Minor leagues – Page 4 – Dodger Thoughts

On April 18, 2016

Joe Thatcher (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

By Jon Weisman

Over the past two weeks, the Dodgers have bolstered their pitching depth in the minor leagues with several acquisitions.

Urias, De Leon among seven sent to minors

On March 17, 2016

Ross Stripling pitching on March 6.

By Jon Weisman

Pitching prospects Julio Urias, Jose De Leon and Ross Stripling are among seven players the Dodgers sent to minor-league camp this afternoon.

From the 40-man roster, the Dodgers optioned second baseman Micah Johnson and pitchers Yaisel Sierra, Ian Thomas and Stripling. Non-roster players who were reassigned include De Leon, Urias and catcher Jack Murphy.

Johnson has made no errors despite leading Dodger infielders in playing time so far with 66 defensive innings, and is a likely callup at some point during the regular season.

Urias and De Leon have made the most noise among the pitchers, combining for eight strikeouts in nine innings, though it was actually Stripling who has had the best month. The 26-year-old right-hander, nearly two years removed from Tommy John surgery, pitched two shutout innings with four strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 5-1 loss to Kansas City today, and has six innings with a 0.00 ERA in Cactus League play.

Dave Roberts ruled out Ross Stripling breaking camp as 5th starter, but added "He's impressed us" #DodgersST

— David Vassegh (@THEREAL_DV) March 17, 2016

None of the aforementioned pitchers, however, was destined to start the season in the Majors — least of all Sierra, the recent Cuban signee who has yet to appear in a game.

Still alive in the competition for the fifth spot in the Dodger starting rotation (behind Clayton Kershaw, Scott Kazmir, Kenta Maeda and Alex Wood) are Brandon Beachy, Mike Bolsinger and Zach Lee. The Dodgers have only two off days in April after the regular season starts.

Making his first appearance today since March 7, Wood pitched three innings, allowing a run on five baserunners with one strikeout.

“It felt good, it was good,” Wood said, according to MLB.com’s Barry M. Bloom. “I had one goal and that was to be efficient, which was a little different from the last time out. I was happy I was able to do that.”

Another Dodger pitching highlight today came from Kenley Jansen, who struck out the side in his inning.

[mlbvideo id=”556706483″ width=”550″ height=”308″ /]

In case you missed it: Ethier leadoff experiment, step one

On March 16, 2016

In Health/injuries, In case you missed it, Minor leagues, Postgame, Spring Training

Matthew Mesa/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

In discussing potential Dodger leadoff hitters last week, I hesitated to include Andre Ethier because he had never done so in a regular-season game – but I decided to do so anyway, because against right-handers, it makes sense.

Sure enough, Ethier grabbed a leadoff spot in today’s 7-3 Dodger victory over Colorado, walking and singling in his first two at-bats.

Dave Roberts told reporters today that Ethier could bat leadoff when the matchup is favorable.

What else can I tell you?

Hyun-Jin Ryu is not going to pitch in Cactus League play and is doubtful to return to Major League action before June, Dave Roberts said today.
Zach Lee retired the first eight batters he faced in a 3 1/3-inning performance, allowing a run on four baserunners with one strikeout.
Julio Urias gave up a run in his first inning of relief, but retired the final four batters in his two-inning outing.
In his second Cactus League game, Justin Turner went 1 for 3 with an error.
Elian Herrera and Trayce Thompson both scored on the same wild pitch in the eighth inning.
Some interesting data from Tony Blengino at Fangraphs supports a big 2016 season for Yasmani Grandal. In his first Cactus League game since March 9, Grandal singled and walked.
Outfield prospect Alex Verdugo did a Q&A with Jim Callis of MLB.com.
Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest rated Dodger minor leaguers according to best tools.
Frank Sinatra Jr., who sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium several times, most recently in September as part of the centennial celebration of his father, has passed away at age 72. Tommy Lasorda expressed his sadness this evening. “Like his father, Frank Jr. brought us much joy with his unbelievable musical talent,” Lasorda said. “Last season, Frank Jr. sang the national anthem at Dodger Stadium on my birthday. What a voice! Frank Jr. was a great and lovely family man. He will be missed dearly.”
For a brief moment this morning, it looked like Dodger Stadium was going the Calvinball route …

Dodger Stadium looks great, and the intriguing second pitchers' mound near first base is even more exciting! pic.twitter.com/o8WJnLW1pc

— Dodger Insider (@DodgerInsider) March 16, 2016

Deep dives on Dodger prospects from Dodgers Digest, True Blue L.A.

