I know that writing up 200 players seems a little excessive, especially since the majority of these players are obviously not prospects.  However, I really look at this as a “get to know your Dodger minor league system”.  My goal is for Dodger fans to know at least a little something about all players in the Dodgers system because it makes looking at the minor league box scores more fun.  There won’t just be a bunch of names, but instead players that fans have at least heard of. 

Even still, the 1st half of this list still might seem a little bit mundane, but the way you have to look at it is that you never know when a player will have a breakout season.  For example, I ranked Rafael Ynoa #172 last year because he had been terrible, but after a solid 2010 he has moved up the prospect charts significantly.  Similarly, Allen Webster was #100 on my 2009 list, and now he is a top prospect, so you never know.

What also makes this fun is that because this is the 3rd year I am doing this, you can track where each player has ranked over the past few seasons.  So you can see whether a player has made moved up or down my list over the years.  I’ve included where each prospect played in 2010, how each was acquired by the Dodgers, their height, weight, and age as of opening day 2011, and finally their 2010 combined minor league statistics.  I will generally post 10 players at a time, and will be posting 1 to 2 times a week.  My goal is to finish my posting before 2011 Spring Training starts. 

Welcome again to the most comprehensive analysis of the Dodgers minor league system.  For the 3rd straight year, I am going to provide a summary of virtually every player in the Dodgers minor league system as of November 30th who meets the following qualifications:  (1) played in the Dodgers minor league system during 2010, or was injured during the entire 2010 season; (2) is still within the Dodgers organization as of season end; (3) is under 28 years old as of Opening Day 2011; and (4) the player is still considered a prospect by Baseball America standards, which means that pitchers must have less than 50 innings pitched in the majors, and hitters must have less than 130 at bats in the majors.  Like Baseball America, I do not take into account service time, and therefore it is possible that I have included prospects who will not technically be rookies in 2011.

I know that writing up 200 players seems a little excessive, especially since the majority of these players are obviously not prospects.  However, I really look at this as a “get to know your Dodger minor league system”.  My goal is for Dodger fans to know at least a little something about all players in the Dodgers system because it makes looking at the minor league box scores more fun.  There won’t just be a bunch of names, but instead players that fans have at least heard of. 

Even still, the 1st half of this list still might seem a little bit mundane, but the way you have to look at it is that you never know when a player will have a breakout season.  For example, I ranked Rafael Ynoa #172 last year because he had been terrible, but after a solid 2010 he has moved up the prospect charts significantly.  Similarly, Allen Webster was #100 on my 2009 list, and now he is a top prospect, so you never know.

What also makes this fun is that because this is the 3rd year I am doing this, you can track where each player has ranked over the past few seasons.  So you can see whether a player has made moved up or down my list over the years.  I’ve included where each prospect played in 2010, how each was acquired by the Dodgers, their height, weight, and age as of opening day 2011, and finally their 2010 combined minor league statistics.  I will generally post 10 players at a time, and will be posting 1 to 2 times a week.  My goal is to finish my posting before 2011 Spring Training starts.

200.  Ricardo Rivas, RHP (21 IP in the Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by the Dodgers out of an open tryout in March of 2010

6’1”, 180 lbs, 27 years old

2-1, 10.29 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 4.82 FIP, 7.29 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

When the Dodgers held an open tryout in March of 2010, 85 athletes showed up hoping to make their baseball dream come true.  At the end of the day, only one player was signed by the Dodgers, and it was Ricardo “Ricky” Rivas.  When I initially heard about this signing, I really didn’t understand it because Rivas was already 26 years old, so unless he was flashing a 98 mph fastball it seemed like a waste of time.  Well at the end of the day it probably was a waste because the Dodgers ended up assigning Rivas to the Pioneer Rookie League where he was terrible despite playing against much younger competition.  In case you are interested in his background, Rivas was a 48^th round pick out of El Paso Community College in 2004, however he did not sign and played two years at Oklahoma State.  Prior to getting a job with the Dodgers, Ricky was playing independent baseball for his hometown El Paso Diablos.  I doubt that Rivas will be in the Dodgers organization in 2011.

199.  Frank De Jesus, C (17 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’1”, 192 lbs, 22.75 years old, switch hitter

.205 average, .590 OPS, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

It’s really a mystery as to why the Dodgers signed Frank De Jesus in 2010.  He was a 22 year old international free agent without any baseball experience, and the DSL Dodgers were already stocked with 6 other guys capable of playing catcher.  The only thing he has going for him is that he is a switch hitter, but that doesn’t matter when you only hit .162 against right handed pitchers.  If he were 18 that would have been one thing, but why sign a 22 year old?  Maybe he is a relative of Ivan De Jesus, and they were doing him a favor.  Anyways, to nobody’s surprise he had a terrible season, and it’s almost a given that he will not be back in the organization next year.

198.  Jose Lugo, C (25 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 200 lbs, 20.75 years old, bats right handed

.176 average, .479 OPS, 0 HR’s, 7 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 176;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jose Lugo was terrible for the Dominican Dodgers in 2009, and even worse in 2010.  One of 7 catchers on the team, Lugo actually caught the 2^nd most games for the Dodgers this past year, but did absolutely nothing at the plate.  The young Venezuelan recorded just 1 extra base hit on the year, and had a dismal slugging percentage of .196.  While he may find his way back on to the DSL Dodgers again next season, the 20 year old will clearly never play baseball in the United States.

197.  J.J. Whetsel, RHP (33.2 IP in the Pioneer League in 2010)

Non Drafted Free Agent signed by the Dodgers on 3/29/10

6’1”, 190 lbs, 26.25 years old

0-0, 7.75 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 5.90 FIP, 7.22 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

J.J. Whetsel was signed by the Dodgers as a non drafted free agent just a few days before the 2010 season.  In 2009, he had played for the Sioux City Explorers of the American Association Independent League, and before that played his college ball at Troy University.  Even though he was already 25 years old when he signed, the Dodgers assigned Whetsel to the Pioneer Rookie League where he struggled mightily.  He had awful stats, but the one that stood out was that he allowed 7 homers in just 33.2 innings.  I’m going to venture a guess that Whetsel will not be in the Dodgers organization next season. 

196.  Aris Angeles, RHP (13.1 innings in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 179 lbs, 21.5 years old

1-0, 6.08 ERA, 2.70 WHIP, 5.60 FIP, 10.80 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Aris was signed by the Dodgers prior to the 2010 season even though he was already 20 years old.  He was used sparingly throughout the season, appearing in only 10 games and throwing just 13.1 innings.  As you can see from his terrible WHIP, Angeles allowed way too many base runners in his limited time on the mound and is much too old to ever make an impact with the Dodgers.  It’s too bad because his name would have fit perfectly in Los Angeles.

195.  Angelo Ponte, C (11 games in Arizona Rookie League in 2010)

Non Drafted Free Agent signed by the Dodgers on 6/15/10

5’11”, 215 lbs, 24.25 years old, bats right handed

.152 average, .415 OPS, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Angelo Ponte wasn’t drafted in 2010 after playing his college ball at Fordham University, but was signed by the Dodgers shortly after draft day by the Dodgers.  As most people know, Fordham was the college that Vin Scully graduated from, so there are some ties between the school and the Dodgers.  In his 4 years at Fordham, Ponte had a career .283 average and only hit 4 home runs, so he obviously doesn’t have much upside.  He is also already 24 years old and had a terrible time in the Arizona Rookie League, although he only played in 11 games.  I’m not sure if Ponte is worth keeping around, although like other light hitting catchers he does give the Dodgers some extra bodies who can catch the ball in spring training.

194.  Railing Feliz, C (14 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

5’11”, 184 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.182 average, .482 OPS, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Railing Feliz has a great name, but that’s about the only thing that he has going for him.  The young man from the Dominican Republic was with the Dominican Dodgers all year, as his appearances were spread throughout the season, but he only got into 14 games.  And when he did play, his stats were awful as you can see from his .182 average.  While he did play most of the year as an 18 year old, that isn’t an excuse in the Dominican Summer League as the league is full of teenagers.  The Dodgers may bring back Feliz for one more season if they need depth at catcher, but even that seems unlikely at this point.

193.  David Iden, 2B (30 games in Arizona Rookie League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 35^th round

5’9”, 160 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.267 average, .663 OPS, 1 HR’s, 14 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 175;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

A late round pick for the Dodgers in 2009 out of Cal Lutheran University, David Iden is the type of player who just wanted a chance to prove himself.  Upon being drafted by the Dodgers, Iden was “ecstatic… relieved…and anxious”.  At Cal Lutheran, the Thousand Oaks native was a career .343 hitter, and ranked in the school’s top 10 for career RBI’s (100), runs scored (121), and stolen bases (63).  Unfortunately, Iden has done nothing to prove himself in his two years as a professional.  In 2009, he was sent to the Pioneer League and struggled to produce.  He was then demoted to the Arizona Rookie League in 2010 despite being already 23 years old, and hit only .267 in 30 games, with 1 HR and 5 SB’s.  At 5’9” Iden is undersized, which is another thing working against him, and with two bad seasons under his belt he’s a candidate to be released.

192.  Gabriel Gutierrez, C (5 games in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2002

5’11”, 190 lbs, 27.25 years old, bats right handed

.368 average, .850 OPS, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 0 SB’s, bats right handed

Pre 2010 Rank: 187;     Pre 2009 Rank: 161

The Mexican born Gutierrez was on loan to the Diablos Rojos of the Mexican League for almost the entire season, where he hit .283 in 106 at bats with just 8 RBI’s.  I’m not exactly sure how the loaning of players works, but he was one a few players in the Dodgers organization to play in the Mexican League in 2010.  Gutierrez returned to the USA and played with the 66ers for the final week of the season where he hit pretty well in limited at bats.  An interesting thing about Gutierrez is that he has been in the Dodgers organization since 2002, making one of the longest tenured players in the organization.  By my count, only a few players like James Loney, Jonathan Broxton, and minor leaguer Eduardo Perez have been around longer.  Since Gutierrez is a catcher, he continues to provide value to the team during times such as spring training, so he’ll probably stick around for at least another year.  However he is a minor league free agent and an organizational player at best, so he might just play full time in Mexico.

191.  Ricardo De La Rosa, OF (35 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 184 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.163 average, .517 OPS, 0 HR’s, 4 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Even though he was born in the same city as Rubby De La Rosa (Santo Domingo, DR), I’m pretty sure that Ricardo is not the brother of Rubby.  It is possible they are related, but I couldn’t find any mention of it on the internet.  Even if they are related, I don’t think that it would matter because Ricardo is going nowhere fast.  The light hitting outfielder got into 35 games, but only accumulated 49 at bats for the entire season.  His only hits were 8 singles, so his OPS was a measly .517 for the year.  The only positive stat for the 19 year old was his walk to strikeout ratio, as he walked 14 times and stuck out in just 11 plate appearances.  He is another player who may or may not be back next year.

190.  Ronny Lugo, RF (46 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 170 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.231 average, .654 OPS, 2 HR’s, 18 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 157;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Ronny Lugo was signed out of Venezuela prior to the 2009 season, but ever since his debut he has posted pretty dismal stats.  In fact, the only damage that Lugo did in 2010 came against left handed pitchers, as righties limited him to a .203 average.  The one good thing about Ronny is that he is versatile as an outfielder, but that will only get you so far.  Overall because his offensive numbers this year did not show any improvement from 2009, and because he is almost 21 years old, I’m guessing that Lugo’s baseball career is probably done. 

189.  Johan Garcia, 3B (78 games in HiA, 16 games in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 4/19/05

6’0”, 170 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats right handed

.243 average, .610 OPS, 3 HR’s 33 RBI’s, 9 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 186;     Pre 2009 Rank: 155

Johan Garcia has been in the Dodgers organization for quite some time now, but he has never really done much of anything.  His career batting average is below .240, he only six total homers his six seasons, and he doesn’t really have a whole lot of speed.  In fact, he has had such a dismal career that his 2010 season was actually one of his best years yet.  His .243 average was the 2^nd highest of his career, and his 33 RBI’s almost doubled his previous season high.  I guess the one thing that Garcia has going for him is that he is a versatile infielder, as he can play 3B, 2B, and SS.  At 24 years old, Johan doesn’t seem to have much of a future in baseball, but the Dodgers might just keep him around as a utility player for another season.     

188.  Victor Araujo, RHP (14.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

5’11”, 171 lbs, 21.25 years old

2-0, 2.45 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 2.25 FIP, 11.66 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Victor Araujo had outstanding stats in 2010, but he still has many flaws as a potential prospect.  First, 2010 was his first taste of professional baseball even though he was already 20 years old during the season.  Second, Araujo is very small for a pitcher as he stands at just 5’11”.  Third, Victor only threw 14.2 innings in 2010 so while his stats were good, the sample size is much too small to pass any judgment on him as a player.  Overall, the negatives outweigh the positives for Araujo, so unless he has another great season in 2011 while throwing a lot more innings, this will probably be the last time you read about him.

187.  Steve Cilladi, C (11 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 33^rd round

5’9”, 182 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.292 average, .796 OPS, 1 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 193;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Despite being 23 years old, Cilladi only participated in 11 games in the Arizona Rookie League in 2010.  In fact, even though he was drafted in 2009, Cilladi has only played in 26 professional games.  To provide a little background on Cilladi, his dad was a former athletic trainer for the Rockies and Cubs, so I’m sure he knows something about conditioning.  He played college ball in the NAIA with the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes, and during his four seasons there Steve hit .267 with 76 hits, so he wasn’t exactly a masher in college.  In addition, he wasn’t even the full time starting catcher during his Senior year.  Since he’s a catcher, Cilladi proves some value to the Dodgers since he can help out in spring training, but besides that I’m not sure how much use the Dodgers have for a 24 year old without much experience.

186.  Jorky Infante, 3B (57 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 155 lbs, 20 years old, switch hitter

.270 average, .697 OPS, 2 HR’s, 14 RBI’s, 13 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 167;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Born in the Dominican Republic, Jorky Infante has a great name.  He made his professional debut in 2009, but had terrible stats in limited appearances as an 18 year old.  In 2010, Infante was the DSL Dodgers everyday 3rd baseman, and made 13 errors at the hot corner in 49 games.  At the plate, however, Infante proved to be a pretty good all around player, hitting .270 with a couple of homers and stealing 13 bases.  A switch hitter, Infante also showed good plate disciple as he walked 28 times against just 27 strikeouts.  Jorky will be 20 years old when the 2011 season starts, and since his stats don’t warrant a move to a US based league, the Dodgers will have to decide if he is worth keeping around in the DSL for another year.

185.  Ariel Botello, RHP (32 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’2”, 217 lbs, 21.25 years old

2-1, 3.66 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 4.39 FIP, 6.75 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The 2010 Dominican Dodgers pitching staff was full pitchers who were too old for the DSL, and Ariel Botello is another perfect example. 2010 was Botello’s first season even though he played the entire season as a 20 year old, and the Dominican native put up decent stats.  He didn’t strike out a ton of batters, but his ERA was respectable and batters hit just .237 against him.  He has a decent pitcher’s frame at 6’2”, but I really don’t see anything too special about Ariel.  At the end of the day, he is really just a body used to fill the Dominican Dodgers roster.

184.  Miguel Sanfler, LHP (70 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/2/02

5’11”, 165 lbs, 26.5 years old

0-3, 5.40 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 4.27 FIP, 6.17 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 162;     Pre 2009 Rank: 102

The highlight of Sanfler’s career was probably in 2005, when he was rated by Baseball America as the 19^th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League.  In their write up, BA said that Miguel boasted a 95 mph fastball and a devastating curveball.  Five years later, Sanfler’s stuff seems to have faded.  He has spent the last 4 years in A-ball (two in LoA and 2 in HiA), and has not performed well in any of those seasons.  In fact, his 2010 stats were almost identical to his 2009 stats when he had a 5.48 ERA, a 1.64 WHIP, and a 6.13 K/9.  Similar to years past, Sanfler’s poor control and lack of a strikeout pitch were his biggest problems in 2010 as his strikeout to walk ratio was just 1.41 for the year.  The one positive for Sanfler is that he has been a workhorse through his career, and continued that trend in 2010 with 70 innings out of the bullpen.  Currently a minor league free agent, my guess would be that the 26 year old will not be back with the Dodgers in 2011.

183.  Josh Walter, RHP (95.2 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 6/27/08

6’4”, 250 lbs, 26 years old

1-10, 6.59 ERA, 1.83 WHIP, 5.45 FIP, 8.00 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 99;     Pre 2009 Rank: 189

After a good season in 2009, there was some buzz about Josh Walter as a potential prospect.  I didn’t buy into the hype, however, and now I think you can forget about him forever.  The 25 year old had an ERA of 6.59 and – get this – he posted a win/loss record of 1 – 10 for the 66ers in 2010.  He also allowed 13 homers in 95.2 innings, and ranked 2^nd in the California league with his 64 walks.  Signed as a non drafted free agent during the 2008 season out of Texas State, 2010 might just have been the last season as a Dodger for the big guy.

182.  Andres Perez, OF (41 games in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 8/9/09 out of independent ball

6’0”, 200 lbs, 26.75 years old, bats right handed

.285 average, .768 OPS, 2 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 150;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

As I mentioned last year, Andres Perez played his college ball at Stony Brook University, and during 2006, his Senior season, he hit .327 and led the team with 7 HR’s.  Undrafted out of college, Perez signed with the Yankees as a non drafted free agent in September of 2006.  In 2007, his first professional season, he played at 4 different levels ranging from the Gulf Coast League to HiA.  After an uninspiring season, however, he was cut from the Yankees, so he signed with Tampa Bay before the 2008 season.  After a mediocre season in the Florida State League, he was again let go again.  Unable to find a team to sign with at the beginning of 2009, Perez kept his baseball hopes alive by playing ball with the Newark Bears.  After tearing up the independent league, he signed with the Dodgers midseason in 2009 and played in the California League where he put up very strong numbers in 26 games.  He returned to the 66ers in 2010, but was hurt for most of the season and was very unimpressive for a 26 year old.  A minor league free agent, I am pretty sure that Perez will not be in the Dodgers organization in 2011. 

181.  Luis Rosano, RHP (29.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 190 lbs, 19.75 years old

1-4, 6.37 ERA, 1.99 WHIP, 6.40 FIP, 4.55 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 145;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

While Rosano wasn’t great in 2009, he was slightly intriguing because at the time he was just 18 year old and had a solid pitchers frame.  I think all expectations of him ever becoming a prospect are gone, however, as Rosano had a terrible season in 2010.  The young man from Venezuela had an ERA of 6.37, and walked as many batters as he struck out (15).  He also allowed 5 homers in his short season, and opposing battings hit .352 against him.  Luis will be 20 years old by the time the 2011 DSL season starts, so if the Dodgers do decide to bring him back he’ll be one of the older players in the league.

180.  Leandro De Dios, RHP (40.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

5’11”, 184 lbs, 21.75 years old

2-3, 2.66 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 3.64 FIP, 7.97 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Leandro De Dios was born in the Dominican Republic, and signed with the Dodgers prior to the 2010 season.  I’m not sure why he waited to sign until he turned 20 years old, but it definitely hurt him in prospect status.  His 5’11” height also isn’t helping him in terms of his ranking.  When you look past his age and height, however, De Dios actually had a very solid season for the Dominican Dodgers.  He was especially effective in the first half of the season, when his 1.71 ERA earned him a spot on the DSL Mid-Season All Star Team.  While he struggled a bit in the final month, opposing batters ended up hitting just .212 against him for the year.  While the Dodgers will probably keep him around for another year, his great stats do not offset his age and stature enough for me to believe that he’ll ever make it to a US based league.

179.  Webster Rivas, 1B/C (59 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 195 lbs, 20.5 years old, bats right handed

.246 average, .662 OPS, 1 HR, 34 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Webster Rivas, a Dominican native, was signed in 2010 and played his 1^st professional season as a 19 year old.  While he’s listed as a catcher and did make a few starts behind the plate, Webster was actually the Dominican Dodgers’ primary 1st baseman in 2010.  Despite a .246 average for the season, I would say that he had a relatively strong offensive year given that the DSL is a pitcher friendly league.  Rivas lead the Dodgers in both doubles and RBI’s, and was extremely tough to strikeout (just 12 K’s in 239 plate appearances).  Nevertheless, he isn’t much of a prospect and will most likely repeat in the DSL in 2011.

178.  Florencio Bustillos, RHP (Did not play in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 209 lbs, 21.75 years old

No stats in 2010

Pre 2010 Rank: 121;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Florencio Bustillos didn’t play at all for the Dodgers in 2010, however per the Dodgers he is still in the organization as of the end of this past season.  The Mexican born pitcher spent several seasons in the Mexican League before signing with the Dodgers, and played in the Dominican Summer League in 2009.  As mentioned, he didn’t play in 2010 for an unknown reason, but is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League so he is healthy.  Unfortunately, his current stats in Mexico are pretty ugly, as he has a 12.00 ERA in 5 appearances.  I gave Bustillos a relatively favorable ranking after the 2009 season because he had an outstanding strikeout to walk ratio, however since the 21 years old has yet to play in a leaguer higher than the DSL, I think it’s safe to say that Bustillos won’t even made an impact with the Dodgers.

177.  Adam Dedeaux, LHP (10.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed 7/1/10 as Non Drafted Free Agent

6’0”, 200 lbs, 24.75 years old

0-0, 4.22 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 1.98 FIP, 14.3 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

The Dodgers signed Adam Dedeaux as a non drafted free agent out of the University of Southern California.  Given that Dedeaux was used sparingly at USC and had a college career ERA above 6, it is possible that Dodgers signed Adam as a favor to his grandfather.  You see, Dedeaux’s grandfather and long-time USC baseball coach Rod Dedeaux was great friends with Tommy Lasorda before Rod passed away in 2006, so you can see the connection.  Whether or not he was signed as a favor doesn’t change the fact that Adam is extremely old to be starting his professional career.  In addition, the 24 year old pitched just 10.2 innings in the Arizona Rookie League.  The only good news is that Dedeaux had solid peripherals in his limited appearances, and would have posted a much better ERA for the season had he not allowed 4 earned runs in his final appearance of 2010.  Since he didn’t get much of a chance to pitch in 2010, I’m sure the Dodgers will give the lefty another look in 2011.  His most likely destination next season would be with the Great Lakes Loons.

176.  Delvis Morales, SS (65 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’1”, 146 lbs, 20.5 years old, switch hitter

.220 average, .583 OPS, 0 HR’s, 15 RBI’s, 18 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 196;     Pre 2009 Rank: 175  

Delvis Morales got a little bit of a late start on his baseball career as he didn’t play his first professional game until he was 19 and a half years old.  After seeing his stats in 2010, he is slightly intriguing because he is a switch hitting shortstop with good speed and a great eye (37 walks against 33 strikeouts), but the positives end there.  He only hit .220 for the year and made 17 errors in the field.  He also weighs less than Dee Gordon, which I thought was impossible.  I think Morales will return to the DSL for 2011, but due to his age he doesn’t have any real value at this point.

175.  Faustino Oguisten, SS/2B/3B (31 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 165 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.253 average, .693 OPS, 0 HR’s, 7 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 163;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

After a terrible offensive season in 2009, in which he did not have an extra base hit in 79 at bats, Faustino Oguisten showed a little bit of improvement this past season.  Every one of his offensive stats progressed in 2010, and he even managed to record 6 doubles.  Even still, I was definitely hoping for a lot more out of Oguisten as I thought that he’d be able to add some muscle to his wiry frame.  Really the only thing he has going for him now is the fact that he can play all over the infield, although his defense at shortstop has been pretty shaky over the past 2 seasons.  Because he is still relatively young (he turns 20 this coming January) and has a solid frame, the Dodgers will probably keep the Dominican native around for at least one more season to see if he shows any more development as he matures.

174.  Keyter Collado, C (1 game in AAA, 9 games in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 5/27/04

5’9”, 182 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats right handed

.314 average, .676 OPS, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 190;     Pre 2009 Rank: 154

I really don’t know what to make of Keyter Collado’s minor league career thus far.  From 2004 through 2009, Collado was stuck playing in various rookie ball leagues, putting up average stats and showing absolutely no power.  Then, all of sudden in 2010, the Dodgers started Collado off in AAA for one game, then dropped him back to AA for the rest of the season.  Granted he only played in 10 total games for 2010, but still, that is a little strange.  In addition, speaking of limited playing time, Collado has only played in 42 games combined over the past 3 seasons.  I know that during 2010 he went on and came off the DL a few times, but it was a little suspicious because he always came off the DL right when the team was short a catcher, and he had to fill in.  It’s almost like he is being used as a player/coach and maybe even as a translator, although he’s a little young to be a mentor in the upper minor leagues.  Whatever Collado is doing, the Dodgers must be pleased because he was re-signed after the season as a minor league free agent.

173.  Joseph Becker, 2B/SS (16 games LoA, 6 games Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/11/07

5’11, 175 lbs, 25.25 years old, bats right handed

.314 average, .772 OPS, 0 HR’s, 7 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 169;     Pre 2009 Rank: 190

Becker was originally signed by the Dodgers as a non drafted free agent in 2007 out of Antelope Valley College, where he hit .350 for his career.  Since signing, Becker has played at every Dodger minor league level except for the Dominican Summer League.  That includes AAA, which is where he spent 2 games in his very first professional season.  In 2010, however, Becker only played 20 total games due to an arm injury.  After a short rehab assignment in Arizona in August, he spent the final month of the season with the Great Lakes Loons where he hit .255 in 16 games.  Given his well-travel past, it is anyone’s guess as to where he will spend the 2011 season.  Where ever he ends up, however, it’s going to be tough for this 25 year old light hitting middle infielder to make any impact with the Dodgers in the future.

172.  Ivan Eugenia, RHP (1 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 185 lbs, 19.5 years old

0-0, 9.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 9.20 FIP, 0.00 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 153;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

I have no idea what happened to Ivan Eugenia in 2010.  After pitching 14 innings as an 18 year old in 2009, Eugenia only threw 1 inning this past season.  That one inning occurred right in the middle of the season, so I’m guessing he was injured to start the season, and then re-aggravated the injury in his one appearance.  Since you can’t really look at his limited stats this year, we can go back to his 2009 season where he had a 5.79 ERA to go along with a 9.64 K/9.  Still one of the younger pitchers in the organization, I’m hoping that Ivan will reemerge in 2011 and get in a full season of work.

171.  Stetson Banks, CF (20 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 22^nd round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.283 average, .646 OPS, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 143;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Stetson Banks was drafted out of BYU in the 22^nd round of the 2009 draft.  He only played two years in college, however, because he served his Mormon mission in 2007 and 2008.  During his 2009 college season, Banks hit .348 and stole 23 bases in 29 attempts.  He is a great athlete, which he demonstrated in high school by being named second team all-state in football as a wide receiver.  Furthermore, his uncle Brian Banks made it to the major leagues earlier in the decade, so he does have some decent bloodlines. Since turning pro, however, Banks hasn’t done much at all.  After hitting .231 in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009, Banks was limited to just 20 games in 2010.  He spent his abbreviated season with the Loons, and recorded just two extra base hits.  In addition, with zero stolen bases in 2010, Banks seemed to have lost his speed, which had previously been his biggest asset.  He is still relatively young at 23 and plays a solid center field, but unfortunately I don’t think Stetson will ever be a legitimate prospect.

