OFFSEASON Meanwhile, Down on the Farm

@Howard_Cole
Landon Knack at OKC tonight:
5 IP / 6 H / 6 ER / 2 BB / 3 K. ERA = 6.54. Bobby Miller boasts a 5.07, God bless em. #Dodgers

 

Quality starts yesterday by Wrobleski and Copen.

Copen is Dodgers most consistent minor league pitcher and he's not even in their top 25.

 

You beat me to it Finski. De Paula was named MVP and Hope also went 1 for 2 and scored on De Paula's blast. Here's more details including video of the game changing HR:

https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/...-at-the-plate-switch-pitcher-dazzles-on-hill/

 

https://x.com/BlakeHHarris/status/1944147895806251489

 

Did you notice he was mic'd up?

<Crack of the bat> "Oh oh!"

Hilarious.

 

Yeah, that was pretty pathetic, but sadly the standard for sportscasting has plummeted over the years, and that level of quality is fairly standard now. Unfortunately, the days of objective, excellent play-by-play and color guys are mostly a thing of the past. Nobody can ever be a Vinny, but nobody even tries anymore. I used to call Krukow and Kuiper homers but honestly, now that I listen to a lot of different radio teams on XM, I think homer announcers are more the rule than the exception. Really if you think about it, this form of media is a reflection of MSM -- reporting with an agenda. Vinny would give a fair, unbiased description of the play whether it was a positive or negative for the Dodgers. When I hear a call from most of the guys today, I pretty much discount it for home team bias.

I know non-objectivity is not exactly the point you were making with the woman announcer, but I also think that for the most part the profession is not as articulate as in the past. In general it's just inferior now, so the fact that she's a woman doesn't bother me as there are men that are just as bad.

 

Los Angeles Dodgers draft Fort Myers alum Zach Root 40th overall https://share.google/pd4kAUoRDQl1AEDo1

 

40. Dodgers: Zachary Root, LHP, Arkansas (No. 42)
Root is more about his secondary pitches than his fastball, though his heater can top 97 mph, with good sink. His changeup is outstanding and he misses a lot of bats with his curve, while employing an excellent cutter as well. He might not have the highest ceiling in the world, but he has a high floor as a No. 4-type big league starter.

41. Dodgers: Charles Davalan, OF, Arkansas (No. 54)
Wow, the Dodgers must love Fayetteville, huh? Or maybe it’s the SEC. Davalan transferred from Florida Gulf Coast, and he reminds some of Mets prospect Drew Gilbert. His value would be maximized if he can play center field or get a look at second base, where he’s played before.

65. Dodgers: Cam Leiter, RHP, Florida State
The Dodgers are not afraid of taking injured arms and getting them back on the mound. Leiter, Al and Mark’s nephew, had first-round upside but didn’t throw a competitive pitch in 2025 because of shoulder issues.

104. Dodgers: Landyn Vidourek, OF, Cincinnati

 

"The Dodgers are not afraid of taking injured arms and getting them back on the mound."

Lol, not afraid? Hell, I thought it was a prerequisite.

Regarding the Dodgers getting back to back picks 40 and 41... the 40th was their competitive balance pick and the 41st came from the Reds with Mike Sirota for Lux. Would love to see them both (Sirota and Davalan) pan out.

 

Dodgers still need to sign their picks. This should help with the first one...

#Dodgers draft pick LHP Zachary Root: “Growing up, my dad always made me watch Kershaw and learn to pitch like him. So I've just been watching Dodger baseball ever since I can remember because of Kershaw."

https://x.com/billplunkettocr/status/1944588260065575188?t=fMWCDlNdkKQTT4CYeb_bDg&s=19

 

We've talked a lot about the outfielders in the system, but because it's a slow baseball day, and because we did the deeper dive on the shortstops, I figured I'd do the same for the OF positions.




#1 Josue De Paula, OF, High-A Great Lakes, age 20

2022 International signee from DR (but born in New York)

Scouting grades: Hit: 60 | Power: 60 | Run: 45 | Arm: 50 | Field: 40 | Overall: 55

Dodgers officials routinely describe De Paula as the most advanced young hitter their organization has had in years. The second cousin of former NBA guards Stephon Marbury and Sebastian Telfair, he was born in Brooklyn before moving to the Dominican Republic and signing from there for $397,500 in 2022. He slashed .268/.404/.405 with 10 homers between two Class A stops at age 19 last year, leading the system in on-base percentage and posting a 136 wRC+ as the second-youngest regular in the High-A Midwest League during the second half.