On March 8, 2016

We spend a lot of time here at Dodger Insider tracking how the major national media outlets rank Dodger prospects — you can see it all in out Minor League category — but there are also a pair of writers for two of the prime team blogs, Dustin Nosler of Dodgers Digest and David Hood of True Blue L.A., who go as deep as anyone on the Dodger farm system.

They’re not professional scouts, as they make perfectly clear in their disclaimers, but their observations are thoughtful and extensive.

Coincidentally (or not?), each site wrapped up its 2016 prospect picks today, so if you haven’t already, click the links to read their stuff.

— Jon Weisman

In case you missed it: Slyke like an eagle

On March 3, 2016

In In case you missed it, Minor leagues

By Jon Weisman

As Scott Van Slyke comes in for a landing, here’s a quick scan of some Dodger links around the Internet …

Clayton Kershaw can hit several milestones this year, writes Paul Casella of MLB.com. A sample: “Kershaw, who has posted a 0.857 WHIP and a 0.881 WHIP in the past two seasons, respectively, could become the first starter with three sub-0.900 WHIP seasons.”
MLB’s Statcast likes the chances for Alex Wood to improve in 2016, writes Mike Petriello for MLB.com. Jeff Sullivan takes his own deep dive on the same subject at Fangraphs.
Led by Van Slyke and Kiké Hernandez, the Dodgers have baseball’s best backups, according to August Fagerstrom of Fangraphs.
Baseball Prospectus has a detailed rundown of its top 10 Dodger prospects, plus five that just missed, then concludes with this ranking of the top 10 Dodgers at any level, age 25 and under:
1) Corey Seager
2) Yasiel Puig
3) Joc Pederson
4) Julio Urias
5) Jose De Leon
6) Alex Wood
7) Grant Holmes
8) Frankie Montas
9) Yadier Alvarez
10) Alex Verdugo

Minors are major deal for Dodgers’ World Series hopes

On February 13, 2016

In Minor leagues, Thinking out loud

Jose De Leon

By Jon Weisman

As the combined raves by MLB.com, ESPN’s Keith Law, Baseball America and Baseball Prospectus made the Dodgers’ the consensus No. 1 farm system in baseball, revelry naturally abounded among the online Dodger fanbase. But just as inevitably came the backtalk.

“So what — they still haven’t won a World Series.”

I get that this is sort of the natural response to any piece of good news that isn’t the good news. And I also get that some would trade the current minor-league glory for Cole Hamels or a player to be named earlier.

But if you’re vexed that the Dodgers haven’t won a World Series since “ALF” was primetime’s most watched show on Mondays, then you know what? It’s still time to be happy that the Dodger system is the tops.

Seven Dodger prospects in ESPN’s top 100

On February 11, 2016

By Jon Weisman

ESPN prospect analyst Keith Law ranked the Dodger farm system second in MLB, thanks in no small part to the appearance of seven prospects in his top 100 list that was released today.

As has been their custom, Corey Seager and Julio Urias landed in Law’s top five, with Seager claiming the top spot previously held by Minnesota’s Byron Buxton. They are the only Dodgers in Law’s top 50. However, there are five in the next half-hundred: Alex Verdugo (51), Jose De Leon (60), Grant Holmes (71), Yusniel Diaz (79), the Cuban emigré whose signing hasn’t been officially announced by the Dodgers, and Cody Bellinger (92).

Dodgers extend 16 non-roster invites to MLB camp for Spring Training

On January 25, 2016

In Minor leagues, Spring Training, Transactions

Julio Urias signs autographs at Spring Training in 2015. (Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

2016 non-roster invitations
Pitchers (6): Chris Anderson, Lisalverto Bonilla, Brooks Brown, Jose De Leon, Julio Urias, Matt West
Catchers (3): Kyle Farmer, Jack Murphy, Shawn Zarraga
Infielders (2): Charlie Culberson, Rob Segedin
Infielder-outfielders (2): Cody Bellinger, Elian Herrera
Outfielders (3): Corey Brown, Alex Hassan, Rico Noel

By Jon Weisman

Minor-league pitching prospects Julio Urias, Jose DeLeon and Chris Anderson are among the 16 players not currently on the 40-man roster who have been invited to Major League camp for Spring Training.

The 19-year-old Urias is the No. 1 left-handed pitching prospect in baseball, according to MLB.com, while DeLeon, 23, is the No. 5 righty. The 23-year-old Anderson, the Dodgers’ first-round draft choice in the 2013 draft, had a 4.05 ERA and 7.0 strikeouts per nine innings for Double-A Tulsa in 2015.