170.  Carlos Mercedes, 1B (33 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 190 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.253 average, .779 OPS, 2 HR’s, 9 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 159;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Carlos Mercedes is a young Dominican player who made his professional debut in 2009.  He was only 17 when he played his first professional game, and his lack of experience showed.  He hit just .133 during the 2009 season, and had an OPS of .486.  In 2010, however, Mercedes showed some improvement in the DSL as he almost doubled both this average and his OPS.  Even still, Mercedes didn’t have a great season as he only collected 9 extra base hits for the year, and amazingly struck out in 40.4% of plate appearances.  That number makes Kyle Russell look like a contact hitter.  In addition, the fact that he plays 1^st base doesn’t help his cause because you generally expect big offensive numbers out of a corner infielder.  Because he’s still just 19 years old he still has a chance to make a name for himself, but it’s going to take a big season in 2011 for that to happen.

169.  Joseph Lincoln, C (15 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 34^th round

6’4”, 210 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.179 average, .484 OPS, 0 HR’s, 4 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Joseph Lincoln is a big catcher that was drafted out of Missouri Southern in the 34^th round of the 2010 draft.  In his one year with the MSSU Lions (he had previously played one year each a Maple Woods CC and Kansas University), Lincoln hit .434 with a team high 53 RBI’s and 11 homers.  Going back to his high school days, Lincoln had an incredible senior season as he hit .629 with eight homers, 51 RBI’s, and 16 stolen bases.  Unfortunately, Lincoln’s previous success didn’t translate to his professional debut.  Joseph only got into 15 games, and in his limited at bats Lincoln hit just .179 and did not record an extra base hit.  In addition to his size, the good news is that Lincoln will play the entire 2011 season as a 22 year old, so he is still relatively young.  There is even a chance he’ll get promoted to LoA next season, although he’ll surely be a backup no matter where he plays. 

168.  Jose Ramirez, OF (62 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 200 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.279 average, .763 OPS, 5 HR’s, 33 RBI’s, 14 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 180;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

After a terrible debut season in 2009, Jose Ramirez turned things around in 2010.  While his stats weren’t amazing, he was good enough to be named as the DSL offensive MVP by yours truly.  The 22 year old isn’t a prospect by any means, but did rank among the DSL Dodgers leaders in several offense categories.  His 5 homers were tops on the team, as was his .763 OPS (minimum 80 at bats).  He also ranked 2nd on the Dodgers with 33 RBI’s and 14 SB’s, and did not make an error all season while playing all over the outfield.  Because of his solid 2010 season, the Dodgers may decide to bring Ramirez to a US based rookie league in 2011 despite the fact that he is a little older than most players promoted from the DSL.

167.  Cody White, LHP (23.1 IP in AAA, 27.1 IP in HiA, 6 IP in Arizona League)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 12^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 26 years old

3-4, 7.31 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 5.32 FIP, 5.32 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 130;     Pre 2009 Rank: 125

Not too long ago, Cody White was considered a legitimate Dodger prospect.  He was ranked #24 in the 2007 Baseball America prospect handbook, and in the 2008 version of the handbook he was listed as having the system’s best changeup.  Even after missing the 2009 season, White was including in the 2010 BA handbook in the LHP depth chart.  All of these accolades did not come without just cause, as his ERA was 2.68 and 3.14 in 2006 and 2007 respectively.  However, White’s troubles started in 2008.  His ERA jumped to 4.94, and his strikeout rate dropped to 5.81 per 9 innings.  In addition, his heavy workload of just about 146 innings in 2008 probably attributed to the fact that he missed the 2009 season.  White returned to the mound in 2010 and started the year in HiA.  After just a few games, however, he promoted all the way up to AAA to replenish the Isotopes injury depleted pitching staff.  Unfortunately, White was terrible in both the California League and the PCL which led to his combined 7.31 ERA.  His WHIP was also awful, and batters hit .322 against him for the season.  Currently a minor league free agent, I wouldn’t be surprised if Cody was with a different organization in 2011.

166.  Jesus Rodriguez, RHP (38.2 IP AAA, 23.1 IP AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/20/05

6’0”, 180 lbs, 25.5 years old

4-2, 5.52 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 5.10 FIP, 5.08 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 128;     Pre 2009 Rank: 141

Jesus Rodriguez has made steady progress through the Dodgers minor league system since signing with the organization in 2005 out of Mexico.  From Pioneer Rookie League to AAA, Rodriguez has spent time at every level.  He first reached AA in 2008, and then spent all of 2009 there as well.  In 2010 he again found himself in Chattanooga to start the season, but was promoted to Albuquerque in May despite 5.01 ERA with the Lookouts.  With the Isotopes, Jesus continued to be mediocre, recording a 5.82 ERA and just 18 strikeouts in 38.2 innings.  Speaking of strikeouts, getting guys to swing and miss has always been Rodriguez’s biggest problem as he has only struck out 5.5 batters per 9 for his career.  And when you are not sinker ball pitcher, the more balls that are put in play, the higher your ERA is going to be.  Also, at 6’0” and 180 pounds, Rodriguez isn’t an imposing presence on the mound by any means.  In regards to his future, the 25 year old will definitely be around next season to provide middle relief because he is a valuable organizational player.  However, it doesn’t seem like he has what it takes to make it as a reliever at the next level.  To further that point, he is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League and has an 11.28 ERA through 22.1 innings.

165.  Charlie Mirabal, SS (36 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/1/07

5’11”, 164 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.295 average, .716 OPS, 0 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 8 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 161;     Pre 2009 Rank: 79

As I’ve written before, Charlie Mirabal is an interesting story.  He was signed by the Dodgers after he performed well during an open tryout before the 2007 season.  Originally a middle infielder, Mirabal struggled during the 2007 season in the Dominican Summer League.  So the Dodgers decided to try him out as a pitcher during 2008, and he put up some great numbers.  He had a 1.99 ERA in 32 innings and had an outstanding strikeout rate.  Based on those facts, one would think that Mirabal would continue to pitch in 2009 in one of the U.S. based rookie leagues right?  Well, that was not the case as the Dodgers had different plans for Miarbal, and decided to move him back to shortstop in 2009 while keeping him in the DSL.  I don’t really understand this decision at all given Charlie’s success on the mound in 2008, and I decided that the only reasonable explanation would be that he had some sort of a minor injury to his pitching arm.  Whatever the case, Mirabal had another lackluster season as a position player in 2009, and I thought that the Dodgers might try Mirabal on the mound again in 2010.  However, while the Dodgers did promote Charlie to the Arizona League in 2010, they continued to play him at shortstop.  He did have a decent season, as he led all Arizona Dodgers with a .295 average (minimum 80 at bats), but he didn’t really show any other plus skills.  He has never hit a professional home run, and has average speed at best.  In addition, playing as a 23 year old, he was quite old for the Arizona Rookie League.  Since he is now probably too old be to be converted back to pitcher, I can see Mirabal playing the role of a backup infielder for the Loons in 2011.

164.  Chris Gutierrez, SS (121 games in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers on 3/1/2010

5’9”, 185 lbs, 27 years old, bats right handed

.312 average, .806 OPS, 1 HR, 35 RBI’s, 16 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Gutierrez actually had a pretty good season for the 66ers, hitting .312 and holding down the most difficult defensive position on the field all season long.  However, the 26 years old Gutierrez was much older than his competition, so he was really just doing his best to keep the team competitive in an organization that is a little bit thin in quality shortstops.  Originally signed by the Blue Jays as a non drafted free agent in 2005, Gutierrez was with Toronto until midway through 2009.  He then spent a little bit of time with the Angeles in 2009, making it all the way to AAA, before signing with the Dodgers in 2010.  At his age, I highly doubt he’ll be back in the Dodgers organization next year; especially since he is a minor league free agent.

163.  Pedro Tavarez, C (12 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 215 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.222 average, .465 OPS, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 104;     Pre 2009 Rank: 183

You’ll notice that Pedro Tavarez has jumped around in my rankings in the past few years.  Prior to the 2009 season, he was coming off of two terrible seasons in the DSL so I ranked him #183.  In 2009, however, he was promoted to the Arizona League and had a solid year with a .325 average and was named to the post season all star team.  That prompted me to rank him #104 last year, although I wrote that I still wasn’t sold on him and that he would really need to prove himself in 2010.  Well that didn’t happen at all as Tavarez played in only 12 games with the Ogden Raptors this past season, and didn’t collect an extra base hit all year. In addition, it should be noted that it wasn’t injuries that limited his playing time in 2010 because his 12 games were spread all throughout the season.  Instead, the Raptors simply didn’t have enough starts to go around at catcher, and Tavarez was the odd man out.  Given his lack of playing time, I doubt that Tavarez would be promoted in 2011, so it looks like he’ll stay in Ogden for another year.  Now 23 years old, he is losing value fast.

162.  Gari Tavarez, RHP (23.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

6’0”, 170 lbs, 23.25 years old

1-0, 4.94 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 3.37 FIP, 6.84 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 184;     Pre 2009 Rank: 149

After getting promoted from the DSL a US based league in 2008, Gari Tavarez’s career has stalled.  He has spent 2008 in the Gulf Coast League, and then the last two seasons in the Arizona Rookie League.  His combined stats in the US based rookie leagues over the past 3 seasons are a 5.42 ERA, a 1.61 WHIP, and a 6.5 K/9, so he hasn’t really deserved a promotion.  However, his 2010 stats were slightly better than the previous two seasons, and he is still just 23 years old, so it is possible that he’ll finally get promoted beyond Arizona 2011.  While his frame appears to be best suited for a career in the bullpen, the Dodgers are hoping that Tavarez will at some point recapture the form he had back in 2007 when he dominated the Dominican Summer League as a 19 year old with a 1.49 ERA and 9.5 K/9 in 66.2 innings.

161.  Roman Pena, OF (21 games in HiA in 2010 – Indians Organization)

Trade with Indians for Preston Mattingly

6’0”, 190 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats left handed

.148 average, .602 OPS, 2 HR’s, 9 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Roman Pena was acquired by the Dodgers from the Indians after Don Mattingly requested that his son be traded in order for him to get a fresh start.  When you look at the trade, it was really an exchange of struggling players as both Preston Mattingly and Pena have been terrible in the minor league careers.  We all know how bad Preston was, so let’s look at how Roman has done since getting drafted by the Indians in the 9^th round of the 2005 draft.  His debut season was in 2006, and he actually did pretty well with a .302 average and 7 homers in 56 games.  Since then, however, he’s been dreadful.  In 2009, Pena hit .204 over a full season in the Carolina League.  Then in 2010, while repeating in HiA, Roman batted just .148 through 21 games before his season ended due to an injury.  Now 24 years old, I can’t see Pena being more than organizational depth for the Dodgers in either HiA or AA next season.  He doesn’t seem to have any tool that stands out, so I don’t really see him going anywhere.

160.  Eric Thompson, RHP (3.2 IP in AAA, 3 IP in AA, 20 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 23^rd round

6’6”, 210 lbs, 23 years old

0-1, 9.79 ERA, 2.10 WHIP, 6.20 FIP, 7.76 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 156;     Pre 2009 Rank: 121

Eric Thompson was drafted out of high school in 2006, and even though he was a 23^rd round pick, the Dodgers had to pay him a fairly large signing bonus to convince him put his basketball career aside.  The thought was that the 6’6” pitcher would have the ideal frame and size to be a power pitcher.  After three years of struggling through Rookie ball, Thompson finally got the chance to play against tougher competition in 2010.  The results were very ugly, however, as Thompson amassed a combined 9.79 ERA through stops in Inland Empire, Chattanooga, and Albuquerque.  Like a few other Dodger minor leaguers, Thompson served as an emergency fill in when injuries struck the upper minor leagues.  Probably the biggest surprise to his season was that after spending all of 2009 in the Pioneer League, Thompson actually made his 2010 debut in AAA.  He only lasted for two appearances before moving down to AA for a single spot start.  He finally settled in with the 66ers as he spent the final 2 months of the season in Inland Empire, but had an 8.10 ERA through 20 innings.  Playing the entire 2010 season as a 22 year old, Thomason was simply unable to find a groove and it showed in his stats.  I’m guessing that Eric would have been better off spending the entire season in either LoA or HiA, but the Dodgers had other plans.  Despite his ugly stats, Thompson still seemed to have potential, and I was hoping he’d get the chance to prove that with a full season in Rancho Cucamonga next season.  However, he has been released per Baseball America, so he won’t be around next year.  Since I had already finalized my ranking by the time he was released, this is basically where he would have ranked had he stayed in the Dodgers system for 2011.

159.  Adner Ruiz, LHP (39.1 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’1”, 180 lbs, 22 years old

1-2, 2.06 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.53 FIP, 7.55 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Adner Ruiz isn’t your typical Dominican Summer League because the Dodgers are actually his 2^nd organization.  He started is professional career with the Cubs in 2008, and actually had outstanding stats in both 2008 and 2009.  In 2008, he had a 1.91 ERA in 47 innings and batters hit .177 against him, and in 2009 he had a 2.37 ERA in 38 innings and batters hit .171 against him.  Nevertheless, the Cubs released Ruiz at the end of the 2009 season probably because he was already 20 years old.   The Dodgers didn’t let his age scare them however, as they decided to take a chance on him in 2010.  Ruiz had yet another solid season, albeit against much younger competition, as he posted a 2.06 ERA.  He did walk too many batters, which is why his WHIP was a little high, but that was really the only negative to his season.  At the end of the year, the Dodgers must have seen something they liked because he has already been re-signed for 2011 (according to Baseball America).  I highly doubt the Dodgers would re-sign Ruiz to send him back to the DSL, so I expect him to make an appearance in Arizona next season.

158.  Raul Burgos, RHP (24.2 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Acquired in 2009 minor league portion of Rule 5 draft

6’1”, 210 lbs, 23.5 years old

1-1, 4.74 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 2.92 FIP, 9.12 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Raul Burgos was signed by the Giants out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2005 season.  After spending two seasons as a position player in the DSL, Burgos was moved to the mound because he was unable to get his average above .190 in either season.  He spent 2007 pitching in the DSL, and then was moved to the Arizona League where he spent all of 2008 and 2009 and had a combined ERA over 5 over 26 innings.  After the 2009 season, Raul was selected by the Dodgers in the AA portion of the Rule 5 draft and was sent to the Pioneer League for 2010.  With the Raptors, Burgos had a 4.74 ERA and batters hit .330 against him, but his FIP was a more impressive 2.92 due to his solid strikeout to walk ratio and the fact that he only allowed 1 homer all year.  Now 23 years old, Burgos will probably play in either LoA or HiA in 2011 and will try to hold his own against older competition.

157.  Jose Capellan, C (16 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 190 lbs, 20.5 years old, bats right handed

.326 average, .828 OPS, 1 HR, 8 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 135;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A 

Jose Capellan is a 2^nd year catcher of out the Dominican Republic who didn’t join the Dominican Dodgers until the end of July due to an undisclosed injury.  He did his best to make up for lost time, however, hitting .323 in 46 at bats to go along with a .828 OPS.  Capellan also posted a solid walk to strikeout ratio in the 16 games that he played, and is the perfect size for a catcher.  Despite his lack of playing time in 2010, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jose in the Arizona Rookie League for the 2011 season.

156.  Josmar Cordero, C (51 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

5’10, 175 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.255 average, .705 OPS, 4 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Josmar Cordero was signed out of Venezuela prior to the 2010 season, and led the Dominican Dodger in innings behind the plate.  He also had by far had the best season among Dominican Dodger catchers as Cordero threw out 48% of potential base stealers, and also had a very strong showing with the bat.  He finished 2nd on the team with 4 homers, and posted a .705 OPS.  In addition, he played the entire season as an 18 year old, so he is still very young.  While Cordero will most likely require another season in the DSL, I wouldn’t be surprised to see him in the Arizona Rookie League in 2012.

155.  Marlon Urriola, RHP (28.1 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 5/25/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 22.75 years old

2-4, 3.18 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 4.01 FIP, 7.31 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 181;     Pre 2009 Rank: 117

 Marlon Urriola has been in the Dodgers organization since 2006, when he debuted as a 17 year old.  After spending three seasons in the DSL, the Dodgers promoted Urriola to the Arizona Rookie league in 2009.  Unfortunately, he only appeared in 2 games that season due to what I can only assume was some sort of an injury.  In 2010, Marlon was able to get in a more work as he appeared in 14 games and threw 28.1 innings while posting a solid 3.18 ERA.  However, Urriola’s peripherals were not quite as good as his FIP was 4.01, his strikeout rate was on the low side, and batters hit .261 against him.  That prompted the Dodgers to release the 22 year old in December.  I think that’s a little unfortunate because Urriloa is still pretty young yet already has 5 years of minor league experience under his belt, but I can see where the Dodgers are coming from.  Since I had already finalized my ranking by the time he was released, this is basically where he would have ranked had he stayed in the Dodgers system for 2011.

154.  Leo Rodriguez, 2B (49 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010           

5’11”, 160 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.277 average, .682 OPS, 0 HR’s, 12 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Leo Rodriguez was signed out of the Dominican Republic prior to the 2010 season, and made his professional debut with the DSL Dodgers.  He was the Dodgers main 2nd baseman, although he also spent time at 3rd base and shortstop.  He played the entire season as an 18 year old, and held his own at the plate with a .277 average and a .682 OPS.  The 5’11” infielder also demonstrated great plate discipline and made good contact as he walked almost as much as he struck out in 2010.  While Rodriguez didn’t really show any power or speed, the one thing he has going for him is his youth.  If he can have a solid season in the DSL in 2011, he should be on track to make the jump to a US based rookie league in 2012.  That’s a big IF, but I always hope for the best.

153.  B.J. Larosa, C (10 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 23^rd round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.280 average, .791 OPS, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

B.J. Larosa was selected in the 23^rd round of the 2010 draft out of Bucknell University.  The chemical engineering major was coming off a senior season in which he hit a team-high .371 and only struck out 19 times in 202 at bats as the team’s starting catcher.  Larosa signed quickly with the Dodgers, and while he probably should have gone to the Pioneer League because of his age, he was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League because the Ogden Raptors already had too many catchers.  He played every couple of days through the month of July, but then sat out the rest of the season for an unknown reason.  Overall Larosa played in just 10 games, and through 25 at bats the only skill he was able to show off was his ability to walk.  B.J. took a base on balls in over 25% of his plate appearances which led to an impressive .471 on base percentage.  Despite being 22 years old, I highly doubt Larosa will make it to a full season league in 2011 due to the aforementioned logjam of young catchers.  Hopefully that won’t stunt his career before he really even gets a chance to play.

152.  Irvit Mendez, RHP (32.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008           

6’6”, 225 lbs, 20.75 years old

1-1, 3.31 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 9.92 K/9, 3.97 FIP

Pre 2010 Rank: 196;     Pre 2009 Rank: 175  

After making just 4 appearances in his first two professional seasons (1 game in 2008 and 3 games in 2009), Irvit Mendez finally got a chance to play a full season in 2010.  In 32.2 innings, Mendez had a solid ERA and strikeout rate, but his WHIP was very high due to his extreme lack of control.  Mendez averaged almost a walk per inning, which is actually an improvement over the previous two seasons when he had 12 walks in just 1.1 innings (yes you read that correctly).  Still just 20 years and entering his 4^th professional season, the Dodgers will probably keep Mendez around because he has a great pitcher’s frame and apparently has good stuff when he can find the plate.  He might even make it to a US based league in 2011 since I’m not sure the Dodgers keep any player in the DSL for 4 seasons. 

151.  Mike Drowne, OF (4 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 28^th round

5’10”, 175 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.143 average, .393 OPS, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Mike Drowne is a leadoff type hitter who the Dodgers selected in the 28^th round of the 2010 draft out of Sacred Heart University (Connecticut).  In his senior season at Sacred Heart, Drowne hit .313 with 33 stolen bases and set a school record with 65 runs scored.  Upon getting drafted, Drowne said “It feels great. It’s everything I’ve worked for my whole life and to achieve that goal is amazing.”  Drowne signed quickly, and got into a few games in late June with the Arizona Dodgers before getting shut down until late August.  Overall, Mike got into just 4 games in his first professional season.  There isn’t a lot of upside with Drowne, but as a 28^th round selection there wasn’t much risk with the pick either.  The 22 year old will probably spend 2011 in the Pioneer League in order to get some additional experience before playing in a full season league. 

150.  Pete Budkevics, RHP (40 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed 6/28/10 as Non Drafted Free Agent        

6’2”, 165 lbs, 23.25 years old

4-1, 3.38 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 3.85 FIP, 9.90 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

The Dodgers signed Pete Budkevics as a non drafted free agent this past June out of C.W. Post (aka Long Island University).  Budkevics had a solid senior season for the Pioneers, leading the team with 8 wins, posting a 2.97 ERA, and allowing just a .203 batting average against.  He also left his school as the career strikeout leader with 291 K’s over 4 years.  Shortly after signing with the Dodgers, Pete was assigned to the Ogden Raptors and probably surprised a lot of people by recording strong stats in 40 innings.  Playing as a 23 year old, Budkevics had a 3.38 ERA and struck out more than a batter per inning.  He also proved to be very versatile as he made five starts towards the end of the season.  However he was much more effective as a reliever as his ERA was 1.06 out of the bullpen compared to 5.09 as a starter.  Budkevics is a prime candidate to move to a full season league in 2011, and I’m guessing he’ll find himself in the Loons bullpen next season.

149.  Chance Gilmore, OF (14 games in Pioneer League, 27 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 25^th round

5’11”, 187 lbs, 24 years old, bats left handed

.257 average, .792 OPS, 3 HR’s 21 RBI’s, 9 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jeremy “Chance” Gilmore was drafted in 2010 out of Coastal Carolina, where his dad Gary was the head coach.  Chance had a solid season as a junior in 2009, and then really made his dad proud in 2010 as he hit .341 with 12 homers and 54 RBI’s and helped his team reach the super regionals in the NCAA baseball tournament.  Gilmore signed with the Dodgers quickly, and was initially sent to the Pioneer League.  He struggled through 14 games with the Raptors, and as more 2010 draftees signed, he was demoted to the Arizona League because the Ogden roster got crowded.  Gilmore posted better stats in Arizona, including a .837 OPS, but that is probably a function of him playing against much younger competition.  A center fielder in college, Chance played almost exclusively in left and right field in his professional debut because James Baldwin and Leon Landry were the main center fielders for their respective teams.  Since he will already be 24 years old when the 2011 season starts, the future for Gilmore doesn’t look especially bright.  Nevertheless, I’m rooting for him to succeed wherever he plays next season.

148.  Jessie Mier, C (46 games in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 12^th round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 26 years old, bats right handed

.269 average, .686 OPS, 1 HR, 14 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 151;     Pre 2009 Rank: 115

Jessie Mier was selected by the Rangers in the minor league portion of the 2010 Rule 5 draft, so he is no longer in the Dodgers organization.  Had he remained with the Dodgers, this is where he would have ranked.  The reason he is included in my rankings because I compiled my list prior to the Rule 5 this year.  Anyways, Jessie is the less talented, older brother of Jiovanni Mier, who was drafted by the Astros with the 21^st overall pick in the 2009 draft.  Drafted out of Lewis-Clark College in 2007, Jessie spent the 2010 season in Chattanooga and was actually relatively decent with the bat.  But the sample size of his stats was still very small since he only accumulated 145 at bats for the season.  While he is known as one of the better defensive catchers in the Dodgers system, Mier’s career offensive stats suggest that he doesn’t have what it takes to ever make it to the major leagues.

147.  Jake McCarter, RHP (37.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’2”, 200 lbs, 26.5 years old

0-2, 3.38 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 2.85 FIP, 11.09 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 120;     Pre 2009 Rank: 158

As I mentioned last year, McCarter, has a very interesting back story.  Believe it or not, McCarter was drafted four different times, yet never signed with any of the teams that drafted him.  His draft year, round, and team were as follows: 2003 40^th round Reds, 2004 28^th round Yankees, 2005 39^th round Nationals, and 2006 45^th Red Sox.  Obviously, based on the round numbers that he was drafted in, teams were not amazed by his talent by any means.  Anyways, in regards to his college career, McCarter played in junior college for two years before transferring to Alabama.  In 2006, Jake was very successful with the Crimson Tide (2.32 ERA in 62 innings), but he decided to transfer to Oklahoma after the season.  After being forced to sit out the 2007 season due to NCAA rules, McCarter was handed the closer role for the Sooners in 2008.  While he did pick up 9 saves throughout the season, he had a very ugly ERA of 7.11, which is why he was not drafted for a 5^th time in 2008.  Instead, he signed as a non drafted free agent with the Dodgers after the 2008 college season, and got his first taste of professional ball in the Gulf Coast League.  After a great 2009 season with Inland Empire, in which McCarter lead all 2009 Dodger minor leaguers with a .193 batting average against, I would have guessed that McCarter would take the logical next step to AA in 2010.  However, Jake was injured at the beginning of the season, and when he healed the Dodgers decided to send him to the Pioneer League.  It really makes no sense for a 25 year old with two years of professional experience to play in a rookie league, so I don’t know why the Dodgers sent him there, but I guess the good news is that McCarter did have a great season.  Batters hit just .217 against him, and he struck out over 11 batters per 9 innings.  In addition, his WHIP was one of the best in the Dodgers system.  Now 26 years old, it’s a crapshoot as to where McCarter will play in 2011.  I wouldn’t be surprised to see him on any roster from LoA to AAA.  I do hope that he gets a chance to prove himself against real competition because while I don’t know how hard he throws or what his pitches are, I do know that he has posted great stats in each of the last two seasons while playing in two hitter friendly leagues.

146.  Bobby Blevins, RHP (17.1 IP in AAA, 20.1 IP in AA, 68 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 13^th round

6’0”, 200 lbs, 26 years old

4-10, 5.62 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 4.87 FIP, 5.03 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 108;     Pre 2009 Rank: 80

After progressing slowly through the Dodgers system during his first 3 professional seasons, Blevins saw a lot of movement in 2010.  The right hander started and ended the season with the 66ers in HiA, but from June 8^th through July 24^th Blevins split his time between AA and AAA because the Dodgers had a shortage of arms in their upper minors during that time period.  The interesting thing about his season is that Bobby’s ERA actually got better against the tougher competition.  His ERA with the 66ers was 6.09, with the Lookouts it was 5.31, and with the Isotopes it was 4.15.  However, his FIP of 7.47 and his remarkably low K/9 of 2.6 while in Albuquerque suggests that he was getting extremely lucky in AAA.  Also, when you combine his stats for all of 2010, batters hit .326 against him.  In terms of his stuff, Blevin’s doesn’t throw extremely hard, but has a lot of different pitches, including 4 types of fastballs (4-seamer, 2-seamer, cutter, and sidearm).  Judging from his career strikeout rate of 6.5 batters per 9 innings, he doesn’t really have a solid put away pitch.  At 26 years old, Blevins will probably spend 2011 doing what he did best in 2010: filling in when needed on various rosters.  

