DODGERS 2017 MINOR LEAGUE/PROSPECTS Thread

Peters is good tho, maybe another magical 4th rounder for LAD
Slugging .556 with a .946 OPS @ RC
He actually hit 3 HRs in Sunday's game, so that's 5 HRs over his last 4 games, 18 HRs on the year
Big, athletic kid too, 6'6" 225lbs outfielder
Would be nice if this right handed bat landed in the show in a couple years

 

3 prospects landed in the top 28 spots for the Midseason Top 50 from Baseball Prospectus.
19. Walker Buehler, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why He’ll Succeed: You can make an argument Buehler has the best raw stuff in the minors right now. The fastball can touch 99, and he complements it with two advanced breaking pitches, both of which are potentially plus major league offerings.
Why He Might Fail: His frame and mechanics don’t exactly scream “this is a safe starting pitching prospect.” He has been healthy for only the last ten months. I’m not going to overuse “also, he’s a pitcher” on this list, but it feels appropriate here at least.

27. Alex Verdugo, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why He’ll Succeed: If you’re going to have one carrying tool, the hit tool is a good one to have. Verdugo’s might be double plus. He’s got a dynamic arm too, which should serve him well in right field if he can’t stick up the middle.
Why He Might Fail: There’s a decent chance he doesn’t stick up the middle as his speed is average and he could slow down as he matures. If the hit tool isn’t what we think it is, there’s not a ton to fall back on.

28. Yadier Alvarez, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers
Why He’ll Succeed: The raw stuff is so good you could open a restaurant in a trendy part of NYC. It’s really easy, elite velocity paired with two potential plus secondaries. He’s long, lanky and has the athleticism to make it all work as a starter.
Why He Might Fail: The control and command are loose enough, and the changeup far away enough that he might not be a starter if it one or more of those aspects don’t take a significant step forward.

Not bad. The only NL West player higher than our first was Brendan Rodgers at 6 which is no surprise and then Fernando Tatis Jr is in there at 22 is the only one higher than the other two. No other NLW shows up til 44 and 49 and both of those guys have HUGE question marks. The Dodgers have an opportunity to lock down this division for a good stretch. Just have to hope that the development team keeps doing the job and the prospects do theirs.

Would guess that a couple of guys in the Top 101 would include Willie Calhoun and Yusniel Diaz(who has been on a tear) at the least. Some second halfs to watch will be Edwin Rios, Keibert Ruiz, Starling Heredia, Imani Abdullah, Dustin May, Dennis Santana and AJ Alexy.

 

Have pondered the same because of Verdugo's average athleticism.
Joc doesn't have the arm and doesn't come in on the ball as well as Verdugo, but Joc does have more range/speed in center.
Until recently Verdugo had gotten the most work in RF this season, middle of June is about the time he began playing CF everyday.
He's also been batting leadoff since June 8 and that's about the time he took off with the stick again.
“ It's more about getting on base now, and I do that no matter if it's a walk, hit by pitch or just grinding out an at-bat and getting a pitch to hit and hitting it for a single or whatever, ” Verdugo said. “ I actually really ended up liking the lead-off spot and that role. ”

 

I feel like Joc was getting similar write ups about his athleticism as well. Lots of talk that he wouldn't stick in CF for long and then would have to move to LF. If Verdugo comes up and they decide to put him in CF, that means we likely have a couple of seasons with him there before making another decision, but he can move to RF or LF. I'm really not all that worried about him, he seems to make some slick plays in the OF and has the right mindset. I really hope that they do not move him.

 

DJ Peters getting a thumbs up on his show hair from the MLB Networks Dan O'Dowd. Says also that he has a pretty swing. Congrats DJ for hitting the shit out of those HR's in the SAME inning?

 

https://www.truebluela.com/2017/7/6...aseball-prospectus-midseason-top-50-prospects

 

Jim Callis‏Verified account@jimcallisMLB 16m16 minutes ago
1st-rder Jeren Kendall agrees w/@Dodgers. Steal at No. 23 overall, best all-around tools in college @MLBDraft crop. Tracking down bonus info

 

Biggest question mark has been his swing and the development team has done a great job in recent years tweaking the mechanics of some fringe prospects. It would be fantastic if they were able to do it again here with a potential star one.

