he would end up on a very similar path that Austin Barnes has. Putting up solid contact numbers, taking walks, and having excellent defense, while being versatile enough to play around the infield. This would just add to the spoils and riches the Dodgers already enjoy so much. As I previously stated, his floor is very high: a very solid defensive-minded backup catcher. With the kinds of receiving skills and how great of a throwing arm he has, Smith at the minimum will have a solid career as a backup catcher for many, many years.

Knowing he has a very high floor allows the Dodger brass to comfortably challenge him in his assignments. It would not be stretch to expect him to start in AA, while cracking into AAA by the end of this season. He won’t be eligible to be added to the 40 man roster until after the 2019 season. So unless the Dodgers feel they have a need in 2019 for Smith to appear on the Major League roster (which they likely won’t with at the very least Barnes and Farmer handling catching duties), he won’t see action until 2020.

Then again, Dodgers prospects as of late have been finding ways of forcing the Dodgers to find ways to get them play time in The Show. How Smith can develop offensively may very well impact how soon he could find himself in the Majors.

 

and... white men in black

 

would be perfect
jeter probably wants to get rid of all the black players so he can be the only black guy with the marlins
racist

edit:
or if that's not the case
we just wigga out someone like farmer and throw him in the deal

​

 

Just needs a michael jackson nose job.

 

Dodgers top 2018 prospects: No. 21-25
by David Hood | True Blue LA — 10 hours ago

Our next installment of the top Dodgers prospects heading into 2018 includes a pair of 2017 draft picks ranked from 21-25.

25. Devin Smeltzer, LHSP



As a polished left hander with three pitches, Smeltzer wasted little time in 2017 getting promoted to High-A and largely held his own in the California League. Whether his fringy velocity can allow him to continue starting in pro ball will be challenged by the more advanced hitters in Double-A, but passing that test could put him in line for a future bottom-rotation role in the majors.

An aggressive strike thrower, Smeltzer attacks hitters from a low three-quarters slot that gives his fastball sink and his changeup excellent fade. His changeup might be his best present pitch, as he locates it well in the zone but can also manipulate the fade to serve as a chase pitch.

Smeltzer’s fastball was typically in the high 80s to low 90s as a collegian (the last known velocity I have on him), but he works to keep hitters off the pitch with sink and varied locations. He still gets sufficient run on his fastball when he pitches up the zone, but the pitch is less a swing and miss pitch and is used more to generate contact away from the barrel. Good hitters were able to square him up in the California League.

Smeltzer’s curveball showed promising depth and shape as a prep, but from video it looks like he saves the pitch for left handed hitters. Like his other pitches, he commands the pitch well, but the the break could use more sharpening and he primarily defers to his other two pitches and hasn’t needed the third pitch for A-ball hitters as much. This could change if more right handers in the upper minors lay off the changeup.

Smeltzer’s ceiling is relatively low given his velocity and overall quality of stuff, but his peripherals have been strong and he produced dominant strikeout numbers in junior college. Smeltzer could have a Tommy Milone-type big league career as a lefty swing man, but any gains in velocity could make him a rotation regular for a big league club.

Smeltzer’s 2017 preseason rank: 34

24. James Marinan, RHSP



Marinan entered the Dodgers’ organization as an overslot fourth-rounder in the 2017 draft, with Los Angeles surely excited by the potential in his size and arm strength. An oversized teenager at 6’5 and 220 lbs., Marinan has an already impressive build and the arm speed that teases plus velocity. A brief cameo in the Arizona Rookie League, where he walked as many as he struck out, showed still how much work needs to be done before we can see Marinan’s real big league potential.

Marinan has a big jump on his peers in his arm strength, where he can run his fastball into the mid 90s, but the life on the pitch is inconsistent. He gets solid sink on the pitch in the lower half, but too often sees the pitch run out of the zone up and to his arm side.

Marinan is also more advanced than other prep draftees in his feel for spin, with the chance for a plus future breaking ball. When right, Marinan can snap off a tough 11-5 breaking ball that is noticeable for its depth and later break.

The problem presently for Marinan is a release point that is all over the place. Marinan’s delivery is slightly efforted and he throws with plenty of arm speed, but getting that arm consistently in the same slot is a noticeable issue, which can cause the fastball to drift arm side affecting his presently poor command.

The slot/release point issues are all correctable at this point, and given his advanced size, could be attributed to Marinan’s athleticism still catching up to his body. He shows the potential for two plus pitches, and the Dodgers have the time to bring him along slowly, with a stay in extended spring likely in offering in early 2018.