145.  Thomas Melgarejo, LHP (3.1 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 12/1/05

6’1”, 216 lbs, 24 years old

0-0, 8.10 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 4.10 FIP, 13.50 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 158;     Pre 2009 Rank: 91

A native of Mexico who was signed by the Dodgers before the 2006 season, Thomas Melgarejo was actually on loan to his home country for almost all of 2010.  Melgarejo played on the Saraperos de Saltillo, and did very well out of their bullpen.  In 52 appearances, spanning 44.2 innings, Melgarejo posted a 2.01 ERA, a 1.14 WHIP, and a .214 batting average against.  That was a huge improvement from 2009 when he had a 5.70 ERA with the 66ers.  Even though he stuck out 5 batters in 3.1 innings after rejoining the Dodgers, the one thing about Thomas is that his strikeout rate has historically been relatively low.   Nevertheless, given his experience, success in 2010, and the fact that he’ll be 24 years old next season, I expect Melgarejo to move up to AA in 2011.  He is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League and has an ERA of 7.00 through 9 innings.

144.  Christian Lara, SS (108 games in LoA, 2 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Acquired via trade with Red Sox in April 2008 for Eric Hull

5’11, 185 lbs, 25.75 years old, switch hitter

.288 average, .810 OPS, 10 HR’s, 50 RBI’s, 17 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 183;     Pre 2009 Rank: 200

Christian Lara had a bit of a resurgence with the Loons in 2010, but I’m going to attribute that to the fact that he was much older than the rest of the league, and had already played 3 seasons of HiA heading into the season.  He stunned a lot of people with 10 homers and a .290 average, but at 25 years old that is basically expected out of him.  The one thing that surprised me about Lara was that while browsing through the old Baseball America archives, I discovered that he was once a legitimate prospect.  In 2003, Lara was the Red Sox player of the year for their Dominican Summer League.  In 2004, Lara was actually ranked the 9^th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League after hitting .433 in 60 at bats.  During that season, Lara apparently had “good on-base ability and speed and focuses on getting the most out of those tools”.   Heading back to present times, Lara is no longer a legitimate prospect despite his solid 2010 season.  He is much too old to ever make it to the big leagues, although the Dodgers did already re-sign him this offseason (he was a minor league free agent).  In addition, I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a shot in AA in 2011, but I expect him to struggle against the older competition.

143.  Bret Montgomery, RHP (1 IP in Arizona League, 52.1 IP in Pioneer League)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 46^th round

6’6”, 250 lbs, 25.5 years old

4-3, 4.89 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 2.49 FIP, 9.28 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Bret Montgomery is a local boy who was the Dodgers 46th round pick in 2010.  He was born in Thousand Oaks, and played his college ball at Cal State Dominguez Hills.  In his 3 seasons with the Toros, Montgomery had a cumulative 2.95 ERA in 36 appearances, amassed 191 strikeouts, and threw a no hitter against Cal State LA in February of 2010.  After getting drafted, Bret said “I am more relieved than anything that I can keep playing baseball.  Overall I am very happy that it is with the Dodgers, after idolizing their players and always watching them as a kid it is a dream come true but it was also great being a Toro for three years and I will definitely keep track of our guys.”  After signing, Montgomery was sent to the Arizona Rookie League for one game, and then joined the Raptors.  In Ogden, his ERA wasn’t very good, but he had a solid FIP and a strong strikeout to walk ratio.  In fact, his combined FIP of 2.49 ranked as the 2^nd best the entire Dodgers minor league system (minimum 50 IP).  He’s a big guy at 6’6” and 250 lbs, but the bad news about Montgomery is that he is already 25 years old.  Therefore he was playing against much younger competition, and is really going to have to move up the ladder at light speed if he wants to have any chance of making it to the big leagues.  Due to his age, I would expect him to start in HiA to see what he can do against more advanced batters.

142.  Vladimir Martinez, SS (16 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010           

6’2”, 173 lbs, 18.75 years old, switch hitter

.241 average, .529 OPS, 0 HR, 10 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Vladimir Martinez is a shortstop from the Dominican Republic who made his professional debut in 2010.  He didn’t play his first game with the DSL Dodgers until late July, however, and only played in 16 total games for the season.  After getting off to a hot start, with 8 hits and 7 RBI’s in his first 24 at bats, Martinez cooled significantly to finish the season.  In addition to the fact that he’s a switch hitter, another thing that Vladimir has going for him is his age, as he’ll be just 18 years old to start the 2011 season.  It is his youth that gives me hope that he can still turn into a decent player in the future.  He’ll definitely return to the DSL next season, although he may be playing a different position because if keeps adding height to his 6’2” frame, he may outgrow shortstop.   

141.  Eduardo Perez, 1B (130 games in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/4/02

6’1”, 175 lbs, 26.5 years old, switch hitter

.271 average, .702 OPS, 4 HR’s, 58 RBI’s, 12 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 79;     Pre 2009 Rank: 110

Eduardo Perez seems to be on the every-other year plan.  Since 2005, Perez had been good in the odd years, and mediocre or worse in the even years. The best example is his OPS, which has been .876, .821, and .886, in odd years since 2005, and .714, .766, and .702 in even years since 2005.  Even at his best, Perez isn’t much of a prospect since he is already 26 years old, isn’t very big, and only has mediocre pop despite playing the power position of 1^st base.  Really the only thing he has going for him is the fact that he’s a switch hitter.  Even though he is one of the longest tenured players in the Dodgers organization since he has been with the club since 2002, he might not be around in 2011 since he became a minor league free agent after the 2010 season and has yet to re-sign.  He is currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League and has a .187 average in 32 games.

140.  Ariel Pena, RHP (17 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010           

6’4”, 208 lbs, 19 years old

0-1, 5.29 ERA, 2.53 WHIP, 7.14 FIP, 4.24 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

Ariel Pena did not have a great statistical season in 2010, but his size and youth give him an advantage over several other players in the Dodgers organization.  The 6’4” 19 year old has a perfect pitchers’ frame, and still has plenty of time to improve.  One interesting thing about Pena’s 2010 season is that he did not allow an earned run against left handed batters through 5 innings.  He will obviously return to the DSL in 2011 after posting a 2.53 WHIP in 2010, but a solid performance could land him a spot in a US based rookie league in 2012.

139.  Yimy Rodriguez, RHP (20.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 27^th round

6’2”, 215 lbs, 23.5 years old

3.92 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 4.12 FIP, 4.79 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Yimy Queipo-Rodriguez was selected by the Dodgers out of Peru St. College (Nebraska) in the 27^th round of the 2010 draft.  Rodriguez was the 1^st player from Peru St. College to get drafted, and he made his school proud.  After the draft, PSC President Dan Hanson said, “This is a great day for Yimy and Peru State College baseball. In addition to making Peru State history, Yimy’s baseball success will undoubtedly inspire legions of young athletes from the area long into the future. I congratulate Yimy on his amazing accomplishment and the Dodgers on a great new recruit.”  At Peru, Yimy had a 3.83 ERA as a junior and a 4.52 ERA as a senior.  In his professional debut with the Arizona Dodgers, the 23 year old Rodriguez had a great WHIP of 1.11, but his ERA and FIP were less impressive.  Besides his stats, the only thing I know about Rodriguez is that he throws pretty hard, although his strikeout rate in college and in his professional debut wasn’t very impressive.  Rodriguez might move to LoA in 2011, but unless he improves his secondary stuff it seems doubtful that he’ll ever be a relevant Dodger prospect.

138.  Antonio Castillo, LHP (48.2 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

5’11”, 180 lbs, 23 years old

3-6, 8.32 ERA, 1.81 WHIP, 3.20 FIP, 7.77 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 93;     Pre 2009 Rank: 45

Antonio Castillo appears to be homesick.  A Dominican native, Castillo absolutely dominated the DSL in 2008 and 2009, posting a combined 1.41 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, and 9.2 K/9 through 115 innings.  After getting promoted to the Pioneer year in 2009, however, Castillo has been terrible.  When you combine his 2009 and 2010 seasons with the Raptors, Antonio has a 7.19 ERA, a 1.87 WHIP, and a 7.6 K/9 through 96.1 innings. What a difference a country makes.  I watched him pitch this past season online, and he has a 3 quarter delivery with a decent sized leg kick.  In addition, he appeared to be extremely undersized for a pitcher.  Overall, given his lack of success over the past two seasons and his small stature, it appears that Castillo is no longer a legitimate Dodger prospect.  However, Castillo is still just 23 years old and did have a two year stretch when he dominated batters, so he shouldn’t be completely written off just yet.

137.  Andrew Edge, C (21 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 24^th round

6’2”, 230 lbs, 23.25 years old, bats right handed

.259 average, .824 OPS, 4 HR’s, 15 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Andrew Edge was selected by the Dodgers in the 24^th round of the 2010 draft out of Jacksonville State, and he was ready to sign right away.  Upon getting drafted, he said “I was just hoping to get picked up by anybody.  I’m actually happy with the Dodgers. I like the team and hopefully I can work hard and make my way up there.  They told me to enjoy it right now.  I’m kind of on cloud nine and waiting to see what I need to do.”  While at Jacksonville State, the catcher had a very good senior season, hitting .330 with 11 homers and 64 RBI’s.  Edge made his professional debut with the Arizona Dodgers, and got off to a hot start.  Through July, Andrew had an average above .315 and already had 4 homers through just 56 at bats.  He hit the skids in August, however, which is what dropped his average to .259 for the season.  In addition, he struck out in 30.7% of his plate appearances in 2010.  One of the older players in the league, Edge did play solid defense and threw out 8 of 12 potential base stealers behind the plate.  Because the Dodgers have a crowded catching situation in their lower minors, it is difficult to project where Edge will play in 2011.  But given his age, it’s not out of the question for him to play in a full season league next year.

136.  Austin King, OF (35 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 31^st round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats right handed

.241 average, .682 OPS, 3 HR’s, 13 RBI’s, 15 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 149;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Austin King was drafted out of high school by the White Sox in the 40^th round of the 2007 draft, but obviously didn’t sign.  He went on to play at a JC, and in 2009 the Dodgers selected him 9 rounds earlier than in 2007.  Upon signing, King made his professional debut with the Arizona Dodgers and got off to a slow start before catching fire in August.  That earned him a promotion in 2010 as he spent the season in Ogden.  Unfortunately for Austin the Raptor outfield was pretty crowded, so King only accumulated 108 at bats in the Pioneer League.  When he did play he spent most of his time in center field, and only made one error all year.  In addition, King showed off his speed by stealing 15 bases in 17 attempts, which was good for 9^th in the league despite his limited playing time.  Since he just turned 22 years old, King is still pretty young, and I’m going to go out on a limb and say that he’s a sleeper prospect for me because I like his speed and his size.  He’ll probably have to fight again for playing time in 2011 in the Midwest League, but I’m hoping that he’ll surprise some people and jump up the prospect rankings by this time next year.

135.  Chris Handke, RHP (22.1 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 41^st round

6’11”, 235 lbs, 23 years old

1-0, 4.03 ERA, 1.70 WHIP, 4.81 FIP, 8.06 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 154;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

As I mentioned last year, Chris Handke is an interesting prospect with an even more interesting background.  The giant pitcher was actually a much better basketball player at Cornell College, averaging 9.8 points per game and setting the single season record for blocks with 45 during the 2008-2009 season.  In addition, Handke had a 3.92 GPA while majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  And by the way, his career pitching stats at Cornell looked like this: 0-1, 10.12 ERA, 25 walks, and 11 strikeouts in 21.1 innings.  Based on the above information, who would have guessed that he’d be playing in the Dodgers minor league system?  Well, Chris didn’t even believe it after he was drafted.  He was quoted as saying “I told the Dodgers that I want to finish my degree at Cornell and complete my basketball career.”  Handke ended up signing with the Dodgers because they allowed him to finish his degree last winter.  He only got into two games in his professional debut because an injury shut him down, however, and after the 2009 season he was quoted as saying “After my first two outings in the Arizona Rookie League, it was clear that I needed more work on my mechanics to be able to throw strikes and quality pitches consistently. Luckily though the Dodgers have some great pitching coaches who were all more than willing to work with me and I spent about a month just working on refining and repeating my delivery with them.”  He was sent back to the Arizona League in 2010, and this time he got a little more work in.  Besides being very wild, Handke was actually pretty good through 22.1 innings.  Because taller pitchers are historically late bloomers and need to grow into his body, I’m not overly concerned about his control or his age.  I do know that he has hit 93 mph in the past, so I’m sure the Dodgers will continue to spend time on him to see if they can maximize his potential.  I’m hoping he’ll get a chance to play in LoA next season so we can see what he does in a full season league against older competition.

134.  Luis Mesa, RHP (56.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’4”, 170 lbs, 20.75 years old

4-4, 3.02 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.18 FIP, 7.31 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 173;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Luis Mesa is a young player from Venezuela who debuted with the Dominican Dodgers in 2009.  He struggled in 2009 to the tune of a 6.37 ERA, but really turned things around in 2010.  The 6’4” righty had a 3.02 ERA this past season, and batters only hit .227 against him in 56.2 innings.  He also only allowed 1 homer all year, and he was especially effective in the month of August when he threw 18 innings without allowing an earned run.  With a solid pitching frame and two years of professional experience under his belt, Mesa is a prime candidate to move up to the Arizona League in 2011. 

133.  Clay Calfee, 1B/OF (36 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 14^th round

6’6”, 220 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats left handed

.233 average, .636 OPS, 2 HR’s, 11 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 86;     Pre 2009 Rank: 69

Clay Calfee was drafted out of Angelo State in Texas in 2008, and left the school as their all time leader in home runs (28), RBI’s (171), and hits (239).  He made his professional debut in the Pioneer League, and while he struggled with a .232 average, he did manage to hit 8 HR’s and drive in 35.  In 2009 Calfee actually played at three different levels (Arizona League, Pioneer League, and LoA), but only got into 44 games and was pretty mediocre overall.  Calfee was promoted to HiA for the 2010 season, but he was plagued by injuries and was limited to 36 games, hitting just .233 in the process.  In addition, he continued to strike out at an alarming rate.  Despite his size and power potential, the Dodgers decided to release Calfee in December, so he won’t be around next season.  Since I had already finalized my ranking by the time he was released, this is basically where he would have ranked had he stayed in the Dodgers system for 2011.

132.  Gregory Pena, OF (58 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 175 lbs, 19 years old, switch hitter

.212 average, .575 OPS, 0 HR’s, 12 RBI’s, 14 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Gregory Pena was apparently born in New York, but must have moved out of the USA at some point because he wasn’t subject to the MLB draft.  Instead, he was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent and made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2010.  The 18 year old severed as the Dodgers main center fielder, but he didn’t do much at the plate as he hit just .212 for the season.  He also didn’t show any power, and had an OPS of only .575.  Nevertheless, Greg does have a few things going for him heading into 2011.  First, Pena is a switch hitter.  Second, he stole 14 bases in 19 attempts, so he does have good speed.  Finally, he demonstrated a very good eye at the plate as he walked in 11.5% of his plate appearances.  Given his age, I’m sure Pena will return to the DSL in 2011, and he’ll be one of the players I watch closely in the DSL next year because I believe he’s a candidate to move up to the Arizona League in 2012.

131.  Alex Garabedian, C (19 games in AA, 23 games in HiA)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 8^th round

6’2”, 210 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.292 average, .789 OPS, 3 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 144;     Pre 2009 Rank: 98

Coming out of high school, Alex Garabedian was considered to be one of the better catching prospects.  He was a 2003 AFLAC All-American, was named as the top catcher in Florida by TeamOne Baseball, and was ranked by Baseball America as the second-best catching prospect and the 33rd-best overall prospect nationally going into the 2004 draft.  However, he fell to the Yankees in the 7^th round of that 2004 draft, and decided to attend the University of Miami rather than turning pro.  After hitting .255 with the Hurricanes during his freshman season, he actually decided to transfer to the College of Charleston.  At Charleston, Garabedian did much better, and as a Junior, he hit .353 with 13 homers, and also threw out over 40 percent of attempted base stealers.  That led to him being drafted by the Dodgers in the 8^th round of the 2007 draft.  Unfortunately, even though his biggest asset is his bat, he has struggled at the plate since his professional debut.  His career minor league average is .248, and he only has 16 homers in 818 minor league at bats.  In 2010, he started and ended the year in AA, but spent a good part of the season in Inland Empire.  While he put up solid stats during his 2010 campaign, he only participated in 42 games and struggled against the older competition (.239 average in AA vs. a .321 average in HiA).  Now 25 years old, Garabedian will probably spend the majority of the 2011 season in AA, and how he performs will definitely dictate the remainder of his career. 

130.  Arce Rodriguez, OF (45 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 191 lbs, 18 years old, bats right handed

.222 average, .514 OPS, 0 HR’s, 13 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Arce Rodriguez made his professional debut with the Dominican Dodgers in 2010, and played the entire season as a 17 year old.  He was the team’s main left fielder and made just two errors all season, but had a very poor year at the dish and didn’t show any speed, power, or patience.  In fact, A-Rod walked in just 1.9% of his plate appearances, which is a worse walk rate than what Brian Cavazos-Galvez posted in 2010.  Really, the only thing Rodriguez has going for him is his age, as he is youngest position player in the Dodgers minor league system.  I’m hoping his youth, combined with the experience he gained in 2010, will turn him into a legitimate prospect down the road.  I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL in 2011 for another year of seasoning, and I’ll be rooting for the 18 year old to put up better numbers despite again playing against older competition.

129.  Jordan Roberts, LHP (64 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 28^th round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 25.25 years old

6-4, 2.95 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 3.43 FIP, 6.61 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 152;     Pre 2009 Rank: 150

Jordan Roberts was a first team All-American out of the NAIA college Embry-Riddle in Florida and was selected by the Dodgers in the 28th round of the 2008 draft.  In his senior season at Embry-Riddle, Roberts finished the year 12th in the NAIA in ERA (1.94) and was 24th in K/9 (over 10).  His professional debut in 2008 was a little rocky, but since then Jordan has been very good.  He had a 2.70 ERA and .216 batting average against with the Ogden Raptors in 2009, then as a follow up he posted a 2.95 ERA with a .232 batting average against with the Loons in 2010.  In addition, his 1.08 WHIP this past season ranked 3^rd among all Dodger minor leaguers (minimum 50 IP).  The one caveat is that Roberts has been one of the oldest pitchers on his team for the past two seasons, so he is playing against younger competition.  Despite his age, the left hander is valuable because he might prove to be a useful bullpen arm for the Dodgers at some point down the road.  However might is the key word here, especially since he is not a strikeout pitcher.  Nevertheless there is a good chance he’ll play in AA next season, and if he does well in the Southern League, he’ll be one step closer to his ultimate goal. 

128.  Abdul Nieto, LF/1B (27 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 180 lbs, 19.25 years old, bats right handed

.176 average, .534 OPS, 1 HR, 8 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 103;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

I know that Abdul Nieto has been terrible since putting on a professional uniform in 2009, hitting just .165 with a .490 OPS through 176 at bats, but I still have hope for this young player.  You see, Abdul Nieto was one of the best prospects coming out of Panama when he was signed by the Dodgers in the Summer of 2008, so he isn’t just another random player from the DSL.  He played 2009 as a 17 year old and 2010 as an 18 year old, so he is has been playing against older competition and may have been overmatched.  In addition to his age, the thing I like about Nieto is his size as he already has a major league body.   His biggest downfall is his defense, and because he was a butcher in the outfield in 2009 he was moved to 1^st base.  However, I’m hoping that he can move back to the outfield in the future as he matures and gets more coaching.  In looking to the future, Abdul now has two years of experience under his belt, so he should be more prepared in 2011.  He’ll probably return to the DSL for a 3^rd season, but since he’ll be just 19 years old I’m not writing him off yet.  In fact, I think he’s a good bet to get promoted to the Arizona League in 2012.

127.  Ramon Jean, 2B (80 games in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.271 average, .646 OPS, 1 HR’s, 30 RBI’s, 13 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 116;     Pre 2009 Rank: 85

Signed before the 2007 season as a 19 year old out of the Dominican Republic, Ramon Jean only spent one season in the DSL before being promoted to a U.S. based rookie league.  After playing two seasons in the Dodgers rookie league, he received a surprise promotion to the California League in 2010, and also changed positions.  A middle infielder for the first three years of his career, Jean spent almost all of 2010 in center field.  He held his own as the captain of the outfield, and also got off to a hot start at the plate as he hit over .300 for most of the year before tailing off toward the end of the season.  He didn’t show any power, but made good contact and showed a little speed.  Overall, when you look at Jean’s career stats, there is nothing that jumps out at you, which means that he doesn’t really have any plus tools.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers invited Jean to participate in their offseason instructional league, so they must believe he has at least some potential.  Since I don’t see Jean moving up to AA in 2011, I’m guessing he’ll return to the 66ers for another season.

126.  Luis Ferreras, RHP (24.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

5’9”, 150 lbs, 21.25 years old

1-1, 5.55 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 3.49 FIP, 6.66 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 63;     Pre 2009 Rank: 46

Luis Ferreras was signed as a 17 year before the 2007 season, and put together a remarkable debut season in the Dominican Summer League by allowing just 3 runs in 27.1 third innings for a 0.99 ERA.  Seeing this success, the Dodgers brought Luis to the U.S.A. in 2008 and he played in the GCL, the Midwest League, and even AA for a few games.  Things were a little more consistent for Ferreras in 2009 as he spent the entire year in the Pioneer league and posted a 2.50 ERA.  So heading into 2010, I had pretty high hopes for Ferreras.  However Ferreras was forced to repeat with the Raptors, and he saw his ERA more than double from 2009.  In addition, he only struck out 6.7 batters per 9 innings.  At the end of the season, the Dodgers were not impressed with the 5’9” pitcher (he had previously been listed at 6’0”) and decided to release him in December.  Since I had already finalized my ranking by the time he was released, this is basically where he would have ranked had he stayed in the Dodgers system for 2011.

125.  Alexis Aguilar, SS/2B (25 games in Arizona League, 21 games in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’11”, 162 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.272 average, .658 OPS, 1 HR’s, 23 RBI’s, 12 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 123;     Pre 2009 Rank: 135

Alexis Aguilar is a young infielder from Venezuela who signed with the Dodgers in 2008.  After hitting just .211 in his debut season, Aguilar showed some improvement in the DSL in 2009.  Unfortunately for him, that wasn’t enough to warrant a promotion to a US based league as he started the 2010 season back in the Dominican Summer League.  However, a hot start in 2010 earned him a rare mid-season promotion from the DSL to the Arizona League, where he spent the rest of the season.  Even though Aguilar struggled in Arizona with a .253 average in 83 at bats and just 3 extra base hits, the fact that he was promoted was a significant step in the development of his career.  In addition, after spending the most of the 2009 season at 2^nd base, Alexis played the majority of his games at shortstop in 2010, which improves his defensive value.  He also spent time at 3^rd base and in the outfield, and showed good speed with 12 stolen bases in 15 attempts.  Still just 19 years old, Aguilar is on track to play in the Pioneer League next season and is one good season away from turning into a legitimate prospect.

124.  Steve Smith, RHP (73.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’2”, 210 lbs, 24.75 years old

4-5, 2.69 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 3.27 FIP, 8.06 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 141;     Pre 2009 Rank: 160

Steve Smith was signed by the Dodgers in 2008 as a non drafted free agent out of the University of New Mexico, where he was a teammate of fellow Dodger minor leaguer Brian Cavazos-Galvez.  He wasn’t overly impressive during his senior season with the Lobos, posting a 5.01 ERA and 58 strikeouts in just under 74 innings, but the Dodgers decided to give Smith a chance anyways.  Smith struggled in his 2008 professional debut, but he has dramatically turned things around ever since.  For two straight years he has been one of the Loons most effective bullpen arms, posting a 2.67 ERA in 67.1 innings in 2009 and a 2.69 ERA in 73.2 innings in 2010.  In addition, his 17 holds in 2010 ranked 1^st in the Midwest League, and his 1.07 WHIP was the best of any Dodger minor leaguer in a US based league (minimum 50 IP).  He was also effective against both righties (.218 batting average against) and lefties (.230 batting average against).  After the season, he was invited to participate in the Arizona Instructional League after the season with several top prospects, so he is at least on the Dodgers radar.  I’m not exactly sure why the 24 year old Smith was kept in LoA for two straight seasons, but I can guarantee that he’ll get promoted in 2011, possibly even to AA.

123.  Elian Herrera, OF (25 games in AAA, 97 games in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 5/14/03

5’11”, 190 lbs, 26 years old, switch hitter

.254 average, .693 OPS, 2 HR’s, 46 RBI’s, 32 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 89;     Pre 2009 Rank: 109

Prior to 2010, Elian Herrera had moved slowly through the Dodgers system.  In 7 minor league seasons, the Dominican native had never played above HiA, and was constantly one of the older players on his team’s roster.  In 2010, however, Herrera got the chance to play in AA, and even spent about a month in AAA when injuries struck the Isotopes roster.  Unfortunately, Herrera didn’t really have a very good showing at either level as he combined to hit just .254 with a .693 OPS.  He does have a few positive traits, though, as he is a switch hitter, has good speed, and posted a solid walk rate in 2010.  In addition, he can play all over the field as he spent time at all 3 outfield positions, 3^rd base, 2^nd base, and shortstop in 2010.  At the end of the season, the Dodgers saw enough potential in Herrera that they decided to resign the minor league free agent for another year.  I’m guessing he’ll spend most of 2011 in AAA where he’ll continue to fill a utility role.  He is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League, but continues to be mediocre as he is hitting.279 in 44 games. 

122.  Jimmy Marshall, RHP (14 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 23^rd r/und

6’6”, 195 lbs, 24 years old

2-1, 1.93 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4.13 FIP, 7.71 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 100;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Before`getting selected by the Dodgers in the 23^rd round of the 2009 draft, Jimmy Marshall was a four year player for Florida State.  He was a middle reliever and spot starter for the Seminoles in 2006 and 2007, then shared the closer role during 2008 with some guy named Buster Posey.  In 2009 Marshall inherited the team captain patch and the full time closers role for FSU, and while he had his least successful season in terms of ERA (4.85), he was able pick up 10 saves and posted a strikeout rate of 13.5 K’s per 9 innings.  His biggest problem during his senior season was his control, which is an issue that has followed him into his professional career.  After throwing 11 innings for the Arizona Dodgers in 2009, I was convinced that Marshall would move up to a full season league in 2010 due to his age and college experience.  The Dodgers decided to keep Jimmy in the Arizona League for another season, however, and while his ERA and batting average against (.200) were great, he continued to struggle with control and was limited to just 14 innings.  In addition, his strikeout rate dropped to 7.71 K/9.  From what I’ve read Marshall has a low 90’s fastball and a decent slider, and given his size I was hoping he’d turn into a power reliever.  Instead his career has seemed to have stalled, and since he’ll be 24 years old when the 2011 season starts, I beginning to doubt his ability to ever make it to the big leagues.  Nevertheless, I still like Marshall as a potential prospect, and I’m hoping he’ll thrive in either LoA or HiA in 2011.