The hottest non-roster invite on the hitting side is Cody Bellinger, who is ranked sixth among first-base prospects in the minors.

Dodgers name minor-league coaches for 2016

On January 14, 2016

By Jon Weisman

Having announced their 2016 minor-league managers in December, the Dodgers have now named nearly all the coaches at their six farm system affiliates. The group includes some familiar names. Here we go …

Dodgers divvy up 2016 winter development program

On January 8, 2016

In Catching, Development, Minor leagues

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Instead of a single Winter Development Program for minor leaguers this month, as they have had in recent years, the Dodgers will run three different smaller camps over the next three weeks.

“There’s room for us to do it a little more creatively this time and optimize for togetherness and development of our players, and also our staff members,” Dodger director of player development Gabe Kapler said.

New and familiar faces on Baseball America’s top 10 Dodger prospects for ’16

On November 30, 2015

Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Baseball America’s annual ranking of Dodger prospects actually comes early this year — the 2015 rankings were published 10 months ago — and comes with five names that weren’t on the preseason 2015 list.

Joc Pederson graduated from prospect status, but Corey Seager remains a rookie despite his impressive September debut, allowing the Dodger infielder a second consecutive year in the No. 1 slot. Julio Urias moves up a spot accordingly to No. 2, while right-hadner Jose De Leon leapfrogs into the No. 3 spot.

The top newcomer on this year’s list is infielder Jose Peraza, acquired from Atlanta in the big July 30 deal. “Peraza lacks a high ceiling,” Baseball America’s Ben Badler writes, “but his bat-to-ball skills and wheels should make him a steady player in the middle of the diamond.” In the list of best tools in the Dodger minor leagues, Peraza is called the organization’s top athlete.

Making the biggest leap internally is first baseman-outfielder Cody Bellinger, who skipped Great Lakes after hitting three homers with Rookie League Ogden in 2014 and hit 30 for High-A Rancho Cucamonga in 2015. The 20-year-old is also labeled the best power hitter in the system.

“Bellinger used to gear his swing for line drives, but he made a mechanical adjustment in 2015 to put his body in a better position to create torque,” Badler wrote in his analysis. “Toward the end of 2015, he began to study heat maps to understand his own strengths and weaknesses, and he condensed his trigger slightly.”

Cotton, Stripling added to 40-man roster

On November 20, 2015

By Jon Weisman

Minor-league right-handed pitchers Jharel Cotton (left) and Ross Stripling have been added to Dodgers’ 40-man roster today, as expected, ahead of the deadline to protect them from other MLB clubs in the Rule 5 draft.

Cotton, who turns 24 in January, pitched primarily for Double-A Tulsa, with 71 strikeouts and a 1.12 WHIP in 62 2/3 innings, before gaining 7 1/3 innings of Triple-A experience at the end of the year.

Returning from April 2014 Tommy John surgery, Stripling (who turns 26 Monday) had 55 strikeouts and a 1.19 WHIP in 67 1/3 innings for Tulsa.

The Dodgers now have 39 players on their 40-man roster, 23 of them pitchers.

Kapler on Seager and Urias

On November 16, 2015

Juan Ocampo/Los Angeles Dodgers

By Jon Weisman

Dodger director of player development Gabe Kapler spoke to Josh Jackson of MiLB.com about the Dodger minor-leaguers who had the best seasons in 2015. Here are two passages from the interview that stood out:

On Corey Seager’s defense and future at shortstop:

“Sometimes we see a guy consistently make plays that look so easy and so routine that we don’t necessarily see acrobatic plays. What does that mean? He makes plays others make look acrobatic, he makes those plays look effortless. One thing that’s fascinating about Corey: the throws he makes on cutoffs and relays to cut down runners going from first to third look almost identical to the throws he makes with nobody on, when he’s just relaying ball back. That calm. He’s got that thing that allows him to keep his body under control in high-pressure situations.”

On what makes Julio Urias so special:

“He’s about as charismatic and dynamic an individual as we have in the organization. He’s super communicative and incredibly intelligent, very liked, very prepared, very driven. With that. coupled with his athleticism and lower drive and his fastball characteristics, plus the simple grind of being a baseball dude, he has the makings of a really special contributor to our organization. He’s a guy who’s going to be good for a long time.”

Several Dodger minor-leaguers become free agents

On November 10, 2015