Marinan’s 2017 preseason rank: n/a

23. Josh Sborz, RHSP/RP



2017 was a slight step back for Sborz as a prospect, as he saw his stuff and peripherals dip despite a solid repeat performance in Double-A Tulsa. A former college closer, Sborz might need a return to relief pitching to potentially unlock a formerly plus slider and better velocity, but his competitiveness and makeup may still see him fight for an opportunity in a big league rotation.

Despite a rough first half in the Texas League, Sborz turned his fortunes around in the second half to become one of the club’s more reliable arms. Will that competitiveness is an attractive quality, Sborz didn’t quite show the quality of stuff to warrant a future shot at a rotation role with a club as talented as Los Angeles. Sborz’s fastball hovered in the low 90s for most of the season and wasn’t overly distinctive in terms of life.
Josh Sborz Josh Sborz had a 3.86 ERA in 24 starts for Double-A Tulsa in 2017. Photo credit: Rich Crimi / Tulsa Drillers

Sborz’s operates with two variations of breaking ball, with a tighter slider and a more overhead curve, with the curve looking like the best bet for future strikeout potential. He saw his strikeout percentage dip almost 7% in 2017, and despite a better second half showing, the rate didn’t get demonstrably better.

Sborz has shown better command and stuff in the past, so his chances as a starter shouldn’t be written off. He does face a fairly crowded group of arms in the upper minors and major leagues and might find a better path to Los Angeles returning to the bullpen. At his best, his stuff wasn’t quite late relief material, but his college and professional production and makeup could allow him to eventually carve out a vital bullpen role.

Sborz’s 2017 preseason rank: 13

22. Connor Wong, C



A deep system of catchers did not stop the Dodgers from selecting Wong early in the 2017 draft. A prolific and versatile offensive force for the Houston Cougars as a junior, Wong brought much of that performance with him to Class-A Great Lakes, which should put him in an advanced placement to the California League in 2018.

Wong’s body type and athleticism fits the current trend of Dodger backstops seen in Austin Barnes and 2016 first rounder Will Smith. Small in stature but not lacking in athleticism, Wong was a threat on the basepaths in college and his agility and acumen should allow him to succeed as both a receive and potentially an infielder at times in pro ball.
Connor Wong hit .278/.336/.495 in 27 games with Class-A Great Lakes after getting drafted in the third round in 2017 Photo courtesy Great Lakes Loons

Wong has a simple set up at the plate, with low hands and a toe tap for timing. Some upper body rigidity and swing length could lead to swing and miss issues down the road, but Wong could make up for it with power. His bat speed is above average for a catcher and he swings with enough uppercut to profile as a future flyball hitter at the big league level.

As mentioned, the Dodgers are deep in catchers and don’t face an immediate need for Wong’s services at the big league level. He could show more versatility in 2018 with occasional starts at second, but should be the primary catcher for Rancho Cucamonga. His present in-game power could see him have a big offensive season in the hitter-friendly California League.

Wong’s 2017 preseason rank: n/a

21. Caleb Ferguson, LHSP



It’s been a fast rise for Ferguson from unheralded 38th round draft pick to the organization’s top left handed pitching prospect. Ferguson dazzled the California League in posting a 2.87 ERA over 122⅓ innings and striking out batters at almost a 27% clip. Ferguson should be a fixture in the Tulsa rotation in 2018, with the big league club potentially calling some time in 2019.

Ferguson has one of the system’s best curveballs, a real big bender that he can vary the speed and break on. He will throw it to both left handers and right handers, and profiles as his best future strikeout pitch. His command of the pitch is also a plus considering the amount of break the pitch has.

His big curveball helps keep hitters off a fairly straight fastball, albeit one that he knows how to elevate above the barrel. His velocity is sufficient for the pitch to get some swings and misses, and his command up and down the zone is solid. Ferguson’s change-up is an average third offering, but he has enough command of his two above average to plus offerings to survive with a smaller repertoire if need be.

Ferguson is a sturdily built 6’3, 215-lb. lefty, and lacks future physical projection you might expect in a 21-year-old. He has the body type that will require consistent monitoring on his conditioning, but he has proven quite durable over the last year. Ferguson has simple and repeatable mechanics, with a slightly longish arm action that doesn’t hamper his command.