121.  Nick Gaudi, RHP (11.1 IP in LoA, 18 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 30^th round

6’5”, 215 lbs, 24.5 years old

1-1, 4.91 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 10.74 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 88;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Nick Gaudi was barely recruited heading into college, and had to walk-on to the Pepperdine baseball team.  After making the team, he didn’t get any playing time in 2005 as a freshman and decided to redshirt.  So he actually spent 5 years in college, which is why he is a little older than most 2^nd year players and also a reason why clubs stayed away from him in the 2009 draft despite his strong college stats.  In an interview after he was drafted, Gaudi described the windup as “deceiving”, as he twists and the ball comes from behind his back.  I’ve actually seen video of his windup, and it is interesting as he turns his back slightly to the batter and has an extreme over the top delivery.  In that same interview, Gaudi calls himself “a strike thrower and a pitcher’s pitcher” and says he “can locate his fastball and try to outthink hitters rather than overpower them with raw power or talent.”  In addition to his unique delivery and his ability to throw strikes, scouts credit his success to the development of a slider and split-finger fastball.  In terms of his professional career thus far, Gaudi dominated the Pioneer League in 2010 with a 2.96 ERA and 12.84 K/9 in 27 innings as one of the oldest players in the league.  Given his success, the Dodgers started Nick with the Great Lakes Loons in 2010, but he was shut down with an injury after just 3 appearances.  When he recovered in mid June, Gaudi was sent back to the Pioneer League where he spent two months before returning to the Loons in August.  Overall, Gaudi’s stats were relatively disappointing, although he did post a strong FIP and K/9.  Given his age, the big 24 year old will have to move quickly next year if he wants to have an impact with the Dodgers.  I’m guessing the Dodgers will be aggressive with him and let him start 2011 in either HiA or AA to see what he does against older competition.

120.  Brian Ruggiano, 3B (108 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 23^rd round

6’0”, 180, 24.75 years old, bats right handed

.255 average, .718 OPS, 6 HR’s, 48 RBI’s, 15 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 62;     Pre 2009 Rank: 116

Brian was the second Ruggiano drafted by the Dodgers out of Texas A&M in the past few years because they drafted his brother, Justin Ruggiano, in the 25^th round of the 2004 draft.  Justin is obviously no longer with the Dodgers, as he was part of the Mark Hendrickson/Toby Hall trade in 2006.  Last year, I couldn’t help but rank Ruggiano #62 last year after his outstanding season in 2009.  He hit .371 with the Ogden Raptors, including 9 homers and a 1.031 OPS.  Brian fell back down to earth in 2010 with the Great Lakes, however, as he had a very mediocre season.  The Loons everyday 3^rd baseman hit just .255 with a .718 OPS, and made 22 errors in the field.  That just goes to show how different the Pioneer League is from the Midwest League.  Without a standout tool, Ruggiano is going to have a tough time climbing through the Dodgers minor league system.  Also, as a 24 year old who has yet to play above LoA, Dodgers will probably have to decide this offseason if Ruggiano is worth keeping around for another year.

119.  Will Savage, RHP (83.2 IP in LoA, 51.2 IP in HiA, 16.2 IP in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in February 2010

6’4”, 215 lbs, 26.5 years old

10-5, 4.32 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 3.67 FIP, 6.04 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Will Savage was born in Southern California and attended El Camino Real High before heading to the College of the Canyons to start his college career.  After spending 2 seasons as a Cougar, Savage transferred to the University of Oklahoma and posted a 16 and 6 record between the 2005 and 2006 seasons.  His play was good enough for the Phillies, who selected Will in the 26^th round of the 2006 draft.  After 3 solid seasons in the Phillies organization, Savage was promoted to AA for the 2008 season.  However he was limited to just 6 games as he hurt his elbow, and that promoted the Phillies to release him.  Savage eventually found himself with the Wichita Wingnuts of the independent Atlantic League where he spent virtually all of 2009.  With the Wingnuts, Savage had a solid 2.94 ERA and even threw a no hitter.  This caught the attention of the Dodgers, who signed Savage before the 2010 season.  Despite being 25 years old, the Dodgers assigned Savage to LoA where he thrived against the younger competition and made the mid season All Star Team.  He eventually moved up to HiA, and then finished the year in AA.  Even though Savage was pretty bad during his 16 innings with the Lookouts, the Dodgers have already re-signed Will for the 2011 season.  According to Savage, his change-up and sinker are his best pitches, and he also has a fastball that sits in the low 90’s.  Now 26 years old, Savage will continue to provide the Dodgers with organizational depth while trying to prove that he still has what it takes to one day make it to the show.  He is trying to stay sharp this offseason by participating in the Venezuelan Winter League, where he has a 2.65 ERA through 17 innings.

118.  Anthony Jackson, RHP (122 games in AA in 2010 – Rockies Organization)

PTNL in trade for Dotel                 

5’8”, 175 lbs, 26.75 years old, switch hitter

.251 average, .676 OPS, 2 HR’s, 40 RBI’s, 33 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A  

The Dodgers acquired Anthony Jackson as the player to be named later in the trade that sent Octavio Dotel to the Rockies.  The now 26 year old was originally picked by Colorado in the 16^th round of the 2006 draft out of the University of the Pacific.  In his 4 years with the Rockies, Jackson had a career .252 batting average and a .670 OPS in 528 games.  A switch hitter, Anthony had almost the exact same average from each side of the plate last year.  His only real asset is his speed as he’s accumulated 151 career stolen bases, including 33 in AA in 2010.  Jackson has been a center fielder for most of his minor league career, although he also spent a decent amount of time at 2^nd base last season.  My guess is that Jackson will spend 2011 in AAA, and while I don’t expect him to ever be in a Dodger uniform, at his very best he could be an emergency outfielder should something go terribly wrong in Los Angeles.

117.  Jesus Castillo, RHP (103.1 IP in AA, 23.2 IP in AAA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 27^th round

6’0”, 195 lbs, 26.75 years old

5-15, 5.03 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 4.66 FIP, 5.60 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 95;     Pre 2009 Rank: 43

I’m getting pretty tired of writing about Jesus Castillo.  He’s had some good years in the past, and even posted a 3.83 ERA in AA this past season, but at the end of the day he is simply the epitome of mediocrity.  His career WHIP is 1.41, his career K/9 rate is 6.2, and his career win loss record is 28 – 44.  In addition, he failed miserably in his 2010 AAA stint, and has always been an undersized pitcher.  If you remember, he was actually on the Dodgers 40 man roster at one point, which is one of the reasons I mistakenly ranked him so high in the past.  Castillo is currently a minor league free agent, and at almost 27 years old I really don’t see a point in the Dodgers bringing him back next season.  He is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League and has a 4.71 ERA though 36.1 innings.

116.  Francisco Felix, RHP (12.2 IP in AAA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 2/19/03

5’11”, 191 lbs, 27.75 years old

2-0, 4.26 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 5.49 FIP, 7.82 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 58;     Pre 2009 Rank: 62

Prior to the 2010 season, Francisco Felix seemed poised to make a run at being a legitimate Dodger prospect despite his small stature.  He had just posted a 3.05 ERA and 9.16 K/9 in 2009 which he split between AA and AAA, and had even earned an invitation to the Dodgers 2010 big league camp in Spring Training.  However, the 2010 season was not kind to Felix as he did not have good stats.  His 4.26 ERA in AAA does not really tell the true story because he actually spent most of the season on loan to the Mexican League where he recorded an ugly 6.28 ERA through 61.2 innings.  In addition, his K/9 in the Mexican League was only 6.3, and batters hit .339 against him.  I’m guessing that one of the reasons for Felix’s struggles in 2010 was the fact that he was used mostly as a starter, even though he had resided in the bullpen for the majority of his minor league career.  Given his frame, he doesn’t seem like the type of pitcher who should be used in the rotation.  Now 27 years old, a return to the bullpen seems like the best bet for Felix, and hopefully he’ll return to form with the Isotopes in 2011.

115.  Mario Alvarez, RHP (120.1 IP in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/16/03

6’0”, 205 lbs, 27 years old

6-6, 4.94 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 4.35 FIP, 5.91 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 97;     Pre 2009 Rank: 83

Ever since the Dodgers added Mario Alvarez to their 40 man roster in 2007, I’ve always given Alvarez the benefit of the doubt despite mediocre stats.  I figured that the Dodgers must have seen something in him that caused them to add him to the roster, so wanted to give him some respect.  It’s not that I’ve ranked him that high, but for the past 2 years I did at least rank him in the top 100 of my ranking.  That will not happen this year, however, because the soon to be 27 year old had another below average year and has basically struggled since 2005.  Although he was resigned this offseason by the Dodgers, I can’t image that he’ll ever have an impact with the Dodgers.  In addition, he has always been an undersized right hander who has been injury prone, so those are also points against him.  He is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League and has a 4.86 ERA through 37 innings.

114.  Casio Grider, SS/2B (62 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 14^th round

6’1”, 165 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.281 average, .728 OPS, 4 HR’s, 33 RBI’s, 22 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 118;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Drafted out of Newberry College in the 14^th round draft, Logan White called Grider a tools guy who is a bit raw and very athletic.  He was named as the faster runner in the Dodgers 2009 draft by Baseball America, and runs a 6.5 second 60.  Upon turning pro Grider was sent to the Arizona Rookie League and had a mediocre season at the plate, but he thrived on the base paths by stealing 22 bases in 24 attempts.  In 2010, Grider was promoted to the Pioneer League and got the majority of starts and 2nd base for Ogden.  While he didn’t have the big power numbers like other Raptor players, Grider hit a respectable .281 and managed to slug 4 homers.  He also led the team with 22 stolen bases for the 2^nd year in a row.  Not everything was positive for Grider in 2010, however, as he committed a team high 23 errors, and had a terrible walk to strikeout ratio.  In addition, now that he is spending most of his time at 2^nd base instead of shortstop, he has lost a lot of his defensive value.  At 23 years old, the speedy Grider will probably play for the Loons in 2011 and still has the potential to turn into a legitimate prospect.  However, it’s going to take more than stolen bases to prove that he’s got a shot to make it with the Dodgers.

113.  Jose Dominguez, RHP (24 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’0”, 180 lbs, 20.5 years old

1-1, 1.13 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 7.88 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 134;     Pre 2009 Rank: 60

Signed for $50,000 as a 16 year old at the start of the 2007 international signing period, Jose Dominguez impressed scouts back then with a 90 mph fastball and a solid curve.  At the time, Logan White said, “It’s rare to see a kid as polished as he is.”  In his professional debut in 2008, the then 17 year old Dominguez showed potential with an 11.8 K per 9 through 42 innings in the DSL.  In 2009 he also had a solid season, with a 3.64 ERA through 59 innings.  However, after the 2009 season I found an article on MILB.com that said “Jose Dominguez of the Dodgers’ organization and Waldo Rosario of the Rays’ organization each received 50-game suspensions on Monday for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.  Both players, part of their respective clubs’ Dominican Summer League team, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol.  Their suspensions will be effective at the start of next season.”  So Dominguez sat out most of the 2010 season, but when he did return to the DSL in August he had an amazing run, posting a 1.13 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and .191 batting average against in 24 innings.  Heading into 2011, Jose will only be 20 years old despite having 3 seasons under his belt.  Since the Dodgers kept him around even after he was suspended, there must be something they like about him so I’m guessing he’ll move to the Arizona Rookie League next year.  He’s a bit of a wildcard and seems to have the potential to move up the prospect charts, but that’s only if he stays away from the steroids because another suspension could cost Dominguez his career.

112.  Chris Henderson, 1B/3B (47 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 21^st round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.341 average, .867 OPS, 1 HR, 24 RBI’s, 1 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 129;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Chris Henderson was an amazing college player at George Mason University.  In 2009, his final season with the Patriots, Henderson hit.413 with 14 homers, 58 RBI and 70 runs scored.  He also had a ridiculous .487 on-base percentage and a .702 slugging percentage.  In addition, he did all this as a catcher and was named one of the three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award for the nation’s best catcher.  The other two finalists were the 2009 #4 overall pick Tony Sanchez, and the Dodgers own Jeremy Wise.  Since signing with the Dodgers, however, Henderson has put his catching equipment in storage as he has split his time between 1^st and 3^rd base.  After an uninspiring debut in the Arizona Rookie League last year, Henderson had a huge season for the Ogden Raptors in 2010.  He didn’t show any speed or power, but he had an outstanding average of .341 (7^th best in the Pioneer League) and a remarkable on base percentage of .429 (4^th in the league).  It’s difficult to completely buy into Henderson’s breakout season because he did most of his damage at home (.417 average and 1.032 OPS vs. .272 average and .717 OPS on the road), but it is still a step in the right direction for his career.  Also, I watched video on Henderson and his swing looks a little long to me, but he only struck out in 10.7% of his plate appearances in 2010 so I’m not too worried.  In looking at Henderson’s future, the fact that he might be limited to 1^st base (his fielding % at 3^rd base over the past two seasons is .842) is going to really hurt his chances of making his way onto the Dodger prospect radar, especially since he has not shown any power.  Nevertheless, I expect Henderson to get a chance to play in LoA next year, and at just 22 years old he still has time to prove his worth in the full season league.

111.  Robert Boothe, RHP (48.1 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 12/5/07

6’2”, 190 lbs, 25 years old

1-2, 6.89 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 5.85 FIP, 8.38 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 77;     Pre 2009 Rank: 82

Robert Boothe was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent after the 2007 season.  He is half Japanese, attended Asia University, doesn’t speak much English, and was actually eligible for the Japanese draft before signing with the Dodgers.  At the time of his signing, Logan White said that Boothe has “a nice delivery, good arm action, and a sound mix of breaking pitches which gives him the ability to be a future Major Leaguer.”  After a rough debut season in 2008, Boothe turned things around in the Midwest League in 2009.  He posted an excellent FIP of 2.65 and led all Dodger minor leaguers with his 12.46 K/9.  2010, however, was another down year as Boothe had a difficult time in the California League.  The right hander had an ERA of almost 7.00 and a WHIP of almost 2.00, and his strikeout rate dropped significantly.  Batters also hit almost .300 against him.  Even still, I haven’t completely lost hope in the soon to be 25 year old because he has a live arm that can reach the mid 90’s and is still relatively young as a professional player.  If he has a good spring in 2011, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Boothe in AA where he’ll play in a friendlier pitching environment. 

110.  Giordanny Chavez, RHP (68 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’3”, 185 lbs, 19.75 years old
4-2, 1.85 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 3.73 FIP, 6.22 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 139;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

After a terrible debut in the DSL in 2009 (6.38 ERA in 18.1 innings), Giordanny Chavez had quite a turnaround this past season.  The 19 year not only pitched a full season, but also recorded the 2^nd lowest ERA of all minor league players in the Dodgers organization (minimum 50 IP).  In addition, he got better as the year progressed and allowed just two earned runs in his final 27 innings of the year.  However, his peripherals don’t really compliment his ERA because the Dominican native had a FIP of 3.73, and he only struck out 6.22 per 9 innings.  Nevertheless, Chavez has a good pitchers frame at 6’3” and could potentially turn into a prospect next season if he continues to put up good numbers.  I’m almost certain he’ll get promoted to the Arizona League for 2011 and that is where the true test will begin.

109.  Bolivar Medina, LHP (4 IP in Pioneer League, 33.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2007

6’2”, 175 lbs, 22.75 years old

1-3, 6.45 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 3.84 FIP, 9.32 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 82;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Prior to the 2007 season, the Dodgers signed a group of young Dominican players.  According to Logan White in a 2007 interview, the two most impressive players in that group were Pedro Baez and Bolivar Medina.  So even though the Dodgers haven’t been big international spenders in recent years, White’s assessment of Media tells me that he is better than your average Dominican signee.  After posting a 2.75 ERA through 36 innings in the Dominican Summer League in 2007, Medina missed the entire 2008 season due to injury.  He returned to action in 2009 and was promoted to the Arizona League where he had another strong showing with a 2.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, and .235 batting average against in 46.2 innings.  In 2010, Medina started the season in the Pioneer League, but got rocked in his first two games and was quickly demoted back to the Arizona League.  He continued to struggle in Arizona although he finished the season strong and had a pretty solid strikeout rate.  While Medina has divided his career between starting and relieving, his split stats in 2010 while in Arizona suggest that he best suited in the rotation (2.57 ERA as a starter in 21 innings vs. 11.37 ERA in 12.2 innings).  Still just 22 years old, this 6’2” lefty still has potential in my opinion and will hopefully spend 2011 in a full season league. 

108.  Ji-Mo Lee, RHP (7 IP in LoA, 13.1 IP in Pioneer League, 1 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 5/24/09

6’1”, 188 lbs, 24.25 years old

3-0, 1.69 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 4.09 FIP, 3.80 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 85;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers signed Ji-Mo Lee out of Korea in May of 2009.  He was originally drafted by a Korean baseball team in 2005, but was then required to serve two years of military duty.  He played for the Korean team in 2008, but was released after posting a 9.64 ERA.  While he performed poorly in 2008, after being signed by the Dodgers Logan White said “Ji-Mo has a feel for two types of pitches that are already at a Major League level and he should develop into a good pitcher.”  In addition, Byung-Hwan An, the Dodgers’ scouting supervisor in Korea said “I have been watching him since high school and always liked his fastball and aggressiveness on the mound.  He is a very talented pitcher with a high ceiling. It is great that we can give him a chance to play in the States, which has been his dream.”  Lee appeared in just 4 games for the Dodgers in 2009, and then made his 2010 debut in the Pioneer League.  He spent 13 innings with the Raptors, and I got this perspective from Brandon Hart, Ogden’s radio broadcaster “He should be just a solid middle reliever in the minors but I just don’t see him making the big-league club.  [However] he does have a plus slider and that could ride that to the show.  Fastball is at 93 and he has a good [pitch] combo.  Just doesn’t have the K numbers you would like.”  Hart is right about the strikeout numbers at Lee’s K per 9 in 2010 was unbelievably low at 3.80.  However, that is slightly skewed by the fact that he only threw 24 innings due to an undisclosed injury.  Besides his K rate, Lee’s numbers in 2010 were very good, and because he is already 24 years old he’ll most likely play in a full season league next year.  He already got a taste of LoA in 2010, so maybe he’ll spend 2011 in the California League.  He’ll have to move quickly if he wants any chance to make it to the big leagues.

107.  Andres Santiago, RHP (20.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 16^th round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 21.25 years old

2-0, 2.18 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.76 FIP, 7.40 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 147;     Pre 2009 Rank: 133

Andres Santiago was drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2007 at the tender age of 17, and has spent his first four professional seasons in the Dodgers lowest US based rookie league (2 season in the GCL, and two seasons in the Arizona League).  I’m guessing that he’ll finally get a change of scenery in 2011 since he put together a solid season in 2010 with the Arizona Dodgers.  While his season didn’t start until August 1st due to an apparent injury, he made the most of his 6 appearances by allowing just 5 earned runs in 20.2 innings, good for a 2.18 ERA.  Santiago has been trying to make up for some lost time by playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League, although the results have been disastrous in his limited appearances.   Overall, Santiago has a solid pitchers frame and is still pretty young.  Therefore I think that he has some potential as a prospect, and I really hope the Dodgers decide to challenge him in 2011 with an assignment to a full season league.

106.  Beau Brett, 1B (28 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 35^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats left handed

.239 average, .617 OPS, 0 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The fact that Beau Brett signed with the Dodgers as their 35^th round pick in the 2010 draft was very odd to me.  He was a draft eligible sophomore who was rarely used at USC and only had 44 at bats over two seasons with the Trojans.  In addition, Brett never had an extra base hit in those 44 at bats.  The only reason the Dodgers even drafted him was because he has baseball bloodlines, with his most famous relative being his uncle George Brett.  Upon signing, Beau was sent the Arizona Rookie League and got a decent amount of playing time at 1^st base.  Unfortunately his offensive stats were pretty dismal for the Dodgers and he struck out in 26.7% of his plate appearances.  In addition, I watched Brett’s scouting video and his swing simply wasn’t very impressive.  Looking to the future, I can’t see Brett ever becoming a legitimate prospect because he plays 1^st base and hasn’t done anything impressive since high school.  Hopefully he proves me wrong, but I unfortunately see him taking the place the now released Austin Yount, who was another Dodger draftee with good bloodlines that didn’t do anything as a professional.

105.  Bryant Hernandez, SS (15 games in HiA, 50 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 9^th round

5’8”, 170 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.179 average, .524 OPS, 2 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 84;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers first noticed Bryant Hernandez when they were scouting his University of Oklahoma teammate J.T. Wise, who ended up getting selected four rounds earlier than Hernandez in the 2009 draft.  While Bryant is listed at just 5’8” and 170 pounds, in his junior season at Oklahoma he batted .351, hit 12 HR’s, and tied Wise for the team lead with 62 RBI’s.  He was also a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, presented to the nation’s top shortstop.  After the draft, Logan White said that Hernandez “is a kid that had good numbers, could hit in the middle of the night, could play short or second and he’s a sure-handed fielder with some pop in his bat. We could also turn him into a catcher down the road, if needed. He’s a grinder and knows how to play the game.”  Hernandez hasn’t played any catcher yet, and has instead spent the majority of his playing time at his natural position at shortstop.  After a mediocre debut in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009, Bryant was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons for 2010.  However, he had a terrible time in the Midwest League as he hit just.164 in 146 at bats and stuck out in 33.1% of his plate appearances.  He also didn’t show any power or speed.  Nevertheless, the 22 year old was promoted to the California League in August, and I’m guessing the move was made only because the 66ers needed depth at the shortstop position.  But he continued to struggle there as well and hit just .224 over 15 games.  Hernandez will be 23 when the 2011 season starts, so while he still has time to turn things around and become a legitimate prospect, he can’t afford to have another lost season offensively.  He’ll probably return to HiA and hopefully this time he’ll have better results. 

104.  Moises Tamarez, RHP (44.1 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’3”, 195 lbs, 19 years old

3-4, 4.06 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.58 FIP, 5.68 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 87;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The first thing I want to point out about Moises Tamarez is that his correct birth date is 3/6/92 and not 3/6/93 as is listed at various websites, so he is a little older than what most people realize.  This was confirmed with both the Dodgers media guide and Matt Eddy of Baseball America.  Either way, Tamarez is still a very young Dominican player who will not turn 19 years old until the start of the 2011 season.  The good news is that he already has a lot of experience under his belt (75.2 innings), and has posted a pretty solid ERA in his each of his first two professional seasons.  The bad news is that despite his solid pitching frame, Moises hasn’t been able to strike out many batters as his career K/9 stands at just 4.5.  Given his aforementioned experience, the Dodgers may opt to promote Tamarez to the Arizona Rookie League in 2011 to get him some additional coaching while he is still young.  I hope that is the case because with his size and youth, he could have what it takes to turn into a legitimate Dodger prospect in the future.

103.  Nick Buss, CF (65 games in HiA, 61 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 8^th round

6’0”, 180 lbs, 24.25 years old, bats left handed

.264 average, .661 OPS, 1 HR, 48 RBI’s, 26 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 80;     Pre 2009 Rank: 27

After failing to sign Nick Buss out of high school in 2006, the Dodger got their man two years later in the 8^th round of the 2008 draft.  During the two years between being drafted by the Dodgers, Buss spent time as the starting center fielder for the USC Trojans.  While his stats at USC weren’t amazing, he did post a solid .415 OBP in 2008 and placed 2^nd on the team with 8 HR’s.  He also played in the Alaskan Baseball League in the summer of 2007, and was named the League’s top prospect by Baseball America after hitting .369 and stealing 29 bases.  Since being drafted, however, Nick “Chili” Buss has been pretty average, and I’ll admit that I had him totally overrated when I did my ranking two years ago.  I had based that ranking on a strong 2008 season in the Pioneer League and his ability to get on base, but it seems that his skills have diminished over the past two seasons.  His on base percentage was only .298 in 2009, and in 2010 he struggled so badly in the hitter friendly California League that he was sent back to LoA at the end of June for the remainder of the season.  While he improved slightly with the Loons, his 2010 combined OPS was only .661 and he only managed a single homer for the entire year.  Really when I look at Buss, his only assets are his above average speed, his ability to make contact (he has a career strikeout percentage of just 13.6%), and the fact that he can play center field.  He was selected to participate in the Arizona Instructional League after the season, however, so the Dodgers haven’t completely lost hope in him.  Buss will be 24 years old heading into 2011, so he is going to need a big comeback season if he wants any chance to ever make an impact with the Dodgers.

102.  Alberto Bastardo, LHP (56.2 IP in AAA, 82.2 IP in AA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/13/06

6’0”, 160 lbs, 27 years old

12-8, 5.68 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 3.93 FIP, 7.43 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 105;     Pre 2009 Rank: 142

Alberto Bastardo was originally signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 2002, but left as a minor league free agent before the 2006 season.  Upon joining the Dodgers, Bastardo was been pretty average until 2009, when he put his name on the Dodgers radar with a solid season split between HiA and AA.  In 2010, Bastardo, bookended his season in Chattanooga while also spending some time with the Isotopes.  With the Lookouts, one could argue that Bastardo was the team’s most effective starter as he went 7 and 4 with a 3.20 FIP.  However his ERA was 4.79 and he was 26 years old so he was playing against younger competition.  During his 2 month stint in AAA, Alberto made 12 starts and the results were ugly.  With the Isotopes Alberto recorded an ERA of 6.99 through 56.2 innings, and his WHIP was 1.76.  When it was all said and done, Bastardo’s stats for his 2010 season were not very good.  In addition, things have not gone well for Bastardo in the Venezuelan Winter League as he has a 5.85 ERA through 32.1 innings.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers re-signed the minor league free agent after the season, probably because he provides a cheap and experienced option as an emergency fill in starter at the big league level.  However, I’d venture to guess that if we ever see the left handed Bastardo in a Dodger uniform, then the team is probably in real trouble and will not in contention. 

101.  Eric Krebs, RHP (39.1 IP in AA, 17.1 IP in HiA)

Acquired via trade with Pirates in April 2009 for Delwyn Young

6’3”, 210 lbs, 25.75 years old

0-4, 4.76 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 4.12 FIP, 10.96 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 68;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Eric Krebs was originally a 16^th round pick in the 2005 draft by the Pirates out of a small community college in Texas.  After four mediocre seasons with the Pirates, Eric was sent to the Dodgers as the player to be named later in the Delwyn Young trade.  Upon joining the 66ers midway through the 2009 season, Krebs put up solid numbers, including a .182 batting average against through 25 innings.  The earned him a spot on the Dodgers 2009 AFL roster, and a promotion to AA to start the 2010 season.  In 39.1 innings with the Lookouts, Krebs had a 3.89 ERA and a K per 9 of 9.67.  Nevertheless, he was sent back to HiA in late July and finished the year with a terrible ERA in Inland Empire (6.75) but an outstanding strikeout rate (14.2 K/9).  Eric’s biggest problem has always been his command, an issue that continued to plague him during the 2010 season which is why his WHIP was so high.  On the plus side, however, Krebs does flash a fastball that can hit 96 MPH, and he obviously has the ability to strike guys out, so he does have some upside.  Now 25 years old with 56 innings of AA experience, it seems reasonable that Krebs could make it all the way up to AAA in 2011 as long as he is able to show at least some control.  In fact, it’s still not out of the question that he could one day make the big leagues give his strong fastball and ability to rack up the K’s. 