Few teenagers can match De Paula's combination of swing decisions and exit velocities. He smoked balls harder than ever in 2024 as he began to fill out his 6-foot-3 frame during offseason workouts with Elly De La Cruz and Juan Soto. He recognizes pitches well and has a sweet left-handed stroke, enabling him to control the strike zone and make hard contact to all fields. He made progress with his ability to pull and lift pitches last season and could grow into at least 30-homer power as he continues to improve and get stronger.

De Paula could become a slightly smaller version of Yordan Alvarez, but the Dodgers hope he'll provide some baserunning and defensive value. He has fringy speed but showed the savvy to steal 27 bases in 30 attempts in 2024, though those numbers will diminish as he faces better competition. His instincts on the outfield corners are only rudimentary and the club is challenging him to improve defensively. He's still learning to make the most of his average-to-solid arm strength.

2025 batting average/OPS: .265/.834



#2 Zyhir Hope, OF, High-A Great Lakes, age 20

Drafted in 2023 Round 11 out of Colonial Forge by the Cubs, traded with Ferris for Busch

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 60 | Run: 55 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

After Hope didn't get picked during the first two days of the 2023 Draft because he hadn't played much on the high school showcase circuit and appeared to be strongly committed to North Carolina, the Dodgers planned to take him in the 11th round. The Cubs beat them to the punch and signed Hope for $400,000 (fifth-round money), then dealt him and lefty pitching prospect Jackson Ferris to Los Angeles six months later in exchange for Michael Busch and Yency Almonte. He hit .287/.415/.490 in 54 games in Single-A at age 19 last summer despite dealing with a stress fracture in his rib that cost him three months, then was the most dynamic player in the Arizona Fall League, where he crushed a 470-foot home run.

Hope has added significant strength since turning pro and does everything scouts want to see a young hitter do. He makes advanced swing decisions and quality contact, produces elite exit velocities and understands how to pull pitches for power. He has an efficient left-handed swing and could generate 30-homer pop once he learns to lift balls more consistently.

While Hope isn't especially quick out of the batter's box and has slowed a bit as he has added muscle, he's still a solid runner underway and a capable basestealer. A twitchy athlete, he covers ground and is fearless in center field, though he played mostly left at Single-A in deference to speedster Kendall George. Some clubs were intrigued by Hope's potential as a left-handed pitcher in high school, where he pushed his fastball into the mid-90s and spun a curveball with promising shape.

2025 batting average/OPS: .293/.873



#5 Eduardo Quintero, OF, A Rancho Cucamonga, age 19

2023 International signee from Venezuela

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 60 | Arm: 60 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

Though Quintero showed promise as a catcher as an amateur, the Dodgers made him a full-time center fielder in order to get the most out of his athleticism after signing him for $297,500 out of Venezuela in 2023. He was the best 17-year-old performer in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League in his pro debut, batting .359/.472/.618 and starring in the playoffs as his team won the championship. He won another title last summer in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, where he finished second in on-base percentage (.459), runs (49) and steals (29) before struggling following a promotion to Single-A.

Quintero is a polished hitter who rarely chases pitches out of the zone and makes consistent contact to all fields. His quick right-handed swing produces high exit velocities for a teenager that could portend 20-homer power, though he'll need to learn to drive balls in the air to his pull side to get there. His patience can border on passivity at times, and his scuffles in Single-A indicate he may need to tweak his approach against better pitching.

Quintero features at least plus speed and uses it aggressively, stealing 54 bases in 64 attempts (84 percent) in 132 games over his first two years as a pro. His quickness gives him plenty of range in center field, and he could become a plus defender as he continues to acclimate to his new position. His strong arm enables him to fit anywhere in the outfield and has registered 15 assists in 113 pro starts.

2025 batting average/OPS: .303/.959



#6 Mike Sirota, OF, High-A Great Lakes, age 22

Drafted in 2024 Round 3 out of Northeastern by Reds, traded with 2025 pick for Lux

Scouting grades: Hit: 50 | Power: 45 | Run: 60 | Arm: 55 | Field: 55 | Overall: 55

The Dodgers failed to sign Sirota after selecting the Connecticut high schooler in the 16th round of the 2021 Draft, then watched him develop into Northeastern's best prospect since 1998 No. 10 overall pick Carlos Peña. Sirota projected to go in the same range before slumping last spring and dropping to the Reds in the third round. The grand-nephew of Hall of Fame pitcher Whitey Ford, he went to Los Angeles along with a supplemental first-round choice in a trade for Gavin Lux in January.

