Several Dodger minor-leaguers become free agents

Matt West made his Dodger debut June 20. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

By Jon Weisman

Earlier this morning, Matt Eddy of Baseball America posted a lengthy list of minor-leaguers who have just become free agents. That included more than two dozen names from the Dodgers, who have confirmed that they are no longer under contract with the organization.

Several of these players were signed by the Dodgers as recently as last winter, as part of the annual cycle of veteran minor-leaguers switching teams, though there is one prominent former Dodger draft pick among them.

If the most familiar player to Dodger fans to bid farewell to the franchise is one-time big-leaguer Ramon Troncoso (1.10 WHIP, 5.2 K/9 in 2015), the most noteworthy name for Dodger prospect watchers is Garrett Gould, a second-round draft pick in 2009. Gould had a promising 2011 season with Single-A Great Lakes, but struggled thereafter and then had Tommy John surgery 11 months ago.

Matt West, who threw three shutout innings in June for the Dodgers, is the only one of the new minor-league free agents to pitch for the big club in 2015.

Daniel Corcino was one of the Dodgers’ early season waiver claims, while Juan Jaime had come in the May trade that featured Juan Uribe and Alberto Callaspo. Juan Gonzalez pitched in the Futures Game last summer.

Chad Gaudin and Dustin Richardson were longtime Major Leaguers whom the Dodgers took a flyer on during Spring Training at Camelback Ranch, where we also saw such players Shawn Zarraga, Buck Britton and Kyle Jensen get into numerous games.

Here’s Eddy’s list:

Los Angeles Dodgers
RHP: Daniel Corcino (AA), Chad Gaudin (AAA), Juan Gonzalez (AAA), Garrett Gould (AA), Jairo Heredia (AA), Juan Jaime (AAA), Deck McGuire (AAA), Luis Meza (Hi A), Steve Smith (AA), Daniel Tillman (AA), Ramon Troncoso (AAA), Matt West (AAA)
LHP: Ramon Benjamin (AA), Ryan Dennick (AA), Jose Molina (Hi A), Dustin Richardson (AAA)
C: Ralph Henriquez (AAA), Webster Rivas (AA), Ali Solis (AAA), Shawn Zarraga (AAA)
2B: Elliot Johnson (AAA)
3B: Buck Britton (AAA), Jarek Cunningham (AA), Daniel Mayora (AA)
SS: Faustino Oguisten (R), Nate Samson (AAA)
OF: Brian Burgamy (AA), Kyle Jensen (AAA), Travis Witherspoon (Hi A)