100.  Steve Matre, RHP (2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 39^th round

6’2”, 185 lbs, 22.75 years old

0-0, 4.50 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 5.20 FIP, 4.50 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers took a late flyer on Steve Matre in the 2010 draft as they selected him in the 39^th round even though he didn’t play college ball last season.  He was recovering from Tommy John surgery that he had in 2009 after three outstanding seasons at College of Mount Saint Joseph.  As a freshman he immediately stepped into the closer role, and held it all throughout his college career.  His career ERA was 1.19 and he registered 32 saves – just 3 short of the Division III record.  His best season came in 2009 when he had a 0.41 ERA, a 13.1 K/9, and a .133 batting average against in 22 innings.  In addition, even though he missed the 2010 college season, he was cleared to play in a summer league and continued to impress by striking out 20 and walking just two in 15.2 innings of work to go along with a 1.15 ERA.  Upon getting drafted, Matre said “I was really excited to hear that I was chosen. It was like a dream come true and something that I’ve wanted to do (play professional baseball) for a long time.”  While he didn’t sign right away, he eventually joined the Dodgers in July and worked out in Arizona before getting into two games in August.  His professional sample size was too small to evaluate, but based on his college stats I’d say that he does have some pretty good stuff.  I know he wasn’t playing against the premier competition because he was in DIII, but it does take some type of talent to put up the ridiculous college stats that he did.  For 2011, I don’t think Matre will play in a full season league because his arm probably isn’t ready for a full workload given his Tommy John surgery in 2009.  Therefore, my guess would be that he spends the year in the Pioneer League, and might even serve as the Raptors closer.

99.  Pedro Guerrero, SS (2 games in AAA, 13 games in LoA, 31 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/10/06

6’3”, 181 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats right handed

.217 average, .614 OPS, 3 HR’s, 25 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 92;     Pre 2009 Rank: 67

Pedro Guerrero was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006 and played two seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making his U.S. debut in 2008.  He produced average numbers in the Gulf Coast League in 2008, and had similar stats in Pioneer League in 2009.  Guerrero was promoted to LoA for the start of the 2010 season, but struggled so badly with the Loons that he was sent back to extended spring training in May.  He reemerged with the Raptors in June and served as the team’s backup second baseman where he hit .230 with 3 homers through 113 at bats.  He continued to struggle with his walk to strikeout ratio, as he struck out 5 times as much as he walked in 2010.  The one interesting thing about Pedro’s 2010 season was that he was actually promoted to AAA for three days in August where he picked up 1 hit in 2 at bats as an emergency infield fill-in.  At the end of the season, even with his terrible offensive display in 2010, he remained on the Dodgers’ radar as he was invited to participate in the Arizona instructional league.  Despite his lackluster career stats (.243 career batting average), I’ve always been a fan of Guerrero due to his youth, experience, and wiry frame.  He’ll be entering his 6^th professional season in 2011, and I’m hoping that the 22 year old will have a better showing in one of the full season leagues. 

98.  Red Patterson, RHP (67.2 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 29^th round

6’3”, 210 lbs, 23.75 years old

6-1, 3.33 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.42 FIP, 8.78 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A               

The Dodgers took John “Red” Patterson in the 29^th round of the 2010 draft despite the fact that he had a 6.84 ERA during his senior season at Southwestern Oklahoma State.  The Dodgers must have looked past his subpar ERA because he had an impressive strikeout rate, with 103 K’s in 72.1 innings.  In addition, prior to joining the SWOSU Bulldogs, Patterson was a two-year starter at Grayson Junior College where he had an outstanding year in 2007 with a 10-0 record and 1.41 ERA.  Moving to his professional career, Patterson signed quickly and joined the Ogden Raptors without much fanfare.  However, Red quickly put his name on the Dodger prospect radar with a solid season in the Pioneer League.  He ranked 2^nd in the league with his 3.33 ERA, and placed 6^th with his 1.29 WHIP; stats which earned him a selection to the post season All Star team.  It should be also be noted that Patterson was much better against right handed batters (1.86 ERA vs. a 5.28 ERA against lefties), and also threw better on the road (1.97 ERA vs. a 4.54 ERA at home).  I had a chance to watch Patterson pitch one game online this season, and out of the windup he has a very high leg kick and takes a long stride.  From the stretch he obviously lowers the leg kick and shortens the stride.  Overall, Patterson’s strong season should be enough to give him a look in a full season league in 2011.  While time is against him due to his age, he’ll try to defy the odds and continue to make a name for himself next season.

97.  Matthew Sartor, RHP (18 IP in AA, 40.2 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/24/07

6’6”, 250 lbs, 26.5 years old

4-9, 4.30 ERA, 1.57 WHP, 2.59 FIP, 10.89 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 51;     Pre 2009 Rank: 33

Matt Sartor was selected by the Giants in the minor league portion of the 2010 Rule 5 draft, so he is no longer in the Dodgers organization.  Had he remained with the Dodgers, this is where he would have ranked.  The reason he is included in my rankings because I compiled my list prior to the Rule 5 this year.  Originally signed as a non drafted free agent, Sartor is a big pitcher that has shown some promise as a reliever over the past few years.  When you look at his FIP in 2010, you’ll see why I think he has some potential.  I’m not saying he’ll ever make it to the big leagues with the Giants, but his size and ability to strike guys out do cause him to stand out.  At 26 years old, however, Matt would have to move quickly.  He could be the one player we regret losing in the 2010 Rule 5 draft.

96.  Andrew Pevsner, LHP (28.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 16^th round

6’3”, 205 lbs, 22.5 years old

3-0, 1.91 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 4.26 FIP, 9.54 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Andrew Pevsner is a southern California native who was born on the day that Kirk Gibson hit his famous World Series home run, and Eric posted a story about it shortly after he was drafted (http://www.truebluela.com/2010/6/9/1509821/kershaw-wainwright-rematch-hits).  Coming out of high school Pevsner didn’t get a lot of attention from Division I colleges, so he decided to go to the Division III Johns Hopkins University because it has strong academics and a respectable baseball program.  As a freshman, he only threw about 80 mph, but a workout regiment increased his velocity to the upper 80’s by the time he graduated.  As a senior in 2010 Andrew had a 4.17 ERA, but struck out over a batter per inning and only allowed a .209 batting average against.  He wasn’t really sure he’d get drafted, but when he finally heard the Dodgers picked him he was shocked and said “It was literally a dream come true. I think it took me about 48 hours for my heart to slow down and to stop shaking.”  After signing, Pevsner was sent to the Pioneer League where he had a very good season in terms of ERA.  His 1.91 earned run average ranked 5^th in the organization (minimum 25 IP), and he continued to post a strong strikeout rate.  However he struggled a little with control and allowed a few homers during the season, which is why his FIP was much higher than his ERA.  I watched him pitch online this past season, and he has a low leg kick, but straightens his leg before delivering the ball to the point where it slightly resembles Tim Lincecum.  He has pretty good break on his curveball, and also throws a changeup on occasion.  After the season Pevsner said his goal was to make a full season league out of spring training, and I think that is a realistic possibility as I project he’ll be with the Loons in 2011.  Even though I wish he threw a little harder, I do like Pevsner as a potential prospect because of his frame and because he throws left handed.  He seems to fit the mold of a left handed specialist, but only time will tell if he has what it takes to make it to the big leagues.

95.  Edwin Contreras, RHP (6.1 IP in HiA, 50.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 11/28/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 22.5 years old

3-3, 5.56 ERA, 1.92 WHIP, 4.91 FIP, 5.56 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 83;     Pre 2009 Rank: 53

Signed out of Mexico in late 2006, Edwin Contreras made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and had a solid season with a 3.30 ERA in 30 innings.  He returned to the GCL in 2008 and was even better as he posted a 2.30 ERA and a .219 batting average against through 54.2 innings.  That earned him a promotion to the Pioneer League in 2009 where Contreras was a mainstay in the Raptors rotation, making 15 starts and recording a respectable 4.06 ERA and 4.19 FIP.  Moving ahead to 2010, Edwin made his first appearance in a full season league as he started the year with Inland Empire in HiA.  Unfortunately, he was terrible in his first 4 appearances and was sent back to extended spring training in early May.  Then in early June, Contreras was assigned to the Great Lake Loons where he finished out the 2010 season, spending time both as a starter and reliever and posting a 4.83 ERA in about 50 innings.  Called the “The Magician” by his Loons teammates (probably because he did a good job of getting out of jams), Contreras was better out of the bullpen than has a starter while in LoA (3.95 ERA vs. 5.87 ERA).  The one thing that has always concerned me about Contreras is his low K/9 rate, which was just 5.4 while in the Midwest League and is only slightly better at 6.0 for his career.  Despite his disappointing 2010 season, Edwin is still just 22 years old and has a decent pitchers frame, so he has plenty of time to improve his game.  He’ll most likely return to HiA in 2011 and will hope for better results this time around in the California League.

94.  Carlos De Aza, RHP (24 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/24/07

6’3”, 178 lbs, 20.75 years old

3-4, 7.13 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 4.49 FIP, 6.38 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 67;     Pre 2009 Rank: 127

Since signing with the Dodgers at the end of 2007, Carlos De Aza has had two terrible seasons and one outstanding season.  In his professional debut in 2008, De Aza was awful in the DSL, posting a 6.53 ERA and 2.08 WHIP.  Then in 2009, Carlos completely turned things around as he recorded a 1.30 ERA through 27.2 innings and allowed batters to hit just .149 against him.  His stellar 2009 season earned De Aza a promotion to the Arizona League in 2010, but he had a rude awaking as he got dominated by the more advanced competition.  He allowed 22 runs (19 earned) through 24 innings and had a .337 batting average against.  Despite his poor season, De Aza has a few things going for him as he looks to 2011.  First, he is still just 20 year so he has time to improve and mature.  Second, De Aza has a great pitching frame at 6’3”, so because he is young he still has projectability.  Finally, Carlos got better as the season progressed, improving his ERA as the months passed (12.00 ERA in June, 6.00 ERA in July, 4.50 ERA in August).  In 2011, I’m sure De Aza will either return to Arizona or play with the Ogden Raptors because he is not quite ready for a full season league.

93.  Daniel Tamares, RHP (57.1 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 9/26/06

6’3”, 170 lbs, 21.25 years old

5-3, 1.41 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 2.64 FIP, 7.22 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 119;     Pre 2009 Rank: 74

2010 was Daniel Tamares’ 4^th season in the Dominican Summer League, and his experience showed because he absolutely dominated the league.  Even though he fell just short of qualifying for the league leaders in ERA and WHIP because he was shut down in early August for an unknown reason, his season was still incredible.  In addition to his 1.41 ERA and his 0.77 WHIP through 57.1 innings, batters hit just .141 against him and he ranked 2nd on the DSL Dodgers with 5 wins.  Another remarkable thing about his season is that over his final 4 starts, which spanned 25 innings, Tamares allowed just 6 hits.  It should also be noted that this wasn’t the first time that Daniel tore up the DSL.  In 2008, Tamares had a 2.37 ERA through 49.1 innings as an 18 year old.  If it wasn’t for the hiccup he had in 2009, when he had a 7.11 ERA though 38 innings, his career ERA would be remarkable.  Looking ahead to 2011, I’m sure the Dodgers will promote Tamares to the Arizona League give his age and experience.  Because he has a great size for a pitcher at 6’3” and has proven he can have success on the mound, a good season next year could really move him up the Dodger prospect rankings.

92.  J.B. Paxson, RHP (53.2 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 13^th round

6’3”, 240 lbs, 24.5 years old

5-2, 3.02 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.14 FIP, 9.06 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 98;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

After being drafted in the 33^rd round by the Dbacks in 2005 and the 18^th round by the Braves in 2006, J.B. Paxson finally signed with the Dodgers in 2009 as a 13^th round pick.  In looking at Paxson’s past, it also makes sense why Joseph was drafted so many times.  He hit a school record 29 home runs during his high school career, and then hit .455 with 13 HR’s in his only season at Walters State Community College.  Up until this point, you’ll notice that Paxson was actually known for his offense, as he was a full time catcher.  In 2007, however, Paxson joined Western Kentucky and proceeded to have three solid seasons as a two way player.  In his senior season with the Hilltoppers, Paxson hit .345 with a great 1.076 OPS, but had a 6.82 ERA through 31 innings.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers wanted him for his pitching arm because the Dodgers really liked his fastball.  According to reports, his fastball can get up to the mid 90’s, which makes sense given his massive frame.  Upon signing with the Dodgers, J.B. was sent to the Pioneer League where he compiled a 5.52 ERA in 29 innings, although his FIP was much better 2.89.  In 2010, Paxson was promoted to the Great Lakes Loons where he put together a very solid season.  His FIP and ERA were great, he struck out more than a batter per innings, he didn’t allow a homer all season, and opposing batters hit just .232 against him.  His only issue was his control, which is what cause his WHIP to be higher than expected.  At 24 years old, Paxson might get a chance to prove himself against older competition next year as he is a prime candidate to play in AA in 2011.   Hopefully that is the case because Paxson will have to move quickly if he ever wants to make it to the show.

91.  Enlly Morales, 2B (35 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/12/07

5’11”, 168 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats right handed

.273 average, .623 OPS, 0 HR’s, 13 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 73;     Pre 2009 Rank: 91

Signed after the 2007 season as an international free agent, Enlly Morales had a strong professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2008 and then was even better in the DSL in 2009.  That earned Morales a promotion to the Arizona Rookie League in 2010, but he had a disappointing season.  As the team’s primary 2nd baseman, he only had 6 extra base hits all season (all doubles), and the result was an ugly .623 OPS for the 21 year old.  The only good news for him is that he finished the year with a .371 average over his last 10 games to boost his season average to a respectable .273.  While I might have overrated Morales a bit last year, I don’t think he should be written off just yet.  I realize he doesn’t have much power or speed, but he has proven he can hit for average in the past and plays a middle infield position.  In addition, I’m sure that moving to a new country was a big transition which could have lead to his slump at the beginning of the year, so it’s encouraging that he improved as the season progressed.  That being said, Morales is going to have to show improvement next year if he wants stay on the Dodgers radar.  I don’t see him making a full season league next year, so he’ll probably spend 2011 in the Pioneer League.

90.  Logan Bawcom, RHP (27.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 17^th round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 22.25 years old

3-1, 4.28 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.86 FIP, 9.55 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Coming out of high school in Texas, Logan Bawcom was shortstop and had an outstanding senior season at the plate, hitting .500 with 12 homers.  He went on to play at Midland Junior College as a two way player and had a solid career both as a hitter and pitcher.  Bawcom then transferred to University of Texas-Arlington, and it was there that he became a full time pitcher.  In 2010 as a junior, Logan threw 90.2 innings and had a 3.87 ERA with 87 strikeouts and a .277 batting average against.  That prompted the Dodgers to draft him in the 17^th round, and the right hander signed quickly with the team.  He was assigned to the Pioneer League where he got off to a hot start with the Raptors.  He hit a rough patch in August, but overall finished the year with a solid FIP and had a great strikeout to walk ratio.  According to the reports out of Ogden, Bawcom throws in the low 90’s, has a hard 83 mph slider, and also throws a changeup.  The 22 year old will definitely play in a full season league in 2011, with the Midwest League as his most likely destination.  He’s the type of player who is a bit of a wildcard because he has the stuff to become a legitimate prospect, but he could just as easily toil in the lower minor leagues for his entire baseball career.

89.  Jaime Ortiz, 1B (85 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 7^th round

6’1”, 220 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats left handed

.270 average, .742 OPS, 8 HR’s, 41 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 69;     Pre 2009 Rank: 21

Jamie Ortiz was selected by the Marlins in the minor league portion of the 2010 Rule 5 draft, so he is no longer in the Dodgers organization.  Had he remained with the Dodgers, this is where he would have ranked.  The reason he is included in my rankings because I compiled my list prior to the Rule 5 this year.  The loss of Ortiz isn’t too significant because Jamie’s career had really stalled over the past few years.  After showing some promise after the 2008 season, he had a terrible season in the California League in 2009 and then was demoted back to LoA in 2010 where he was mediocre at best.  The one thing he has going for him is his youth, but at this point I really doubt he’ll ever make it to the big leagues.

88.  Joel Lima, RHP (17.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 165 lbs, 21.5 years old

2-1, 2.04 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 3.09 FIP, 8.15 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 102;     Pre 2009 Rank: 65

Joel Lima, the much younger half brother of the late Jose Lima, was signed by the Dodgers in 2008.  After spending two seasons in the Dominican Summer League, where he posted a combined 2.71 ERA through 69.2 innings, Joel was promoted to the Arizona League in 2010.  Although he was limited just 17.2 innings with the Arizona Dodgers, Lima had yet another solid season with a superb ERA and recorded 3 saves.  His strikeout rate also showed improvement from the previous two seasons, and he absolutely dominated right handed batters (0.69 ERA and a .167 batting average against through 13 innings).  Unfortunately, I don’t have any information on his velocity or his pitch types.  The only negative for Lima is his size, although it’s possible that he is actually bigger than his listed height and weight.  Now 21 years old, Lima might be ready for a full season league in 2011, although I can also see the Dodgers sending him to the Pioneer League to get more experience. 

87.  Jesse Bosnik, 3B (55 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 13^th round

6’2”, 205 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats left handed

.253 average, .734 OPS, 4 HR’s, 31 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers selected Jesse Bosnik in the 13^th round of the 2010 draft out of St. Bonaventure University, where he hit .387 with 11 homers and collected 62 RBI’s as a junior in 2010.  On draft day, Bosnik wasn’t at his computer waiting to see where he’d be drafted, but was instead at the ballpark taking batting practice before his game as a member of the Wilmington Sharks in the Coastal Plain Summer League.  Jesse signed quickly, and joined the Ogden Raptors as their everyday 3^rd baseman.  Even though he was a shortstop in college, his defense at that position wasn’t good enough for the professional ranks.  As it turns out, his defense at the hot corner isn’t much better as he had a .887 fielding percentage for the Raptors, but I’ll give him a break since he was learning a new position.  At the plate, Bosnik got a bit lost in the powerful Raptor lineup, and was pretty average overall. In Baseball America’s draft report, they called him more of a doubles hitter than a home run hitter, which isn’t good for his future as a 3^rd baseman.  His one strength was his plate disciple, as he walked in 11.8% of his plate appearances.  In addition, while he doesn’t have great speed, scouts call him a very good base runner.  In 2011, Bosnik will probably be the Loons regular 3^rd baseman and hopefully he’ll improve his defense and become a bigger offensive threat.  In a Dodgers system that is pretty thin at 3^rd base, a big season could definitely get his name onto the prospect radar.

86.  Kazuki Nishijima, LHP (No stats in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in November 2010

Height & Weight Unknown, 21 years old
No stats in 2010

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Kazuki Nishijima was signed by the Dodgers in November of 2010 out of Meiji University in Tokyo.  Since there isn’t a ton of information about him, I’m going to mostly quote the Dodgers press release.  “Nishijima, who spent his prep years at Yokohama High School — former home to Boston’s Daisuke Matsuzaka — posted a 6-5 record and a 1.91 ERA during his collegiate career. Nishijima is just the second Japanese college player the Dodgers have ever signed.”  Keiichi Kojima, the Dodgers supervisor of scouting in Japan said “Nishijima is known for his curveball and his consistent arm slot.  He locates fastballs on the lower part of the plate and induces a lot of ground balls.”  After signing, Nishijima said “American baseball has been my dream since I was a kid.  I will do my best to become a successful pitcher in the Major Leagues.”  I was able to find a little more information from the website http://marinerds.blogspot.com.  The author, in response to a question from our very own Julio Nievas, says that “when Nishijima is on, he is really good. When he’s not on, it’s really hard to watch him. His inconsistency is probably the worst thing about him, but some people have thought that it might be a mental thing, since he’s never been valued where he thinks he should be, and maybe given the Dodgers contract, he might put out his “A” game every time, rather than just when he feels like it. I really thought there was a chance he’d get drafted this year in the NPB, just based on his size and leftiness. Like, the potential is really there for him to become something pretty great, if a team can coach it out of him. I mean, I’ve been watching him for years now, and he struck me as being a lefty version of Hosei’s Hisashi Takeuchi, just without the 96 mph fastball…(apparently Nishijima throws in the high 80’s, and up to 91)”.  For 2011, I’m guessing that Kazuki will start the year in extended spring training and then maybe make his way onto the Loons roster by mid-season.  The Dodgers wouldn’t have signed Nishijima if they didn’t think he had potential, but we’ll have to wait until next season to see how he fares against competition in America.

85.  Devon Ethier, OF (2 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 32^nd round

6’0”, 165 lbs, 20.75 years old, bats right handed

.200 average, .400 OPS, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

If Devon Either wasn’t related to Andre, he’d probably rank much lower for me, but due to the his bloodlines I have to give him some respect.  The much younger Devon is almost the complete opposite of Andre, except for the fact the he plays outfield.  Devon hits and throws right handed, and is a light hitting yet speedy offensive player.  In his sophomore season at Gateway Community College in Arizona, Ethier hit .315 with 34 runs scored in 50 games, and stole 21 games in 24 attempts.  He also threw 23 innings and posted a 4.70 ERA.  After the draft, Devon said “I don’t believe in any way or form that I’m in his (Andre’s) shadow.  I’m a completely different person and player. I’m on my own path. For me, it’s amazing he’s in The Show (big leagues) and with the Dodgers. It’s a big ‘Wow’ for me. You don’t find many people who have older brothers playing in the major leagues.”  Devon’s negotiations with the Dodgers went down to the wire as he finally signed with the team in mid August.  Therefore, he didn’t see much professional action in 2010 as he only played in two Arizona League games.  Overall, I really don’t see much of a future for Devon because he doesn’t seem to have any standout tools.  He is just 20 years old, however, so maybe he’ll make the adjustments to professional baseball and prove me wrong.  I’m guessing he’ll spend 2011 in the Pioneer League.

84.  Jan Vazquez, C (28 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 6^th round

5’10”, 165 lbs, 19.75 years old, switch hitter

.226 average, .648 OPS, 0 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 61;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jan Vasquez is a young switch hitting catcher who was selected by the Dodgers in the 6^th round of the 2009 draft.  He is from Puerto Rico, and scouting reports prior to the draft suggested that he has a plus arm behind the plate.  According to Logan White, “This kid is a real athlete. He shifts, blocks, has perfect size for a catcher.  If we don’t need him behind the plate, he could play second base because he can really hit from both sides of the plate.”  After signing with the Dodgers, Vazquez was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League where he played just enough to get his feet wet.  He only appeared in 25 games but had very poor stats.  As expected Vazquez returned to the Arizona League in 2010, but unfortunately he had another down season.  While he showed some improvement, he still only hit .226 and was again limited to fewer than 100 at bats.  Nevertheless, it’s too early to give up on the 19 year old Vazquez because he is still so young and only has 167 career at bats.  Hopefully he’ll play in the Pioneer League next season where he’ll be in a more hitter friendly environment.

83.  Travis Denker, 2B (20 games in AAA, 16 games in AA, 74 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 21^st round, released, then resigned in May 2010

5’9”, 205 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.304 average, .830 OPS, 8 HR’s, 52 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Travis Denker was originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2003, and moved slowly through the system before getting sent to the Giants in the famous Mike Sweeney trade of 2007.  At the time of the trade, Denker was with the 66ers in Inland Empire and was having a pretty good season.  Fast forward 3 years, and Denker was back with the 66ers after resigning with the Dodgers in May as a minor league free agent.  In between his time with the Dodgers, Denker spent time with the Padres, Red Sox, and Mariners, and even made it up to the big leagues with the Giants in 2008 where he played in 24 games and can tell his kids that he hit a major league home run.  Getting back to 2010, Denker was the 66ers second baseman for the most of the year and had a very good season in his return to the California League as he hit .332 with 7 homers in 74 games before getting promoted on July 30^th.  He spent the remainder of the season split between AA and AAA, but unfortunately his stats were much worse in the more advanced leagues.  Despite his end of the season slump, the Dodgers resigned Denker after the season so he will provide the organization with infield depth in 2011.  In addition to 2^nd base, Denker can play an adequate 3^rd base and is probably considered an emergency option in case injuries hit the big league team hard.  If the big league club stays healthy, however, Denker will probably spend next season in Albuquerque.

82.  Chris Jacobs, 1B (42 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 17^th round

6’5”, 257 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats right handed

.215 average, .672 OPS, 7 HR’s, 25 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 55;     Pre 2009 Rank: 24

Every year I have high hopes for Chris Jacobs, and every year he disappoints me.  After spending three mediocre seasons in the Dodger rookie leagues, the massive 1^st baseman finally got his first taste of full season ball in 2010.  While he did manage to hit 7 homers in just 149 at bats, his average dropped from .277 in 2009 to .215, and his OPS was only .672 for the year.  In addition, Jacobs was overmatched by the more advanced pitching as he struck out in a career high 31.3% of his plate appearances.  I was hoping that Jacobs would get more like 300 or 400 at bats in 2010 to get gain as much experience as possible, but he missed some time due to injury and had to share time at 1^st base with both Jerry Sands and Jaime Ortiz.  If he had gotten at least 300 at bats, Jacobs probably would have smacked at least 15 homers and we’d probably be looking at him in a different light even with his low average.  But because he only had limited plate appearances, he was pretty much an afterthought on the Loons team.  Still just 22 years old, I remain optimistic about Jacobs because of his plus power.  He also ended the season on a hot streak, hitting .314 with an OPS of almost 1.000 over his final 10 games, so maybe he can take that momentum into 2011.  He’ll probably return to the Loons next year and it will be interesting to see what he does over a full season.  He’s a true athlete who is still adjusting to his size and more advanced pitching, so hopefully he can still make something out of his baseball career.

81.  Andy Suiter, LHP (53 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 10^th round

6’3”, 215 lbs, 23.75 years old

4-2, 3.91 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 3.95 FIP, 12.91 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 94;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Coming out of high school Andy Suiter was a prize recruit by UCLA, but then due to a broken wrist and poor coaching decisions he transferred to UC Davis where he finally got an opportunity to play.  He was drafted by the Yankees in 2008 in the 32^nd round, but obviously didn’t sign and returned to UC Davis in 2009.  While his 2009 college stats were rather unimpressive, he did improve his velocity and was hitting 94 mph by the end of the season.  So the Dodgers decided to take a chance on him with their 10^th round pick, and after the draft Logan White said “This kid has a really good arm…He’s throwing 94-95 now and has a good change and a good curve ball. The question is getting him to command the strike zone.  When he was a starter he wasn’t very successful but when they moved him into the bullpen he had good success.  We’re going to start him and if he has trouble we’ll move him into relief and we feel he will be very good.  We think we have a great find this late in the process.  We can see no reason he can’t throw strikes, maybe he just likes relief better.  If we get another Brent Leach, that will be great.”  Based on White’s quote, apparently the Dodgers hope to someday sell Suiter to a team Japan?  In all seriousness, White was exactly right when it came to questioning Suiter’s control, because that is the only thing holding him back at this point.  Batters hit just .200 against him in 2009 and .202 against him in 2010; however his career WHIP is 1.66 due to his extremely high walk rate.  Besides his lack of control, Suiter was very good for the Loons and provided solid relief all season.  In addition, he led all Dodger minor leaguers with his outstanding 12.91 K/9 (minimum 50 IP), and after the season he took a road trip by driving all the way from Michigan to California.  At 6’3” Andy has good size, and given his pitching repertoire, velocity, and strikeout rate, I think this lefty could become a successful relief pitcher if he learns better control.  At 23 years old, he’s a candidate to move up to AA in 2011.