Sirota has an extremely disciplined approach -- his 59 walks in 51 games last year broke Peña's school record -- and excellent bat-to-ball skills. His timing got out of whack for much of his junior season, and while he still made consistent contact, he didn't drive the ball with as much authority as he had previously. He has the bat speed and projectable strength to provide 15-20 homers per year, but he'll need to add some loft to his right-handed stroke.

Sirota doesn't have to make a huge offensive impact to help a team win games. He has plus speed and shows the aptitude to steal bases. He makes good reads and takes good routes in center field, where he's a solid defender with arm strength to match.

2025 batting average/OPS: .333/1.068



#12 Kendall George, OF, High-A Great Lakes, age 20

Drafted in 2023 Round 1 out of high school

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 30 | Run: 80 | Arm: 40 | Field: 60 | Overall: 50

As fast as any high school player in the Draft, George draws repeated comparisons to Vanderbilt outfielder Enrique Bradfield, a no-doubt first-round pick. George went from the left side of the plate to first base in 3.4 seconds on a bunt at the PDP League last July and can get there in less than four seconds with a normal swing. The center fielder on the U.S. national team that won the 18-and-under World Cup last September, he reached base 10 times in 18 trips to the plate and stole five bases at the event.

Built along the lines of Juan Pierre, George understands the strengths and weaknesses of his offensive game. He has a compact and consistent left-handed swing built for contact, and he manages the strike zone well as he focuses on getting on base. He has added about 10 pounds as a high school senior but still lacks the strength for power and makes a lot of ground-ball contact, so he'll never be much of a home run threat.

Scouts joke that George is a 90 runner on the standard 20-80 scale, and he makes the most out of his speed. He's an aggressive basestealer and runs down balls from gap to gap in center field. The Arkansas recruit has a below-average arm but it's playable in center and he compensates by getting to balls quicker than most players.

2025 batting average/OPS: .253/.715



#13 Ching-Hsien Ko, OF, A Arizona Complex (rookie), age 18

2024 International signee from Taiwan

Scouting grades: Hit: 55 | Power: 50 | Run: 50 | Arm: 55 | Field: 50 | Overall: 45

Ko excelled at the 18-and-under World Cup in his native Taiwan in September 2023, going 11-for-20 with seven walks while winning a silver medal. When the Dodgers signed him nine months later for $650,000, director of Pacific Rim scouting Jon Deeble compared him to Cody Bellinger. Ko made a brief pro debut in the Rookie-level Dominican Summer League, reaching base 18 times in nine games as a DH.

Ko has all the ingredients to hit for average and power. He has a quality left-handed swing with a mature approach, showing the ability to draw walks without becoming too passive at the plate. With his bat speed, present strength with the room to add more and aptitude for pulling balls in the air, he offers plus raw pop and should have the hitting ability to get to most of it.

Though he already carries 215 pounds on his 6-foot-3 frame, Ko moves well for his size and should settle in as an average runner once he's physically developed. Los Angeles will give him the opportunity to show what he can do in center field, though he'll probably end up in a corner in the long run. With his offensive upside and solid arm, he profiles well in right field.

2025 batting average/OPS: .366/1.016



#21 Jaron Elkins, OF, A Rancho Cucamonga, age 20

Drafted in 2023 Round 8 out of high school

Scouting grades: Hit: 40 | Power: 55 | Run: 70 | Arm: 60 | Field: 60 | Overall: 40

Though he played on the same Goodpasture Christian HS (Nashville) as Tigers fourth-rounder Carson Rucker in 2023, Elkins flew somewhat under the radar because he was also an all-region running back in football who didn't spend much time on the showcase circuit. Teams recognized his tools but didn't have much history with him, allowing the Dodgers to land him in the eighth round with an over-slot $407,500 bonus. After making a one-game pro debut in the Rookie-level Arizona Complex League, he returned there last summer and batted .285/.412/.457 with 20 steals in 57 games.

Elkins has a strong 6-foot-1 frame and a quick right-handed swing that give him plus raw power with the potential for more. He has a pull-happy approach and looks to drive the ball in the air, enabling him to tap into most of his pop. He'll have to prove he can hit advanced pitching because he tied for the ACL lead with 80 strikeouts while whiffing at 35 percent clip, though he did show a willingness to work deep counts and take walks.

Elkins may have the best combination of power and speed in the system. He's a plus-plus runner who's aggressive on the bases and in the outfield. Both his center-field defense and arm strength grade as at least plus, and the Dodgers have some internal 70 grades on both tools.

2025 batting average/OPS: .270/.783