 

BA came out with their Top 100 today and it is not as glowing as the BP one was.
Buehler 17
Verdugo 35
Alvarez 60
Calhoun 74

 

Verdugo's been getting 40-45 ( BA's current grade)-50 speed tool grades..below average to average. I don't recall Joc getting much better grades for his speed, but still a little better. I mostly remember Joc getting above average marks for his speed/athleticism, 55 speed tool grades in combination with his 120-130+ stolen base tally. As for what I've seen with my eyes, Verdugo really doesn't jump off the screen athletically. In comparison with the Joc of today? Hard to say because Joc wasn't always 220-230lbs, where he is today.

 

2.9 Mil according to Heyman

 

I think Mr. Redass injured something again, but his hick nature is keeping it quiet so he can be the tough guy.

Go ahead Madass. Re-injure it and get lit up in your next start, Minors or not.

 

Yaisel Sierra and Edwin Rios have been promoted to AAA. It was about time for Rios as we all are well aware of him handling AA pitching this year, though he had a mediocre June, he has had a solid week to start July. Will be interesting to see what the team has in mind for him. I just noticed he has played a couple games in RF. He is apparently a butcher at 3B, but has a canon for an arm.
Sierra on the other hand has totally flown under my radar. He is still not throwing a great number of strikes to balls, but he has greatly improved his K:BB ratio 64:16 and seems to be settling in to a long relief role. Would be nice if he could live up to the promise of being a back end reliever that many thought he was.

 

If I remember correctly Sierra was in AAA before and on the 40 man roster, he's since has been dropped off the 40 man so good to see him doing well again. As for Rios we've both been impressed with him and it's great that he'll get the attention he deserves!!!! Man among boys.

I mentioned Jose Miguel Fernandez last week and he hasn't slowed down, 2 HR's last night.

 

I was thinking this and a couple other bloggers just brought up something similar, but I bet this is very likely in response to a team liking Rios and the Dodgers bringing him up to AAA to showcase that he is capable of handling that next level. I do not think that Rios is in the future plans of this club and a solid couple weeks in OKC could take him from upside complementary piece in deal, to realistic good #2 piece in a trade. I don't think he would do much else unless he plays RF and takes to the position better than Taylor has in the OF and flashes a + arm to handle the spot.

Sierra was in AA last year, but that was it. Did better in AA than HiA last year, but he had transitioned to reliever at that point.

 

You're correct about the level and he was outrighted off the 40 man when MehCarthy was activated July 3rd. The only position for Rios to me would be 1st when A-Gon retires IF IF he can kill it in OKC and have Cody in LF while CT becomes our 2nd baseman but that's a year away. The showcase thing is always going to be a thought in prospect watchers minds. 3 weeks to go, should be a prognosticators wet dream until 1:00PM pacific 7/31/17.

 

Dodgers ended up signing 33 of their 40 draft picks in what is being perceived as a very good class.

 

@Fall Winslow hit on it earlier, but I do not like the numbers of when Cody starts in the OF and when he starts at 1B. That could be totally off the wall and by chance, but there also could be something there if it is about comfort with him. I want to see the way the rest of the season plays out, but maybe having Bellinger at 1B is a way for him to conserve more energy. It would however, be a HELL of a thing if Rios is able to push Bellinger to full time OF duty and he is comfortable with it. One thing that was talked a lot about Rios is that he K'd a lot, but boy has he cut those numbers down, still does not walk for shit, but a 21% K rate is not bad for a power hitter. He is, by the way, starting at 1B tonight with OKC. That would be a lot of moving pieces and things falling perfectly into place if Taylor becomes 2B of the future, Rios is the 1B of the future, Bellinger in LF and Verdugo in RF with Seager entrenched at SS. One other bit on Rios, he has crushed LHP this year, so like Verdugo, Bellinger and Seager, they are LH, but don't struggle mightily against them.

 

He's 22. Conserving his energy shouldn't be a concern.

It's looked to me like he's moved from position to position seamlessly.

 

I was thinking similarly, except my 1B of the future was the Moose Lol
Was thinking maybe LAD would potentially grab another home town guy in Moose and play him at 1B, he doesn't really struggle with LHP either, but then I looked at CB's splits and yeah, that worries me.
And then of course that'd take KC selling, so your scenario is a little more probable with the way KC has come back into the WC picture recently.
1B seems to be CB's place now, though, I believe the Wally Pipp'ing is complete.
Adrian can ride it out this year as a pinch hitter and it's CC-city for him in the off-season..let's send him out a champion