80.  David Pfeiffer, LHP (82 IP in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 14^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 25.5 years old

7-5, 4.06 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 4.41 FIP, 6.80 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 81;     Pre 2009 Rank: 76

David Pfeiffer was born in Vero Beach, FL, so he was destined to be a Dodger.  After signing with the team in 2003, however, he didn’t show much potential as a prospect until the 2008 offseason when he played for the Waikiki BeachBoys in the Hawaii Winter League.  It was there that he finally broke out by posting a 1.59 ERA, a 0.65 WHIP, and an amazing .127 batting average against in 17 innings.  Pfeiffer carried his success into the 2009 season where he performed very well in HiA despite playing in the hitter friendly California League.  After 6 minor league seasons, David finally made his way up to AA and played a surprisingly big role for the Lookouts in 2010.  He was an inning eater as his 82 frames lead all relievers, and he even made 3 spot starts when the team needed him.  For the year, he posted a respectable 4.06 ERA and had a solid WHIP of 1.29.  Another interesting fact about Pfeiffer is that he actually had some big hits at the plate, batting .278 in 18 at bats and picking up an unexpected 5 RBI’s.  The 25 year old lefty was a free agent after the season, but the Dodgers liked what they saw out of him and resigned him for 2011.  Given his and experience he should spend next season in AAA, and since the Dodgers are a little short on left handed relievers he could even be an option for the Dodgers big league bullpen down the road if he continues to have success and the Dodgers run into injuries.  Pfeiffer played in the Puerto Rican Winter League this offseason (he was on the same team as Dee Gordon) and dominated the competition through 11.2 innings with a 0.77 ERA and a .128 batting average against.

79.  Yimi Garcia, RHP (30.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 175 lbs, 20.5 years old

1-2, 7.04 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 3.17 FIP, 6.46 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 47;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Yimi Garcia had a terrific season in the Dominican Summer League in 2009.  Making his professional debut, the right hander had a 1.67 ERA through 54 innings with a 0.96 WHIP and a .202 batting average against.  After getting promoted to the Arizona League in 2010, however, Garcia crashed back down to earth.  Playing the season as 19 year old, Yimi gave up 26 runs in 30.2 innings while allowing a .356 batting average against.  The only good news is that Garcia gave up just 8 walks and 1 homer for the season, which led to his respectable FIP of 3.17.  It should also be noted that Garcia performed much better as a starter than as a reliever, posting a 3.71 ERA while in the rotation (17 innings) compared to an 11.20 ERA out of the bullpen (13.2 innings).  While he’s “only” 6’1”, he does have a solid pitching frame and definitely has room for growth.  Given his age and lack of experience, I’m guessing that Garcia will play in the Pioneer League in 2011, which will present another challenge since it is a hitter friendly league.  Hopefully he will have a better season to put himself in a position to pitch in a full season league in 2012.

78.  Steve Domecus, C/LF (34 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 9^th round

6’3”, 220 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.252 average, .748 OPS, 4 HR’s, 23 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Steve Domecus grew up in Northern California, and after a great high school career he decided to attend UC Santa Barbara.  After redshirting his first year (2006), Domecus only started 5 games in 2007 and was told after the season he’d be used as a part time DH the following year.  Knowing that he had what it took to be a catcher, Steve transferred to Moorpark Junior College and drew a lot of attention from college and pro scouts.  Next thing he knew, the White Sox called during the 2008 draft and asked if he’d sign if he was selected in the 7^th round.  Domecus wrestled with the decision, but finally told Chicago that he wanted to transfer to Virginia Tech instead.  In 2009, his first year at VT, Domecus hit .406 but didn’t show much power and was limited to just 40 games due to a broken hand.  Therefore he didn’t get drafted, and returned for his senior season where he improved many aspects of his game.  In 2010 Domecus hit .365 for the Hokies with 27 doubles, 13 homers, 60 RBI’s, and 12 stolen bases.  He was the team’s main catcher, although he also spent a little time in left field.  In their draft report, Baseball America said that it would be unlikely for Steve to stay behind the plate, and that a move to left field in professional ball was probable.  However, after the Dodgers drafted him in the 9^th round this past season and sent him to the Pioneer League, he played almost exclusively behind the plate, with just 5 appearances in LF.  It makes sense for the Dodgers to keep him at catcher because that is where his value lies.  In addition, the system is very short on catching prospects.  At the plate, Domecus held his own in his professional debut but will look to improve next season in a full season league.  I got to watch Domecus play online this season, and he holds his hands pretty high above his head.  He also moves his hands quite a bit, especially right when the pitch is being thrown so it appears to be a timing mechanism that works for him.  Finally, he looks like an old school player with the high socks and seems to play with a lot of grit.

77.  Blake Dean, 1B (59 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 8^th round

6’1”, 175 lbs, 23 years old, bats left handed

.302 average, .819 OPS, 5 HR’s, 35 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Blake Dean was definitely a safe and cost effective pick for the Dodgers as the LSU Senior signed for just $35K.  The 10^th round pick of the Twins in 2009, Dean chose to return to college for his senior season even though he had already led his team to the national title.  In 2010, Dean hit .341 for LSU with a .430 OBP, slugged 12 homers, and led the team with 70 RBI’s.   He signed quickly with the Dodgers and was sent to the Pioneer League where he got off to a sluggish start.  But once the calendar turned to July, Dean caught fire as he hit well over .300 for the remainder of the season.  In addition, his most impressive stat with the Raptors was his 1.87 walk to strikeout ratio.  That’s one of the highest ratio’s I’ve ever seen, and it means that he struck out in just 5.7% of his plate appearances while walking in 10.7% of plate appearances.  The bad news, however, is that while Dean had over 50 home runs during his 4 seasons with LSU, he only knocked 5 out of the park for the Raptors and doesn’t really possess plus power.  Yet he plays 1^st base which is a position that is going to require a significant amount of pop (unless you are James Loney).  Also, in watching his scouting video, he has an unconventional first step toward the ball which almost looks like it causes a hitch in his swing process.  Blake will undoubtedly play in a full season league next year, and the 23 year old will have to show more power if he wants to be considered a legitimate Dodger prospect.

76.  Kazuya Takano, RHP (No stats in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in November 2010

Height & Weight Unknown, 18 years old
No stats in 2010

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Kazuya Takano was the first Japanese high school player to sign with the Dodgers when he joined the team in November 2010.  Similar to Nishijima, I don’t have much information on Takano so I’m going to defer to the press release.  “Takano, a senior at Buntoko High School in Kumamoto, Japan, has been highly evaluated by the Dodgers.  [He] has a very smooth delivery and flexibility.”  After signing, Kazuya said “I’ve been working hard to make my dream to become a professional baseball player come true.  I am very thankful to the Dodgers organization and I will work even harder to become a big leaguer as soon as possible.”  Being just 18 years old, Takano will probably spend at least a few months in extended spring training, and then I’m sure he’ll get into some game action in the Arizona League.  Since there are really no scouting reports on him, we’ll have to wait and see how he performs in 2011.

75.  Jackson Mateo, RHP (22 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by the Dodgers in 2010

6’0”, 193 lbs, 18.5 years old

2-1, 1.23 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 3.06 FIP, 7.36 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

I know he only threw 22 innings in 2010, but Jackson Mateo really had outstanding stats in the DSL.  Making his professional debut and playing as a 17 year old for the entire season, Mateo was actually the main closer for the Dodgers as he led the team with 7 saves.  He posted a 1.23 ERA and a 1.00 WHIP to go along with a .169 batting average against.  He also didn’t allow an earned run over the final 14.1 innings of the season, and gave up only 7 hits during that span.  In addition, if you look at what he did in just the month of July, Mateo allowed just 1 hit over 9 innings.  The only thing that wasn’t impressive about his season was his strikeout rate.  Listed at 6’0”, it is still possible for him to grow a few inches since he is still so young.  Given his age I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL in 2011, but another solid season could put him in the Arizona League in 2012 as a 19 year old.

74.  Rafael Ynoa, 2B (124 games in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

6’0”, 180 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.286 average, .735 OPS, 9 HR’s, 51 RBI’s, 40 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 172;     Pre 2009 Rank: 89

Rafael Ynoa had one of the most surprising seasons of all Dodger minor leaguers in 2010.  After hitting just .054 with a .240 OPS through 147 at bats in a 2009 season split between HiA and two rookie leagues, Ynoa put together a very solid season with the Loons in 2010.  His nine homers were nine times his previous career total, and his 40 stolen bases more than quadrupled his previous season high.  He also had a respectable batting average and only struck out in 11.1% of his plate appearances.  In addition, Rafael is an excellent defensive 2^nd baseman with soft hands, and he’s even spent some time at shortstop.  During the Loons playoffs, Loon beat writer Hugh Bernreuter said “Ynoa is an outstanding fielder, especially at second base. He had a long string of errorless games during the season and made some spectacular plays. He is very solid, very consistent. The best fielding second baseman the Loons have had…. I believe the Dodgers want to see if he can handle shortstop because his future could be as a utility infielder, similar to an Omar Infante or Ramon Santiago. He has shown he can handle shortstop.”  Nevertheless, I’m still skeptical about Ynoa’s future as a prospect and am not as high on him as most people are.  While there weren’t many negatives to his season, he was caught stealing 14 times and his .735 OPS wasn’t really that impressive.  Overall, given his career stats prior to 2010 it’s going to take more than one good season to convince me of his worth, and he’ll have that chance in 2011 because he’s going to play in either HiA or AA. 

73.  Abdiel Velasquez, RHP (32 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by the Dodgers in 2010

6’3”, 184 lbs, 18 years old

2-1, 2.53 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 4.39 FIP, 7.88 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Abdiel Velasquez is the youngest player in the Dodgers minor league system, yet still managed to have a very successful professional debut in the DSL.  The young right-hander from Panama won’t even turn 18 until this upcoming March, but had a 2.53 ERA and a .150 batting average against in 32 impressive innings.  In addition he is already 6’3”, so he has the makings of a great pitcher’s frame.  Probably his most impressive outing was on 7/25/10 when he threw the final 3 innings of a no-hitter.  The only negative to Velasquez’s season was his control, as he walked 20 batters and hit 7 others.  However, I’m not too concerned about his wildness because he is so young and I’m sure is adjusting to his height.  For 2011 I’m sure Abdiel will return to the DSL for another year of seasoning, and he is definitely somebody to watch next year.

72.  Jon Michael Redding, RHP (144 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 5^th round

6’1”, 195 lbs, 23.25 years old

4-10, 5.56 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 4.35 FIP, 5.38 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 46;     Pre 2009 Rank: 37

The Dodgers 5^th round pick in 2008, Jon Michael Redding played his college ball at Florida Community College where he went 8-5 with a 2.02 ERA and a .222 batting average against in 2008.  He began his professional career in the Pioneer Rookie League, but was limited to just 31 innings in his professional debut due to a heavy college workload.  Redding spent 2009 with the Loons in LoA and led the Midwest League in wins with 16.  In addition, he proved to be very durable by logging 133 innings and had a respectable FIP of 3.70.  However, in 2009 Redding was also awful when pitching on the road (6.34 ERA in 71 innings), allowed an overall .281 batting average against, and saw his strikeout rate drop from 10.3 K’s per 9 in 2008 to just 6.5 in 2009.  So really it was a season of mixed results.  That brings us to 2010, which Redding spent with the Inland Empire 66ers.  Despite proving to be a workhorse yet again with 144 innings pitched, Redding’s numbers declined in every category.  Probably his worst stat in 2010 was his strikeout rate, which dipped to just 5.38 K/9.  In addition, instead of winning double digit games like in 2009, Jon Michael’s loss total amounted to double figures.  In terms of his future, Redding’s stock has dropped since being drafted back in 2008, when Baseball America said the he had a ceiling of a #3 starter in the big league rotation.  While he still possesses a low 90’s fastball, which is complimented by a good slider and a hard curveball, the fact that he seems to be so hittable concerns me.  For now it seems at best he can be a back of the rotation guy, although even that seems unlikely after his 2010 season.  Hopefully he can turn things around in 2011, whether he repeats in HiA or he plays in a more pitcher friendly league like the Southern League.

71.  Leonel Beras, LHP (71.2 IP in DSL in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/22/07

5’11”, 143 lbs, 19.75 years old

8-3, 2.26 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 2.99 FIP, 8.92 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 96;     Pre 2009 Rank: 34

Leonel Beras made his professional debut as a 17 year old in the DSL in 2008 and was very impressive.  While he only threw 20.2 innings that year, he had a 2.18 ERA and a .235 batting average against and again was just 17.  However in 2009 he was unable to find the plate as he walked 20 batters and was limited to just 14 innings.  That led to a 7.07 ERA and a terrible WHIP.  Moving ahead to 2010, Beras rebounded nicely in his 3^rd season with the DSL Dodgers.  He ranked 2^nd in the league with 8 wins and also placed among the Dodger minor league leaders in several pitching categories.  One of his more impressive stats was his .178 batting average against through 71.2 innings.  While the left hander is listed at just 5’11” and 143 pounds, those measurements haven’t changed since he was 17 so I’m guessing he’s bigger now.  With over 100 professional innings under his belt, I’m sure Leonel will move to the Arizona Rookie League in 2011 so he can face some tougher competition.  Hopefully he’ll continue to be difficult to hit in the more advanced league.

70.  Arismendy Ozoria, RHP (31.2 IP in Pioneer League, 35.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 195 lbs, 20.5 years old

8-2, 3.61 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 4.15 FIP, 8.15 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 106;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Arismendy Ozoria put together a very solid debut season in the DSL in 2009.  His 2.53 ERA and .216 batting average against ranked among the Dodger minor league leaders, and it was enough to get promoted to the Arizona League in 2010.  He was only with the Arizona Dodgers through July, however, because he got promoted to the Pioneer League for the final 5 weeks of the 2010 season.  While he was in Arizona, he ended up with the 2nd most innings pitched on the team and a 2.78 ERA.  He also led the team with 4 wins, had a great FIP of 2.86, and he struck out an impressive 9.46 batters per 9 innings.  While in Ogden his stats weren’t quite as impressive, he still had a very successful season considering it was his first year in America.  In fact, his success got him noticed as Baseball America mentioned that several Arizona League managers liked his stuff.  In addition, during my interview with DeJon Watson last season he said that Ozoria is a guy to keep his eye on for 2011.  I’ve heard that Ozoria throws his fastball between 89 – 93 mph, although I have to confirm this information.  Because he’s still just 20 year old Ozoria probably won’t be ready for a full season league in 2011, so I’m guessing he’ll be a mainstay in the Raptors rotation instead.  Hopefully he continues to blossom as a pitcher and moves up the prospect rankings over the next 12 months. 

69.  Bladimir Franco, 3B (35 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/6/07

6’1”, 172 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.224 average, .600 OPS, 2 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 36;     Pre 2009 Rank: 30

Bladimir Franco was signed by the Dodgers in 2007 when he was just 16 years old, and made his professional debut in the DSL in 2008.  While he hit just .169 back in 2008, he lead the team with 5 homers as a 17 year old so that is what put him on the map for me.  In 2009 Franco had one of the best seasons for the Dominican Dodgers in recent memory with 9 homers, a .282 average, and an .880 OPS; and did all of that as an 18 year old.  That earned Franco a promotion for the Arizona League in 2010 where he started the most games at the hot corner for the Dodgers.  However the results were ugly as Franco had a .272 OBP, a .224 average, and a .600 OPS in 125 at bats.  He also struck out in 35.8% of his plate appearances and made 11 errors.  Despite his down season, I’m going to give Franco a bit of a break since the transition from the DSL to the Arizona League is a big one.  He obviously has some power, and while his defense at 3^rd base is suspect (.881 career fielding percentage at 3^rd base) he is still young enough to improve his footwork with some better coaching.  He’ll be 20 years old to start the 2011 season, and he’ll probably play in the Pioneer League.

68.  Michael Pericht, C (54 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 16^th round

6’5”, 235 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.278 average, .832 OPS, 9 HR’s, 38 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 90;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Pericht played at Saint Joseph’s College in Indiana, and as a junior he hit .337 with 12 HR’s to go along with a 1.046 OPS.  Going into the 2009 draft, he was very excited, and was quoted as saying, “Right now, I’m trying to stay as calm as possible. It’s exciting and it’s nerve-wracking. I kind of feel like a duck on the pond right now.”  He was selected by the Dodgers in the 16^th round, signed quickly, and was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League.  While he only hit .211 in Arizona, he posted a .345 on base percentage and smacked 4 HR’s in just 109 at bats.  Pericht was promoted to the Pioneer League in 2010 where started off the season on fire.  He had a .378 average in the month of June and hit all 9 of his homers before the end of July.  He came back down to earth as the season progressed, however, and ended the year with a .278 average.  Raptors announcer Brandon Hart said this about Michael, “Pitchers have kinda figured him out.  He seems to be a sucker for the low and away slider.  You throw him something straight or middle-in and it will go a long way.”  Despite his 2nd half struggles, the 6’5” Pericht was able to establish himself as a power hitting catcher who has some potential.  In addition, it should be noted that 7 of his 9 homers in 2010 came on the road, so he wasn’t aided by the Raptors’ hitter friendly ballpark.  I watched a few games online in which Pericht was playing, and he has a pretty long swing.  However, he is extremely powerful and on one of his home runs it looked like he barely even swung at the pitch.  In terms of his defense, I’ll defer again to Mr. Hart who said, “I would rate his defense a bit below average as far as receiving the ball and blocking pitches in the dirt.  His arm is good.  He split time between catcher and 1B in college.  He might have a better shot at 1B but his value is at catcher.”  It will be interesting to see what the 22 year old does in a full season league in 2011.  I’m guessing he’ll play with the Loons, and a strong year could vault him up the rankings since the Dodgers have very few legitimate catching prospects.

67.  Steven Caseres, 1B (87 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 9^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 24 years old, bats left handed

.256 average, .723 OPS, 9 HR’s, 57 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 43;     Pre 2009 Rank: 61

Steven Caseres was selected by the Dodgers in the 9^th round of the 2008 draft out of James Madison University, where he had a great 2008 season with a .342 average, 21 HR’s, and 70 RBI’s.  Because he was just a redshirt sophomore when he was drafted, Caseres was set on going back to school until the Dodgers convinced him to sign with $250,000.   He had a good debut in the Pioneer League in 2008, and then really put his name on the Dodgers prospect radar with a strong 2009 season in the California League.  With the 66ers in 2009 Caseres only hit .260, but had 15 homers and an .828 OPS.  In 2010, many thought that Caseres was a candidate to move up to AA.  However, the Dodgers instead decided to keep Caseres in HiA for another season and it turned out to be the right decision.  Steven regressed and ended the 2010 season with a .256 average and a .723 OPS while striking out in 25% of his plate appearances.  He was also limited to just 87 games and really struggled at home with a .204 average.  Nevertheless, Caseres still has a ton of power so I wouldn’t write him off just yet as a prospect.  The 24 year old will probably move up to AA in 2011 and will look to rebound.  Finally, I found an interesting interview that Caseres did with a website called “All Things Valley League” (http://allthingsvalleyleague.typepad.com), and when asked what the Dodgers organization stresses about hitting Steven said “In all honesty, the Dodgers do not really have a set philosophy when it comes to hitting like some other organizations do.  The one thing I can say is that the Dodgers really want you to stay within your role as a hitter. If you are an RBI guy they want you to drive in runs, whereas if you are an on-base guy they want you getting on base any way possible.”  He also shared: “My funniest story so far had to be when we were playing at Great Falls, Montana and the power box exploded right over our dugout. It sounded like a gun blast and when I looked out onto the field, I saw our SS Dee Gordon running towards the outfield wall like someone was shooting up the place.”

66.  Tae-Hyeok Nam, 1B (40 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 6/16/09

6’2”, 215 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.243 average, .713 OPS, 3 HR’s, 24 RBI, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 50;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

When the Dodgers signed Nam in June of 2009, he became the first Korean high school player they had ever signed.  He was scouted throughout his high school career by the Dodgers, where he hit 22 home runs and had 43 RBIs in 65 games to go along with a .314 average.  After the signing, Logan White said that Nam had “good power and well above average speed.”  White also stated that “Nam is strong physically.  With the help of our player development staff, I’m confident that he will become a fine player.”  After signing, Nam only got into 3 games in 2009 so his first real season was in 2010.  With the Arizona Dodgers Tae-Hyeok got the majority of starts at 1st base, and despite ending the season in a slump he was one of the better offensive players on the team in terms of homers and RBI’s.  After the season, DeJon Watson said that Nam has grown since signing with the team and is a big strong kid.  Watson also mentioned that he has a solid approach at the plate, and is a line drive/gap hitter with occasional pull power.  The bad news, however, is that Nam is now considered strictly a first baseman so the question going forward is if he’ll be able to hit enough in the higher levels to succeed at a position that require a lot of offense.  Now 20 years old, it will be interesting to see where Nam plays in 2011 because I’m not sure he’s ready for a full season league.  He may end up in the Pioneer League as the Raptors main 1^st baseman.

65.  Matt Wallach, C/1B (24 games in AA, 67 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 22^nd round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 25 years old, bats left handed

.264 average, .773 OPS, 11 HR’s, 42 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 125;     Pre 2009 Rank: 64

After a subpar season with the Loons in 2009, Matt Wallach probably didn’t expect to lead the 66ers in catching appearances in 2010, but that is exactly what happened due to an injury to Tony Delmonico.  Wallach made good use out of his additional playing time, having an all around solid season and even jumping onto the Dodger prospect discussions.  Wallach has always been a very strong defensive catcher, and even won Baseball America’s best defensive catcher award for the California League.  In 2010, however, he also showed some offensive ability for the first time in a full season league.  Wallach hit 8 homers with the 66ers and posted a.758 OPS, which is pretty good for a catcher.  That earned him a promotion to AA where he continued to hit as he recorded 3 homers and an .822 OPS in 68 at bats.  He also showed extreme patience against the more advanced pitchers, walking in 15.5% of his plate appearances.  His success earned him a spot in the AFL, and although he struggled with the Desert Dogs, DeJon Watson had this to say about him after the AFL season: “He keeps getting better. He had a strong year defensively. He finished at Double-A. His swing continues to improve. He’s changed his swing approach to be flatter. He had been a little hooky. Overall, his catching improved. We see him as a backup down the road. He has great makeup. His game-calling is getting better.”  Since he only spent a month in AA in 2010 I expect him start the season there in 2011, however I won’t be surprised if he moved up to AAA at some point if there is room for him.  Another good season could move him closer to his goal of one day joining his dad in Los Angeles.

64.  Bobby Coyle, OF (54 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 10^th round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 22 years old, bats left handed

.316 average, .788 OPS, 4 HR’s 52 RBI’s, 7 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Bobby Coyle is a local boy who played his high school ball at Chatsworth, but was overshadowed by 2007 first round picks Mike Moustakas and Matt Dominguez.  Out of high school he was drafted by the Indians in the 19^th round, but decided to attend Arizona instead.  After putting up mediocre stats in his first two seasons with the Wildcats, Coyle decided to transfer to Fresno State and received a NCAA waiver which allowed him to play right away (instead of having to sit out a year).  As a junior Coyle had a great season for the Bulldogs, co-leading the team with 69 RBI’s and hitting .360 with 11 homers.  After getting drafted by the Dodgers he didn’t immediately sign, but tipped his hand a little when he told the Fresno Bee “I grew up in the L.A. area, and it’s sweet and exciting to be taken by the team I watched as a kid.”  Coyle eventually inked a deal with $95,000 and was assigned to the Pioneer League in late June.  Bobby played all three outfield positions for the Raptors, and ended up leading the team with 52 RBI’s.  He also hit for a nice average, although like most players on the team he did much better at home (.900 OPS at home, .689 OPS on the road).  In Baseball America’s pre-draft analysis, they said that Coyle only has average power, but has good pitch recognition skills which could lead to him getting on base a lot.  They also said he while he is an above average runner, he projects as a left fielder.  Coyle will most likely get a chance to play in a full season league in 2011, and is a wild card for next year because it wouldn’t surprise me either way if he burst onto the prospect radar with another strong season or got lost in the organization with an average year.

63.  Beyker Fructuoso, RHP (3.2 IP in Pioneer League, 26.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/9/07

6’4”, 205 lbs, 20.75 years old

0-0, 4.45 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 2.97 FIP, 10.09 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 60;     Pre 2009 Rank: 26

Signed by the Dodgers in 2007, Beyker Fructuoso made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2008 as an 18 year old and had a very successful season (2.37 ERA and .229 batting average against in 38 innings).  In 2009, however, Fructuoso had a sophomore slump as he got lit up for 8 homers in just 28.2 innings in the Arizona League.  Despite his poor stats in 2009, the Dodger promoted Beyker to the Pioneer League to start the 2010 season because he already had two rookie league seasons under his belt.  Two appearances and 8 runs later, Fructuoso found himself back in Arizona where he finished out the 2010 season.  The good news is that he did very well in his return to Arizona, posting a 3.04 ERA, a 2.82 FIP, and a .202 batting average against in 26.2 innings.  In addition, he struck out over 10 batters per 9 innings and is still just 20 years old.  At 6’4” Fructuoso has a great pitching frame, and while I don’t know how hard the throws, I’d guess he could at least hit the low 90’s.  Now that he has three seasons and 97 professional innings to his credit, I’d guess that Fructuoso will spend 2011 in a full season league like LoA.  He is definitely someone to keep your eye one because I have the feeling he could be one of the Dodgers breakout prospects next season.  

62.  Gorman Erickson, C (82 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 15^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 23 years old, switch hitter

.215 average, .619 OPS, 2 HR’s, 27 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 45;     Pre 2009 Rank: 103

Gorman Erickson is a switch hitting catcher who was drafted in the 15^th round of the 2006 draft and signed with the Dodgers for $35,000 in May of 2007 as a draft and follow player.  Better known as Griff, he didn’t do much of anything in his first two professional seasons, nor did he get much playing time.  In 2009, however, Erickson made his way onto the Dodgers prospect radar with a .305 batting average and .860 OPS for the Ogden Raptors.  He was also named to the Pioneer League post season all star team and was ranked by Baseball America as the 30^th best prospect in the system.  Unfortunately his success did not carry over into 2010 as Griff struggled at the plate in the Midwest League.  While splitting the catching duties with J.T. Wise, Erickson batted just .215 with only 2 homers.  He also really struggled against right handed pitching.  Nevertheless, the 6’4” catcher did have a few positives in his season as he had a very good walk to strikeout ratio, and had another strong defensive season behind the plate.  Overall, while I was hoping for a lot more out of Erickson in 2010, he is still young enough to turn his career around.  The Dodgers are very thin in terms of catching prospects, so the organization is going to give him every chance to improve.  They showed their commitment to Erickson by inviting him to participate in the 2011 Winter Development Program.  Griff will probably spend 2011 in Rancho Cucamonga, and hopefully playing in the California League will jumpstart his bat.