Though Ferguson’s breaking ball would make him an excellent lefty reliever, he has the stamina and repertoire to break into the bigs as a starter, with a future ceiling as a middle rotation arm with strikeout potential. Like Beaty and Locastro, Ferguson has some sleeper prospect qualities, and he may be a little underrated on this list as is.

Ferguson’s 2017 preseason rank: 25

 

Breaking down DJ Peters
by Blake Coble | Dodgers Nation — 7 hours ago

Every Friday we will be doing a profile and analysis of a farmhand on our team. We will look at their background, the kinds of future projections scouts generally have about them, associated risk with them booming or busting, and then our personal take on what they will most likely become as a ball player. We will do one a week up until pitchers and catchers report, and will be counting down our top ten prospects (more or less who I see to be our top ten).

Today we are covering our #8 prospect DJ Peters, aka the Hometown Kid.



The Basics
• Name: DJ Peters
• DOB/Age: December 12, 1995 – 22 years old
• Height/Weight: 6’6″/225lbs
• Home State/Country: California
• Highest Level Reached: High-A
• On the 40-Man Roster: No
• ETA: 2020

Other Notable Rankings
• Baseball America: #8
• Baseball Prospectus: N/A
• MLB.com: #17
• TrueBlueLA: #9
• Dodgers Digest: #18 (mid-season)

Risk Level (1-10, with 1 being very low, and 10 being very high)

7 – While Peters isn’t as risky as some other prospects on this list, he certainly isn’t without risk concerns. He has potentially great upside, but it appears to be a 50/50 shot he will reach that full potential at this juncture.

The Past

DJ Peters was the Dodgers’ 4th round pick (132 overall) in the 2016 draft out of Western Nevada Community College. He had actually been drafted twice before – once by the Cubs out of high school and then by the Rangers a year later. He signed for $250,000 with the Dodgers – fortunately. Born in Glendora, CA the first thing that stands out is his size. At 6’6″ he is hard to miss. Combine that with long hair that reminds many of Jayson Werth, and you’d think you are indeed looking at a younger version of Werth. I mean, when you hit two home runs off of a rehabbing Madison Bumgarner, you are bound to gain some Dodger fame.



Scouts love his frame, and he has sneaky speed that allows him to play any OF position competently, but he will likely fit into RF as his arm is very strong and he won’t need as much speed there. Obviously with a frame like his you’d expect power to be there, and indeed it is. The one knock you could have against him is that he is striking out at a rather high rate so far in the minors. But he also is taking walks in fairly large quantities, so it does not appear to be an issue regarding pitch recognition.

The Present

He has so far put up a rather impressive triple slash in the minors: .302/.394/.548, but a lot of that is due to his really impressive debut in 2016. His line in 2017 was nothing to sneeze at though: 132 Games, .276/.372/.514 with 27 home runs. The power is clearly there, but the strikeouts (32.2% in 2017) are a slight bit concerning. He still takes plenty of walks (10.9% in 2017) so, like I said, there isn’t a great deal of concern over pitch recognition. He also makes tons of hard contact as evidenced by the 61 extra base hits and .276 batting average.



His arm and defense both have above average potential, with his arm ranking as one of the better outfield arms in the system. He played the entire season at High-A in 2017, which was a slight bit unexpected. Many thought he had earned a promotion to AA. But that will likely come in 2018 either right away or half-way through the season.

It is also a great thing to know DJ Peters grew up a Dodger fan. With players like him that want to play for the Dodgers, it can only help going forward. He clearly has a passion not just for baseball, but for the Dodgers. And that passion many times breeds success, and if he is successful, he could easily become a fan favorite.

The Future

What does the future hold for Peters? His ceiling, and his primary comp, is that of a in-his-prime Jayson Werth. That combo of solid defense, well above average power, plate patience, and decent contact would certainly be a great ceiling to attain. He has the physical tools, it’s just a matter of overcoming his swing and miss elements to his game. The floor is most likely that of a AAAA player that has enticing power potential but can’t quite hit at the Major League level enough to justify a roster spot. Because his defense isn’t anything to write home about, along with his speed, that floor is quite a realistic one.



So far with Santana and Smith we have players with realistically fairly high floors. Peters is the first player on this list that has a floor where he barely gets a taste of the Majors. But his ceiling is definitely high enough to rank him in the top 10 prospects of this team. If he can continue to translate his power, patience, and hit for a decent average at AA, he definitely will jump into many other top 10 lists for this team, and will further solidify his place on mine.

 

So they can lose to the Dodgers of course.