61.  Josh Wall, RHP (153 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 2^nd round

6’6”, 218 lbs, 24 years old

9-7, 4.24 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 3.77 FIP, 8.88 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 57;     Pre 2009 Rank: 49

Josh Wall signed with the Dodgers out of high school in 2005 as a 2^nd round pick for $500,000, but has not lived up to expectations thus far.  He made decent progress in his first three seasons, including a solid performance with the Loons in 2007, but literally hit a wall in the California League in 2008 and 2009.  His combined ERA of 6.14 in 240.1 innings with the 66ers prompted the Dodgers to send Wall back to the Midwest League in 2010 despite the fact that he was 23 years old.   While he was disappointed with the demotion, Josh responded nicely in his return to the Loons.  While his stats weren’t amazing, for the most part Wall was able to regain his form against the younger competition as he posted a 4.24 ERA and 3.77 FIP while leading the league with 151 strikeouts.  At the very least, his season proved that the 6’6” right hander deserves another chance in a more advanced league, especially since taller pitchers take longer to develop and because he has the raw talent to be really good.  While his velocity has fluctuated over the years, Wall has hit 96 mph in the past and generally sits in the low 90’s.  He also has a pretty good curveball and a solid changeup.  In addition, the Dodgers could even move Wall the bullpen down the road so he still has plenty of value to the organization.  After the season Josh participated in Arizona instructional league, and given his age (and history in the California League) I would move him to AA in 2011 to see how he does. 

60.  Gustavo Gomez, RHP (7.2 IP in Pioneer League, 44 games in Arizona league in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 150 lbs, 19.75 years old

4-3, 3.66 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 2.74 FIP, 8.19 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 65;     Pre 2009 Rank: 113

Signed by the Dodgers out of Panama as a 17 year old in 2008, Gustavo Gomez had a great season in the DSL in 2009 which earned him a promotion in 2010.  As a 19 year old with the Arizona Dodgers, Gomez had a rough transition and recorded a 6.14 ERA through his first 22 innings.  However, he regained his footing in the second half of the season and posted a 1.23 ERA through his next 22 innings, earning the Dodgers pride award for August and a promotion to the Pioneer League for the final week of the season.  Used as both a starter and reliever, Gomez showed good control in 2010 and also allowed just one home run all season.  He was also mentioned by DeJon Watson as one of the players to keep an eye on for 2011.  In addition, it should be noted that his height and weight haven’t been updated since 2008, so I’m guessing he is now bigger than his listed measurements.  Still just 19 years old, Gomez has made good progress in his three years as a professional and will try to maintain his momentum in 2011.  If the Dodgers want to be aggressive with Gustavo they’ll assign him to the Great Lakes Loons next season.  However, my best guess would that he’ll start 2011 in the Pioneer League with the Raptors.

59.  Matt Kirkland, 3B (16 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 12^th round

6’2”, 210 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.239 average, .655 OPS, 0 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Matt Kirkland was selected by the Dodgers out of high school in the 12^th round of the 2010 draft, and although he had committed to play college ball at Tennessee, he signed with the Dodgers pretty quickly.  After signing he said, “It’s a thrill. My family is excited. The community is excited. I got a lot of support. I think it’s good for the community. I plan to represent my family and community as best as possible.”  He also gave us some insight into his high school job by saying, “Let’s just say, the deal I got, it beats selling goats and chickens for a living.  That was my business. It beats selling livestock.”  In high school, Kirkland hit 17 homers as a junior in high school and 11 HR’s as a senior (with a .505 average).  According to scouting reports, he has plus raw power and has good pitch recognition.  However, like most players coming out of high school, he has holes in his swing that he’ll have to fine tune as he gets older.  Probably the most exciting part about Kirkland is that he’s been described as an above average defender with a plus arm and good range.  That means he won’t have to be moved off the hot corner any time soon, which increases his value as a prospect.  In the draft video I watched of him, he showed good technique both on defense and at the plate, and his swing looks like it does indeed generate a good amount of power and loft.  While he was a little older than most players coming out of high school, Matt will still be just 20 years old when the 2011 season starts so he has a lot of time to improve his game.  Because his professional debut was relatively limited, I’m guessing he’ll play in the Pioneer League next year and get a good amount of playing time at 3^rd base with the Raptors.

58.  Jaime Pedroza, 2B (130 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 9^th round

5’8”, 167 lbs, 24.5 years old, switch hitter

.280 average, .779 OPS, 7 HR’s, 37 RBI’s, 11 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 59;     Pre 2009 Rank: 19

Since getting drafted out of UC Riverside in 2007, Jaime Pedroza has had an interesting career path.  After an outstanding offensive season in the Pioneer League in his professional debut, Pedroza was sent to HiA in 2008, his first full season.  While his stats weren’t quite as impressive with the 66ers, he still had a solid season at the plate and was probably looking forward to playing in AA.  However, the Dodgers had other plans for Jaime in 2009 and sent him to LoA.  While he was probably disappointed with this assignment, he responded with career highs in homers (15) and stolen bases (36).  That brings us to 2010, when Pedroza finally made it to Chattanooga.  While he didn’t have eye popping stats with the Lookouts in 2010, Pedroza again had solid numbers and has now accumulated a .287 average and an .810 OPS over 4 professional seasons.  Going forward, his biggest challenge will be his height because it is rare to find a major league player at 5’8”.  However, the fact that he plays 2^nd base helps his cause since most MLB players shorter than 5’10” are middle infielders.  With Ivan De Jesus most likely staying in AAA for another season, I’m guessing that Pedroza will return to Chattanooga in 2011.  Now 24 years old, my feeling is that Jaime is definitely worth keeping around, but unfortunately I doubt that he’ll ever make it up the show.

57.  Jeff Hunt, 3B (18 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 15^th round

6’2”, 190 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.240 average, .666 OPS, 2 HR’s, 7 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 37;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Selected by the Dodgers in the 15^th round of the 2009 draft, Jeff Hunt turned down a scholarship to Ohio University and signed with the Dodgers when they offered him $125,000 and up to $114,000 in education money if he enrolls in school within two years of retiring from professional baseball.  Upon signing Hunt said it was a tough decision, but also explained that he wanted to play every day instead of having to worry about school work.  Hunt’s professional career got started a little late due to delayed US visa paperwork (he’s from Canada), and his 2009 stint with the Arizona Dodgers was mostly just a learning experience.  Before heading to spring training in 2010, he told his local newspaper “You can find someone off the street and they’ll tell you I didn’t have a great season. But more than just putting up stats, it was a learning process for me. I got to get my feet a little wet.  Coming out of high school, a lot of players still have problems with their swings and it’s a maturity issue, so those are some of things I had to go through. I worked hard in instructs (instructional league) to clean up my swing and build a mental approach on how to coach myself and feel my swing, and how to get myself out of ruts. Going into this year, knowing more about myself personally and my swing, is something that I picked up last year in only nine weeks in Arizona.”  Unfortunately Hunt’s 2010 season also started due to some sort of injury because he didn’t get into a game until late July.  While he never really got it going in the 18 games he played, Jeff did have a couple of good games and ended up with 2 homers in just 50 at bats.  Despite two lost seasons, what makes Hunt the most valuable in my option is that he is a legitimate power hitter and plays 3rd base.  According to scouting reports, Hunt plays solid defense and “uses his long arms to his advantage from the left side, displaying legitimate power potential.”  He is also a former hockey player, and got a lot of good experience by playing with the Canadian Junior National Baseball Team for a few years before being drafted.  He’s a wildcard right now, especially in terms of power, and 2011 will be a big season for him.  If he comes to camp healthy and has a good spring, the 20 year old could potentially play in a full season league and make a name for himself.  Otherwise, he’ll probably stay in extended spring training until the Pioneer League starts up in June.

56.  Jeremy Wise, C (86 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 5^th round

6’0”, 210 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats right handed

.309 average, .868 OPS, 12 HR’s, 62 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 48;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jeremy Wise was already 23 years old when he was selected by the Dodgers in the 5^th round of the 2009 draft, which drew criticism from some fans.  However, the Dodgers liked the fact that he plays catcher and had success during his college career (2009 Big 12 player of the year, 2009 Finalist for Johnny Bench Award, and 2009 semifinalist for Golden Spikes Award).  According to Logan White, “he reminds you of AJ Ellis as a defender and the kid is really a good hitter.  He stays inside the baseball, he hits to all fields and he’s got good power.  I think he will develop into a power hitting catcher at the major league level.  He plays hard and he is a gamer.”  Wise wasted no time in proving White right because he tore up the Pioneer League in his professional debut with a .338 average and .967 OPS.  In 2010 Wise was promoted to the Midwest League but got off to a very slow start.  Through the first 45 games of the season, Jeremy was hitting just .235 despite being one of the older players in the league.  However, Wise was able to flip the switch at some point in July and ended up hitting .309 for the season by posting a .400 average after the All-Star break along with a 1.089 OPS.  He also ended the year with 12 homers and 62 RBI’s, and had a .990 fielding percentage behind the plate.  While I’m still not sold on Wise due the fact that he has being playing against younger competition for the past two years, his 2nd half performance bought him at least another year of evaluation.  In addition, he crushed left handed pitching and is probably the best hitting catching prospect in the organization, so the Dodgers will want to see what he can do against tougher opposition.  Therefore, I wouldn’t be surprised if he saw AA at some point in 2011.

55.  Scott Van Slyke, RF (12 games in AAA, 65 games in AA, 48 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 14^th round

6’5”, 195 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats right handed

.270 average, .768 OPS, 14 HR’s, 69 RBI’s, 7 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 28;     Pre 2009 Rank: 123

Scott Van Slyke had a huge year in 2009, but I never really bought into his season because his success came in the hitter friendly California League and he had never shown me anything in his previous 4 seasons.  The 6’5” son of former major leaguer Andy Van Slyke did his best to prove me right in 2010 because he struggled mightily in AA before getting demoted back to Inland Empire in June.  Scott again found his stroke with the 66ers, smacking 9 homers in 189 at bats, and was then sent to AAA to close out the final two weeks of the 2010 season. What’s interesting is that Van Slyke’s has demonstrated that the California League is the only place he can have success.  When you looks at Van Slyke’s split stats for his minor league career, he has an OPS of .883 with Inland Empire, and an OPS of .722 with all other teams.  Overall, while he definitely has the size and bloodlines to succeed, and also has a strong arm and plays solid defense, I’m going to continue to doubt his ability to make it as a big leaguer until he hits somewhere other than HiA.  The 24 year old’s 2011 destination will probably depend on how many outfielders the Dodgers end up inviting to spring training this offseason because most of them will probably end up in AAA.  If the AAA outfield is too crowded Van Slyke will probably end up in AA, but if not he’ll probably be with the Isotopes next year.

54.  Shawn Tolleson, RHP (28.2 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 30^th round

6’2”, 215 lbs, 23 years old

1-1, 0.63 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 1.46 FIP, 12.24 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Shawn Tolleson, who was a travel ball teammate of Clayton Kershaw back in high school, had probably the best and most surprising season of any Dodger minor league player in 2010.  Selected in the 30^th round of the 2010 draft out of Baylor, nobody thought much about him when he signed because he was coming off of an unimpressive college season.  As a redshirt junior, Tolleson went 2-7 for the Bears with a 5.17 ERA, although he did strikeout more than a batter per inning.  Mainly a starter in college, Tolleson was moved to the bullpen in his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors and something must have clicked because he was filthy all season.  In addition to his stats posted above, his absolutely ridiculous numbers include a .175 batting average against and 17 saves, which lead the league by a significant margin.  He also only walked five batters all season and allowed just two total runs.  A lot of his success can be attributed to his plus cutter, which is his out-pitch.  According to Ogden broadcaster Brandon Hart, “He loves to throw (the cutter) with two strikes and hitters can rarely make contact.  He is definitely a guy to look out for.  He is not only getting the guys out in the bottom of the order and getting the easy three-run lead saves.  He is also getting the close-game, get-out-of-a-jam saves.”  After the season, Tolleson himself said “I was drafted in the 30th round, but maybe I’m not a 30th-rounder.  So yeah, I came in here not even just trying to prove that but just to prove that I’m good enough to make it.”  A Tommy John surgery survivor, Tolleson was a little old for the Pioneer League and only has 28.2 professional innings under his belt, so before we get too excited about him we should probably wait to see what he does in a full season league in 2011.  However, he really did have a dream season for the Raptors so he definitely deserves some respect in my rankings despite being such a late round pick.

53.  Timothy Sexton, RHP (101.1 IP in AA, 28 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 25^th round

6’6”, 185 lbs, 23.75 years old

3-13, 5.50 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 4.02 FIP, 7.65 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 40;     Pre 2009 Rank: 57

Coming out of Miami Dade Community College, Timothy Sexton was projected as a third to fifth round pick in the 2007 draft, but many teams stayed away from him when he reportedly asked for a $500,000 signing bonus.  The Dodgers took a chance on him in the 25^th round, however, and were able to sign him for $123K.  Because of his college experience, the Dodgers sent him directly to Lo-A where he had a very successful debut.  Since 2007, however, Sexton has had a tough time, especially in terms of his win-loss record.  From 2008 through 2010, Tim has won 16 games and lost 39 games in his time split between HiA and AA.  I know that win-loss records don’t mean much, but that is a pretty bad winning percentage.  In 2010, Sexton was promoted to the Southern League to start the season after throwing almost 300 innings in the California League over the previous two seasons.  He was a starter and reliever for the Lookouts, and accumulated a 3 and 12 win – loss record before getting demoted to HiA.  While his ERA was 5.06, you could say that Sexton was a little unlucky in AA as his FIP was a respectable 3.73.  Upon rejoining the 66ers in August, Tim was really roughed up for a 7.07 ERA through 28 innings.  When you look at the season as a whole, Sexton did show some improvement because he held his own in AA and improved his strikeout rate significantly when compared to the last few seasons.  However he was also hit hard throughout the season (.306 batting average against), and again fell victim to the long ball as he allowed 14 homers (after giving up 17 bombs in 2009).   The good news is that he is still just 23 years old, so the 6’6” righty still has time to improve his game.  He was invited to participate in one of the Arizona Instructional Leagues after the season, and he’ll probably return to AA in 2011.

52.  Noel Cuevas, OF (3 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 21^st round

6’2”, 187 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.333 average, .833 OPS, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

2010 21^st round pick Noel Cuevas inked a deal with the Dodgers right around the deadline for $100K, but his signing went unnoticed by most because he was overshadowed by Zach Lee.  The outfielder from Puerto Rico was just 18 years old when he signed, and has intriguing raw power according to Baseball America.  He can put on a show in batting practice, however he has holes in his swing and his power doesn’t always translate into home runs during games.  He’s apparently destined for left field because of his below average arm, but he is strong runner with good makeup.  I actually watched a video of him and his outfield defense does indeed looked suspect, but I liked his swing which does seem to generate a lot of power.  Still raw as a baseball player, Cuevas will likely benefit from playing every day in the minor leagues and could have some success once he adjusts to more advanced pitching.  After playing just 3 games in the Arizona League in 2010, he’ll probably spend the 2011 season with the Ogden Raptors where he could have a big season in the hitter friendly Pioneer League.

51.  Ryan Christenson, LHP (36 IP in LoA, 14.2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 7^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 22.25 years old

3-1, 4.97 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 2.86 FIP, 7.46 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

2010 was actually the 3^rd time that the Dodgers drafted Ryan Christenson.  He was a 35^th round selection out of high school in 2007, but chose to go to Nebraska instead.  He didn’t play at all for the Cornhuskers in 2008, however, and transferred to South Mountain CC in Arizona for the 2009 season.  The Dodgers then made Christenson a 40^th round selection in 2009, but again he declined to sign because he believed he could improve upon his 5.87 ERA.  He made the right decision because Ryan has a stellar season at South Mountain CC in 2010, posting a 1.09 ERA and striking out 59 batters in 58 innings.  That forced the Dodgers to use a 7^th round pick on him in 2010, and Christenson signed relatively quickly for $125K.  Ryan was initially assigned to the Arizona Dodgers, but he dominated the league over a 3 week period (1 earned run in 14.2 innings with a .192 batting average against).  Therefore, he was promoted to the Loons in late July and remained in the Midwest League for the remainder of the season.  While most of his stats weren’t very good in LoA, he did have a solid FIP because he showed good control and only allowed 1 homer all season.  Described as having a loose arm, it should be noted that Christenson’s dad Gary pitched in the major leagues with the Royals in 1979 and 1980.  In addition, after the season Baseball America said that Christenson “doesn’t have top shelf stuff, but he’s one to watch.”  Now 22 years old, the left hander will probably return to Great Lakes in 2011 and work as one of the team’s 5 starters.  I’m going to keep a close eye on him and try to learn more about his pitching repertoire because I think he is a potential breakout candidate for next season.

50.  James Adkins, LHP (4 IP in AAA, 45.1 IP in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 1^st round

6’6”, 230 lbs, 25.25 years old

3-2, 5.84 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 4.29 FIP, 9.85 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 41;     Pre 2009 Rank: 18

For a supplemental first round pick, James Adkins has definitely been a disappointment.  The all time strikeout leader at Tennessee with 380 K’s now has a career minor league ERA of 4.77 and a career WHIP of 1.58.  However there is good news because Adkins was finally converted to a reliever in 2010 (a move that I recommended last year) and while his overall stats weren’t amazing, he did have a couple of streaks during which he was very effective.  While in AA, James had a combined ERA of 1.08 in the months of May and June, and then didn’t allow a run in 11 August appearances.  AA batters also hit just .238 against him for the season, and he struck out almost 10 batters per 9 innings.  Even though Adkins struggled during his two week stint with the Isotopes, which inflated his 2010 ERA, I still believe that he has value to the organization.  Lookouts announcer Larry Ward said that Adkins’ fastball was up to 93 mph in 2010, which is definitely faster than when he was a starter.  When you combine his fastball with his good slider, that could be a recipe for success as a reliever.  After spending three seasons in the Southern League, the 25 year old Adkins will most likely start the 2011 season in the Albuquerque bullpen.  If he has some success in AAA, there is a definitely the possibility that he could help the Dodgers at some point in the future, especially since the Dodgers are currently lacking in left handed relievers.

Why #50: Despite poor stats over his minor league career, he was a 1^st round pick and hopefully will thrive now that he’s a full time reliever.  I’m not overly optimistic about his future, but believe he deserves to be in the top 50 give his size and move to the bullpen.  He could eventually spend time with the Dodgers in middle relief.

49.  Brent Leach, LHP (39.2 IP in AAA, 65 IP in AA)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 6^th round

6’5”, 215 lbs, 28.25 years old

10-5, 5.25 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 4.00 FIP, 7.62 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 31;     Pre 2009 Rank: 17

Brent Leach had an interesting year in 2010.  He started the season in AAA as a reliever, but then was sent to Chattanooga to work as a starter.  During his stint in the Southern League he actually had a pretty smooth transition, going 7 and 3 with a 4.57 ERA and a 3.98 FIP.  After the season, however, Leach was designated for assignment and his rights were sold to the Yokohoma Baystars in Japan.  Because I put together my rankings at the beginning of November, Leach is included in my list, and this is where he would have ranked had he stayed in the organization.  Personally, I wasn’t very upset when I heard that Leach leaving because I didn’t feel like he provided much value anymore.  He is already 28 years old, and the Dodgers were trying to convert him to a starting pitcher, which is a role I think he would have failed in.  In my opinion, even if Leach had stayed in the bullpen he would have continued to be a marginal left handed specialist at best, and while he probably would have given the Dodgers a few more good innings out of the bullpen in the future, there is no way he would have been anything special. Good luck to him in the Far East.

Why #49: He already played in the major leagues so he has what it takes to pitch in the big leagues, but even if he didn’t go to Japan I simply didn’t see much upside and wasn’t sure how he fit into the Dodgers future plans now that he is 28 year old.

48.  Justin Sellers, SS (90 games in AAA, 24 games in HiA in 2010)

Acquired via trade with Cubs in April 2009

5’10”, 160 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.279 average, .815 OPS, 14 HR’s, 68 RBI’s, 7 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 75;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Originally selected by Oakland in the 6^th round of the 2005 draft, Justin Sellers was traded to the Cubs in February of 2009 for Michael Wuertz.  He was then traded to the Dodgers for an undisclosed amount of cash.  Sellers ended up hitting a solid .280 for the Lookouts in 2009, but didn’t show any power as he had just two homers.  He was then demoted to HiA for the beginning of the 2010 season, and only hit .260 for the 66ers in 24 games.  Nevertheless, when Chin-lung Hu got injured Sellers was the one to replace him at shortstop in AAA and that is where the magic began.  Despite coming into the 2010 season with just 17 career homers in 5 minor leagues seasons, Sellers managed to slug 14 jacks with the Isotopes and posted a .867 OPS.  In addition, he hit .285 and walked nearly as much as he struck out.  Like many other Albuquerque players Justin was aided by the hitter friendly home ballpark, but even still he had a very impressive season.  When you look a little deeper into his background, however, you’ll realize that Sellers big season wasn’t as big of a surprise as first thought.  Sellers was named by Baseball America as currently having the best strike zone discipline in the Dodgers organization, and was in their top 30 from 2006 through 2008, peaking at #9 in the 2006 version of the book.  He is also the son of former big league pitcher Jeff Sellers, so he has the great bloodlines.  In addition, before he was drafted some scouts thought that Sellers would have been a late first round pick if he had been just a few inches taller.  Always known for his strong defense up the middle, Justin’s bat was what was keeping him from the big leagues.  Now that he’s shown he can hit advanced pitching, the Dodgers seem to have placed more confidence in Sellers heading into 2011.  Not only did the Dodgers trade Hu, but they also invited Justin to big league spring training.  Since Dee Gordon isn’t quite ready to play in the big leagues, my guess would be that Sellers would be next in line for the Dodgers shortstop position in 2011 should injuries hit the big league club.  I still don’t think Sellers has a very high ceiling nor do I believe he’ll ever be the Dodgers starting shortstop for a long period of time, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he eventually gets added to the 40 man roster and fills the Chin-lung Hu role for a season or two.

Why #48: I expect Sellers to make it to the big leagues one day as a backup infielder, but that is really his ceiling as he has limited upside at the big league level.  He could be the Dodgers next Chin-Lung Hu.

47.  Luis Vasquez, RHP (40.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/20/03

6’4”, 192 lbs, 25 years old

3-2, 2.68 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 4.14 FIP, 8.70 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 174;     Pre 2009 Rank: 130

When I did my rankings last year, I had no idea Vasquez could throw 99 mph.  If I had known that, I definitely would have ranked him higher.  That being said, the fact that Luis Vasquez was added to the 40 man roster in November was still one of the most surprising Dodger moments of 2010.  I know that he posted a strong ERA and batting average against with the Loons in 2010, but he was also one of the older players in the Midwest League, did not have good peripheral stats in 2010, and has terrible career stats.  Vasquez is extremely wild, and has a career walk rate of 6.1 walks per 9 innings.  He also gives up a lot of home runs, and has a career K/9 of just 6.60.  Stats aside, Vasquez does have a fastball can reach into the upper 90’s and has an ideal pitcher’s frame, so obviously that is what the Dodgers were looking at when they added him to their 40 man roster.  But even still, there is no way that another team would have selected Vasquez in the Rule 5 draft had he been left unprotected.  One good thing about him being on the 40 man roster, however, is that now he will get more of a chance to work with major league coaches.  Hopefully these coaches will be able to teach him better control of his 99 mph, which could turn the soon to be 25 year old into a legitimate prospect in 2011.  With a full season of LoA under his belt, combined with stops in HiA in previous seasons, I’m guessing that Vasquez will be ready for AA next year. 

Why #47: His 99 mph fastball earned him a spot in my top 50, but he’s already 25 years old and going to have to do something in the upper minor leagues before he moves up any further in my rankings.  He has the ceiling of a power late inning reliever a la Ronald Belisario, but the chances are slim that he reaches that potential.

46.  Cole St. Clair, LHP (60.2 IP in AA, 12 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 7^th round

6’5”, 225 lbs, 24.5 years old

1-3, 4.21 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.31 FIP, 9.17 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 29;     Pre 2009 Rank: 20

Cole St. Clair had a very impressive high school and college resume, and it’s amazing that he fell all the way to the 7^th round of the 2008 draft.  While I’ve written these stats before, they are worth mentioning again: (1) as sophomore at Rice, he went 7-2 in 74 innings with a 1.82 ERA, struck out 100 batters, and allowed only a .151 batting average; (2) in the summer of 2006 he played for Team USA and posted a 0.69 ERA in 26 innings and struck out 43; (3) during his junior season at Rice he recorded a 1.91 ERA and picked up 9 saves; (4) finally as a college senior he went 10-3 with a 3.03 ERA.  After St. Clair was drafted, Logan White called St. Clair the “sleeper” of the draft and predicted that he would move quickly through the system; and so far White’s assessment appears to have been accurate.  After two strong seasons in the Pioneer League and Midwest League, Cole started the 2010 season in HiA with the 66ers.  He got off to a great start in the California League, and before the calendar turned to May he was already promoted to AA.   Once in Chattanooga, St. Clair was pretty consistent throughout the season, posting ERA’s in the 4’s for every month from May through August.  Despite his mediocre ERA, his overall FIP for the year was 3.31, and he only allowed 3 homers in 70+ innings.  In addition, he struck out more than a batter per inning.  At 6’5”, Cole doesn’t throw real hard, and according to Lookouts announcer Larry Ward his velocity in AA was around 88-92 mph.  However, he has enough quality pitches and solid pitch placement which may get him to the show at some point in the future.  After the season St. Clair was invited to participate in the Arizona instructional league, and for 2011 I’m guessing he’ll get to play in AAA.

Why #46: He didn’t really have a bad year, but the emergence of other prospects caused him to drop in my rankings.  He is already 24 years old, and I see his ceiling as that of a middle reliever at the big league level.

45.  Justin Miller, RHP (42.1 IP in AA, 34.2 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 6^th round

6’2”, 190 lbs, 23.5 years old

6-2, 2.10 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 4.20 FIP, 5.49 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 54;     Pre 2009 Rank: 48

Justin Miller was considered to be one of the best community college pitchers available in the 2007 draft, yet he fell to the 6^th round where the Dodgers gladly scooped him up.  What probably scared most teams away was the fact that Miller actually spent more time in right field than on the mound during his final college season, as he developed a tender elbow.  Nevertheless, he was hitting 94 on the radar gun before his injury, and at 6’3”, the Dodgers felt like he had a very projectable frame.  In his first three professional seasons, Miller was used strictly as a starter and had pretty disappointing results.  His career win-loss record heading into 2010 was 11 – 26, and he was much too hittable.  So the Dodgers decided to move Justin to the bullpen in 2010, and they have got to be pleased with his results.  Starting the year in LoA, Miller recorded a 1.30 ERA through 34.2 innings and had an outstanding .208 batting average against.  Given his success the Dodgers moved Miller up to AA where he wasn’t quite as dominant, but continued to get the job done.  After the season he was invited to participate in the AFL, and prior to the start of the Fall season DeJon Watson said about Miller: “We’ll try to push the envelope with him. He has a sinking fastball. He’s a ground-ball pitcher, and we want to get him prepared for next level. He’ll probably start the season at Double-A. We want him facing better hitters here to understand the adjustments he’ll need to make. He can be deceptive, and we want him to get to where hitters are chasing his pitches.”  Miller didn’t fare too well in the AFL, but he did get experience against advanced competition which will hopefully help him down the road.  As Watson alluded to, Miller is a sinkerball pitcher who pitches to contact when possible.  That is why his strikeout rate is so low, and it also affects his FIP.  In November I was sure the Dodgers would add Miller to their 40 man roster since he was eligible for the Rule 5 draft and would be easy to hide in the back of a big league bullpen, but the Dodgers decided against it and luckily he is still in the organization.  Justin will return to the Southern League in 2011, although a mid-season promotion to AAA is very possible.  I like Miller as a pitcher because of his sinker ball, and I predict that at some point down the road he’ll be good enough to help out the Dodgers bullpen in middle relief a la Ramon Troncoso. 

Why #45: Had a great year after moving to the bullpen, although his K/9 is pretty scary.  Looks to me like he could be a middle reliever at the big league level, and since he has a good sinkerball he could be the pitcher that gets called on to get out of a jam by inducing a double play ball.

44.  Greg Wilborn, LHP (38.2 IP in LoA, 43.2 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 18^th round

6’2”, 175 lbs, 23.75 years old

8-2, 2.62 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 2.13 FIP, 11.70 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 124;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

As you can see, Greg Wilborn has moved up quite a bit in my rankings since last year and has definitely turned into a legitimate pitching prospect.  He was drafted out of the University of Louisiana Lafayette in the 18^th round of the 2009 draft, and for his career with the Ragin Cajuns Wilborn compiled an ERA of 7.30.  However, it should be noted that he missed the entire 2008 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2007.  Upon signing with the Dodgers Wilborn had a forgettable professional debut in the Pioneer League, recording a 7.45 ERA.  He returned to Ogden to start the 2010 season, but this time the results were very different.  In 8 starts with the Raptors Wilborn posted a 2.06 ERA, and stuck out over 12 batters per inning.  He was also undefeated in 4 decisions, and had a phenomenal FIP of 1.81.  That led to a promotion to the Midwest League in August where Wilborn continued to have success.  With the Loons, Greg recorded a 3.26 ERA in 7 starts and continued to rake up the K’s by striking out over 11 batters per 9 innings.  For the season as a whole, batters hit just .239 against Wilborn, and his FIP of 2.13 ranked as the best among Dodger farmhands (minimum 50 IP).  In addition, he has begun to get some recognition from the Dodgers because during my interview with DeJon Watson, he mentioned Wilborn as a breakout candidate and said “isn’t it something what he’s doing this year?”  In terms of his pitching repertoire, this lefty features a slider, curveball, and changeup, and can get his fastball up to 94 mph.  Therefore it definitely sounds like he has the velocity and secondary pitches to remain in the starting rotation.  Wilborn will be 24 this upcoming June, so the Dodgers will probably want to be relatively aggressive with him in 2011.  I’m guessing he’ll start the year in HiA, but might even get a shot to play in AA if he pitches well in the California League.  Finally, Greg got engaged this past offseason, so that is exciting news for him.

Why #44: Wilborn had great stats in 2010 which caused him to jump onto the prospect radar this past season, and I like his potential because he throws left handed.  That being said, Wilborn is 23 years old and I believe his ceiling is that of a #5 starter or a lefty middle reliever.

43.  Jamie Hoffmann, RF (139 games in AAA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 9/2/03

6’3”, 235 lbs, 26.5 years old, bats right handed

.310 average, .800 OPS, 8 HR’s, 74 RBI’s, 17 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 30;     Pre 2009 Rank: 29

Jamie Hoffmann is an ex-hockey player who signed with the Dodgers as a non drafted free agent way back in 2003.  He worked his way through the organization and was added to the 40 man roster prior to the 2009 season.  Injuries to other players allowed Hoffmann to make his major league debut in May 2009, but he was sent down after 14 games and was removed from the 40 man roster later that season.  Taken by the Yankees with the 1^st pick of the 2009 Rule 5 draft, he battled with new Dodger Marcus Thames for a spot in the Yankees outfield, but was eventually sent back to Los Angeles and spent the entire season in Albuquerque.  Jamie had a very solid season for the Isotopes, leading the PCL with 169 hits, stealing 17 bases, and recording an .800 OPS.  Always known as a strong defensive outfielder, Hoffmann maintained his reputation by making only 1 error and posting a .996 fielding percentage for the season.  He also led the team with 5 outfield assists.  After the season the Dodgers continued to confuse casual fans by adding Hoffmann to their 40 man roster once again.  Now 26 years old, I still don’t see Hoffmann as more than a late inning defensive replacement and backup outfielder at the big league level, and given the Dodgers outfield current outfield situation he won’t see LA in 2011 unless there are a few injuries on the big league roster and Xavier Paul gets moved.  He is definitely worth keeping around, but his ceiling just isn’t very high.  Look for Hoffmann to again put up strong numbers in AAA again next season while he awaits another call to Los Angeles.

Why #43: Hoffmann has already made his major league debut and is on the 40 man roster, so that earns him some respect in my ranking.  However he is already 26 years old and has the ceiling of a backup outfielder, so that is why he didn’t rank higher on my list.

42.  Carlos Frias, RHP (39.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/3/07

6’4”, 170 lbs, 21.25 years old

2-6, 7.78 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 5.39 FIP, 9.84 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 32;     Pre 2009 Rank: 71

Signed out the Dominican Republic as a 17 year old before the 2007 season, Frias posted a 1.81 ERA in his professional debut in the DSL.  He was then promoted to the Gulf Coast League for the 2008 season and held his own despite being one of the younger players in the league.  He spent most of 2009 in the Arizona League and it was there that scouts and coaches began to notice his 96 mph fastball and his overall potential.  After jumping onto the Dodger prospect radar, however, Carlos Frias struggled with inconsistency in 2010 and ended up with ugly stats in the Pioneer League.  When I asked Ogden announcer Brandon Hart about his struggles, he said “Lately the velocity has been down but it is a mystery as to why.  The fastball is 91-93 but was probably in the high 80s in his last start.  Inconsistent is the word though.  His curveball is top notch but he has trouble controlling it.  When he knows where his pitches are going, he is nearly unhittable.   Also has a change-up that is coming along.”  Baseball America basically echoed what Hart said, and also added “Frias has all kinds of projection and runs his fastball up to 96 mph while sitting at 90-92. The problem is that his command completely deserts him frequently, and he walked 21 over 39 innings. Frias will snap off a quality low-80s slider now and then, but like the overall picture, it’s all projection at this point. Check back after next season.”  I agree that Frias has a ton of projection, especially since he has a great pitching frame at 6’4”.  He also maintained a great strikeout rate in 2010, so he definitely still has great stuff at times.  Even though he struggled last year, I’m guessing that Carlos will play in LoA next season with the Loons.  He was placed on the Restricted List for an undisclosed reason in October, however, so I’m not sure how that will affect his status for next season.

Why #42: Frias has a great pitching frame and is still just 21 years old, so I’m pretty much overlooking his stats in 2010.  I like his potential since he has the ability to throw 96 mph, and I see his ceiling as a middle of the rotation guy or a late inning reliever.  The fact that he was placed on the restricted list scares me, however, so that is one reason why he dropped a hit in my rankings from last year.

41.  Nick Akins, LF (47 games in Pioneer League, 20 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 19^th round

6’1”, 220 lbs, 23.25 years old, bats right handed

.341 average, 1.125 OPS, 21 HR’s, 70 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 56;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

As I mentioned last year, Nick Akins had an interesting baseball career before even turning pro.  It started in high school when Nick and his father were involved in an ugly fight during his junior season which led to his expulsion from the team.  Nick transferred high schools for his senior year, but wasn’t allowed to play baseball despite his best appeals.  He ended up playing in a weekend adult league and the Dodgers actually drafted him in the 13^th round of the 2006 draft.  Nick didn’t sign, however, and played ball at Riverside Community College for two seasons, winning the JUCO state championship in the process.  After the 2008 season Akins transferred to the local NAIA college Vanguard, and after hitting .314 over 47 games with 13 home runs and 35 runs batted in, he was again was drafted by the Dodgers, this time in the 19^th round.  He ended up signing with this time and was placed in the Arizona Rookie League where he absolutely dominated.  In just 120 at bats, Akins hit 7 HR’s and had an outstanding 1.055 OPS before getting promoted to the Pioneer League to end the season.  For whatever reason the Dodgers sent Akins back to the Arizona League to start 2010 and he again put up amazing numbers.  In 75 at bats Akins smacked 6 homers, collected 24 RBI’s, hit .400, and had an OPS of 1.277 before moving up to the Ogden Raptors.  Back in the Pioneer League Akins didn’t miss a beat and led the league him homers despite playing in just 47 games.  His Isolated Power (ISOP) of .334 was also extremely impressive.  So with these stats, why isn’t he ranked in the top 10?  For one, the 23 year old Akins has yet to play in a full season league, so that diminished his numbers a bit.  Second,  he has been compared to Manny Ramirez in terms of defense and attitude, so he won’t be able to play anywhere but left field because he doesn’t have the arm or speed to play any other outfield position.  Finally, according to Baseball America his pitch recognition remains spotty so he will probably be exploited in the upper levels of the minor leagues.  Nevertheless, it’s fun to root for a player with such plus power, and it will be interesting to see what he does in a full season league in 2011. 

Why #41: Nick Akins has done nothing wrong since turning pro, but he hasn’t played above rookie ball which discredits his stats a bit.  I see his ceiling as a powerful starting left fielder at the big league level, but Akins is still a long ways off from making it to the show.

40.  Alfredo Silverio, LF (4 games in AA, 95 games in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 11/13/03

6’0”, 205 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.283 average, .783 OPS, 12 HR’s, 43 RBI’s, 17 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 38;     Pre 2009 Rank: 28

Signed way back in 2003, Alfredo Silverio has been in the Dodgers organization for 7 seasons.  After spending his first three professional seasons in the DSL, Silverio was sent to the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and put his name on Dodger prospect radar by hitting .373 in 51 games.  That earned him a promotion to Lo-A in 2008, and he returned to the Midwest League in 2009.  In 2010 Silverio moved up to HiA and overall had a pretty decent season; but you would have never guessed that if you had looked at his stats in April, May, June, or even July.  Silverio was hitting just .245 with a .698 OPS through July, but ended the year on fire to finish with a .292 average and an .809 OPS for the 66ers.  Silverio also stole 17 bases and only struck out in only 15.1% of his plate appearances before getting promoted to AA for the final week of the season.  However, Alfredo continued to demonstrate poor patience at the plate, which has been a problem throughout his career (since 2006, he only has 80 walks in 1,813 plate appearances).  During the off-season Silverio participated in the Arizona instructional league and then spent time in the Dominican Winter League where he hit .355 in 15 games.  In terms of his defense, Alfredo has played all three outfield positions throughout his career and has a strong arm, but his below average range will probably limit him to left field as he moves up.  Silverio will almost certainly play in AA in 2011, and he remains a notch below the top prospects for me because I don’t see him having any of the plus skills to get him to the big leagues, especially if he is limited to left field.

Why #40: Silverio saved his season with a strong second half, but I still don’t think he has a lot of potential.  The 23 year old doesn’t seem to have any skill that stands out, which leads me to believe that his ceiling is that of a bench player at the big league level.

39.  Geison Aguasviva, LHP (72 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 12/15/05

6’2”, 166 lbs, 23.5 years old

4-4, 3.75 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.48 FIP, 7.13 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 33;     Pre 2009 Rank: 40

Signed prior to the 2006 season, Geison Aguasviva spent two seasons in the Dominican Summer League.  During his 2^nd season in the DSL, the then 19 year old Aguasviva dominated his competition with an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of just 0.84 through 66 innings.  Promoted all the way up to the Midwest League to start the 2008 season, Geison had trouble adjusting to life in the USA and struggled through 19 innings.  However, after he was sent down to the Pioneer League he rebounded nicely with a 2.90 ERA in 71 innings.  In 2009 Aguaviva found himself back in LoA and that is where he really had his breakout season.  Used mostly in relief, Geison led the Dodger minor league system with a 1.58 ERA (minimum 50 IP) and had a .236 batting average against.  That brings us to 2010 which Aguasviva spent in HiA.  He was actually used as a starter to begin the season, but a 6.30 ERA through 5 starts prompted the Dodgers to move him back to relief.  In the bullpen, Aguasviva found his groove and posted a 2.77 ERA for the remainder of the season.  The southpaw was especially effective against left handed batters as he held them to a .157 average for the season.  As a tall, skinny player, Aguasviva still has plenty of projection left in his frame.  He currently pitches in the low 90’s, but the Dodgers expect that to jump even higher once he adds muscle.  His best pitch, however, is his changeup which projects as a plus offering.  While Aguasviva’s career strikeout rate is just 7.8 K’s per 9 innings, he makes up for that by allowing very few homers.  Looking to his future, Aguasviva should be used exclusively in relief for the rest of his career and a move to AA in 2011 is likely.  If he continues to have success, he should eventually get a look as a left handed specialist at the big league level.

Why #39: Aguasviva is definitely a reliever, and has the ceiling of a left handed bullpen arm at the big league level.  Really his drop in ranking is only due to the emergence of other prospects.

38.  Steven Ames, RHP (28.1 IP in LoA, 3 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 17^th round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 23 years old

0-2, 2.30 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 0.42 FIP, 13.79 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 53;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Since getting selected in the 17^th round of the 2009 draft out of Gonzaga, Steven Ames has been nothing short of incredible.  In his debut season in 2009, Ames had a 14.10 K/9 and he only walked 6 batters through 30 innings with the Raptors.  In addition, opposing players hit just .192 against him, and his FIP was an incredible 1.53.  His 2010 season got off to a late start because he partially tore his hamstring in spring training, but when joined the Loons at the end of June he stole the closer role from Vasquez and again had an unbelievable season.  In 28.1 innings Ames struck out 44 batters (13.98 K/9), walked only 3, picked up 16 saves, and had a WHIP of 0.85.  In addition, his FIP of 0.41 was one of the lowest I’ve seen for somebody with at least 25 innings.  After the season, Ames was sent to the Arizona Fall League but got roughed up in two outings and was sent home early with a minor injury.  DeJon Watson had this to say about his AFL appearance, “His numbers weren’t good, but he threw the ball good. He had a couple bad breaks or he could have been out of innings.”  Steven was also invited to participate in the Dodgers Winter Development Minicamp this past January.  I’m not 100% sure what his arsenal consists of, but I’ve heard he hits at least 94 mph with this fastball and has three solid pitches with a good overall feel for pitching. Ames will have just turned 23 years old when the 2011 season starts, and I really hope that he finds his way up to AA next year given his dominant pitching performances over the past two seasons.

Why #38: Ames obviously has good stuff because he has posted ridiculous numbers over the past two years.  He needs to continue to have success against more advanced competition, but if he can keep it up, I believe he has the potential to one day be a set-up man in the big leagues.

37.  Tony Delmonico, C (60 games in HiA, 7 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 6^th round

6’0”, 194 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.280 average, .763 OPS, 3 HR’s, 18 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 17;     Pre 2009 Rank: 13

After signing with the Dodgers as a 6^th round pick in 2008, Tony Delmonico had an outstanding professional debut in the Pioneer League as a 2^nd baseman.  He was then converted to catcher in 2009, and despite the tough transition he continued to hit with the Loons and was widely considered to be the best all around catcher in the Midwest League.  Moving ahead to 2010, Tony was supposed to be the everyday catcher for the 66ers, but unfortunately injuries cost him about half of his season.  When he was healthy for Inland Empire, Delmonico didn’t show much power, but he did demonstrate extreme patience at the plate.  He walked more than he struck out, and had an on base percentage of .418 for the season.  He also threw out 31% of potential base stealers and continued to improve defensively.   Still just 23 years old, and only two years into his catching career, I think that Delmonico remains the Dodgers top catching prospect heading into 2011 because he has the most upside.  If he can stay healthy, my guess is that he’ll spend 2011 in AA as the team’s main catcher.  At the very least, I believe that Delmonico will one day make it to the big leagues as a backup catcher.

Why #37: If Delmonico can stay healthy, I believe he has the potential to be a starting catcher at the big league level.  Injuries have definitely slowed him down, however, and his lost year caused him to drop in my rankings.  He’s going to have to stay on the field in 2011 to prove his worth since he’s not getting any younger.

36.  Derek Cone, RHP (4.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 31^st round

6’5”, 210 lbs, 20.75 years old

0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 3.43 FIP, 2.08 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers selected Derek Cone in the 31^st round of the 2010 draft after he had a great year for Mesa Community College in Arizona.  Cone was the team’s ace all year and had a 1.93 ERA in 84 innings to go along with 105 strikeouts.  His most impressive performance in college came when he threw 11.1 innings in a playoff game, no hitting the other team for 9.2 of those innings.  After much deliberation, Derek gave up his BYU commitment and signed with the Dodgers at the deadline for $150K.  He explained “I was all moved in and signed a 12 month lease for an apartment in Provo when a couple days before the signing deadline I received a call saying the Dodgers would come up to my asking price.”  Because Cone signed late he only pitched 4.1 innings in his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors.  At 6’5”, Cone is an intimidating presence on the mound and has a great pitching frame.  He currently throws in the low 90’s, although the Dodgers believe he’ll gain velocity as he adds muscle.  He also has a solid curveball, which is currently his best pitch, and like many other young pitchers he is developing his changeup.  He’ll still be just 20 years old when the 2011 season begins, so I’m not sure if the Dodgers will send the young right hander to a full season league.  No matter where he plays he’ll definitely be used as a starter because there is no point stunting his growth by putting him in the bullpen this early in his career.

Why #36: Cone is a bit of a sleeper since he was a 31^st round pick and didn’t get much attention when he signed, but he has the potential to be a middle of the rotation starter in the big leagues.  Of course he is a long ways off from that potential, but he is still young and has a great pitching frame. 

35.  Austin Gallagher, 1B (111 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 3^rd round

6’5”, 210 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats left handed

.291 average, .755 OPS, 6 HR’s, 64 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 19;     Pre 2009 Rank: 7

If you didn’t know anything about Austin Gallagher, when you looked at stats for 2010 you’d say he had a pretty good year.  I mean he spent the season as a 21 year old in HiA and posted a solid average with a little bit of power, so what isn’t there to like?  Well the problem is that Gallagher put up almost identical stats in the same league two year ago as a 19 year old, so he has actually regressed since getting drafted in 2007.  In addition, while Gallagher used to spend most of his time at the hot corner, he is now strictly a first baseman.  Despite the fact that Gallagher’s prospect shine has lost quite a bit of luster over the past two years, he isn’t a lost cause yet.  Still just 22 years old, he is a 6’5” giant who already has 4 years of professional experience.  The power still isn’t there, as demonstrated by his 6 homers and .755 OPS, but he did hit .291 and led the 66ers with 64 RBI’s.  He also makes good contact and had a solid 16.7% strikeout rate in 2010.  In addition, he was invited to participate in the Arizona Instructional League after the season, so he is definitely still on the Dodgers radar.  Given that he has already spent two year in Class A, I’m guessing that Gallagher will move up to AA in 2011.  If he does make it to the Southern League he will be one of the younger players in the league, so if he continues to hit for a decent average and is able to show even a little bit of power, Gallagher will continue to be considered a legitimate prospect in my book. 
Why #35: Gallagher dropped in my ranking because he is now limited to 1^st base and still hasn’t tapped into his power potential.  However he is still just 22 years old and has the size to one day be a legitimate power threat at the plate.  I still see his ceiling as a big league 1^st baseman if he can show some more power, although a more realistic goal for him would be to make it to the show as a bench player.

34.  Russell Mitchell, 1B/3B (127 games in AAA)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 15^th round

5’11”, 205 lbs, 26 years old, bats right handed

.315 average, .898 OPS, 23 HR’s, 87 RBI’s, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 52;     Pre 2009 Rank: 32

Russell Mitchell has been with the Dodgers since 2003, and played with 12 different minor league teams before finally realizing his goal of making it to the big leagues this past season.  He had some good seasons in the past, but it wasn’t until he reached the hitter friendly Pacific Coast League that he really had a breakout year.  Mitchell ranked among to the top 10 in many of the league’s offensive category, and led the Isotopes with 97 runs scored.  He also held his own at 3^rd base, and showed versatility by playing four other positions, which really boosted his value as a prospect.  Upon getting called up to the Dodgers in September, Mitchell continued to show off his power with two homers in 15 games.  The only worrisome thing about his season was that Russ did much of his offensive damage at home in the friendly confines of “The Lab”, while posting an OPS of just .770 on the road.  In addition, Mitchell has a pretty low ceiling as a big league player and is already 26 years old, so that is why he didn’t place higher in my rankings.  Known as a grinder in the mold of Kevin Millar, Mitchell is now on the 40 man roster at the very least will return to Los Angeles when rosters expand next September.  For most of the 2011 season, however, I’m sure he’ll continue to wreak havoc against AAA pitching.

Why #34: Mitchell has the ability to play 3^rd base and has already made his major league debut, which are two reasons why he moved up in my rankings.  The reason he isn’t in my top 30, however, is because he is 26 years old and I don’t see much upside as his ceiling is a utility player at the big league level.

33.  Travis Schlichting, RHP (47.1 IP in AAA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 10/6/07

6’4”, 190 lbs, 26.25 years old

3-0, 4.75 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 4.36 FIP, 5.51 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 26;     Pre 2009 Rank: 38

Travis Schlichting was originally selected as a 3^rd baseman in the 4^th round of the 2003 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, but he never really succeeded with his bat.  He was traded to the Angels after the 2005 season, and during 2006 he played both in the field and on the mound.  Released by the Angles, Schlichting wound up playing with an independent league for all of 2007.  The Dodgers decided to take a chance on him in October of 2007, and after an extended stay in Spring Training at the beginning of 2008, he debuted at AA for the Dodgers and pitched very well throughout the entire season.  That winter he was added to the 40 man roster, and in 2009 he battled injuries but put up great stats when healthy.  He actually made his major league debut on 6/7/09 in Texas and allowed one run in 1.2 innings.  He pitched in just one more MLB game before getting sent down to Albuquerque in mid June, and was eventually placed on the 60 day DL to end his season.  That brings us to Schlichting’s unique 2010 season in which he performed better in the big leagues than he did in the minors.  In 47.1 AAA innings, Schlichting had a 4.75 ERA and a .294 batting average against, but in his 22.2 innings with the Dodgers he recorded a 3.57 ERA and a .233 batting average against.  I guess some of the discrepancy can be linked to the PCL being such a hitter friendly league, but even still it is pretty rare for a player to do better in the majors than in the minors.  Schlichting’s fastball generally sits in the low 90’s, although he gets up to 94 mph on occasion, and he has several other pitches he can throw for strikes.  While Schlichting has never had a high strikeout rate and lacks a true strikeout pitch, his composure in the Dodgers bullpen over the past two seasons demonstrates to me that he can be a valuable option out of the Dodgers bullpen.  He won’t make the Dodgers out of spring training this year due to their crowded bullpen, but I’m pretty sure he’ll be in Los Angeles at some point in 2011.

Why #33: Schlichting has already proven that he can have success at the big league level, but his ceiling seems to be that of a middle reliever.  Now 26 years old, he’s basically an insurance policy for the Dodgers. 

32.  Brandon Martinez, RHP (36 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 7^th round

6’4”, 160 lbs, 20.25 years old

3-2, 5.25 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 2.89 FIP, 8.00 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 27;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Brandon Martinez was drafted in 2009, and when I saw that he had signed with the Dodgers I was very excited.  Drafted out of Fowler High School (near Fresno), Martinez had dominate stats during his senior season as he struck out 85 batters in 45 innings and allowed a .124 batting average against.  At 6’4” he also had a great pitching frame, so I really like his ceiling.  After the draft, Logan White said “This kid is skinny as rail but I’ll tell you he has an outstanding delivery, throws hard and has a fine breaking ball. We’ll have to put a little weight on him. He could turn into a really fine pitcher over time.”  Upon signing with the Dodgers, Martinez was sent to the Arizona Rookie League and struggled mightily.  I didn’t read too much into those stats, however, because he was simply adjusting to professional hitters and more importantly did show flashes of dominance with this strikeout rate.  In 2010 he returned to the Arizona League and had an up and down season.  When he started games (5 starts and 24.1 innings), he had a 2.22 ERA with a .266 batting average against.  When he pitched in relief (7 games and 11.2 innings), he had an 11.57 ERA and a .383 batting average against.  In addition, while his overall season ERA was 5.25, his FIP was a much more impressive 2.89.  Given these stats and the upside he brings, it appears that the Dodgers should strictly use him as a starter going forward.  After the season, I talked to DeJon Watson about Martinez and he said that he has gained about 10 pounds since last year, but he still needs some more added strength.  Watson also stated that while he can still touch 93 and 94 mph on a good night, he sits comfortably with a slightly above average fastball at about 90 to 92 mph.  Finally, DeJon said his breaking ball is solid average, and his changeup is developing.  In 2011, Brandon, who struggles with Tourette Syndrome, will probably only move up to the Pioneer League since I don’t believe he is ready for a full season league.  He is definitely someone to watch, however, because I believe he has the tools to become a top 20 prospect by next year.

Why #32: Brandon Martinez is still very young, and is my opinion has the upside of a #3 starter at the big league level.  It’s always tough to judge high school talent, but I love players with potential and I think that Martinez has tons of it. 

31.  Angelo Songco, LF (135 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 4^th round

6’0”, 190 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats left handed

.274 average, .790 OPS, 15 HR’s, 71 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 39;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Angelo Songco was born in Granda Hills and played his college ball locally at Loyola Marymount.  During his junior season he led the Lions with a .360 average, 15 home runs, and 63 RBI’s in just 59 games to go along with a sizzling OPS of 1.159.  Selected by the Dodgers in the 4^th round of the 2009 draft, Songco signed quickly for $225,000 and continued his torrid hitting in the Pioneer League, whacking 7 home runs in his first 19 games.  In spring training 2010, Songco got to play in a few games with the big league club and even hit a no doubt about it homer against the Angels on 3/15/10.  For the 2010 season Songco was promoted to LoA, and was the Loons everyday left fielder.  Despite being one of the younger offensive players on the club, Songco hit 15 homers in a team high 507 at bats.  In addition, if it wasn’t for a terrible slump to end the season, Angelo’s OPS would have been well over .800 for the year.  Songco also made good contact, striking out in just 16% of his plate appearances, and held his own against left handed pitchers with a .250 average.  Stats aside, the one thing that stands out for Songco is his huge power.  While he is not a big or imposing player by any stretch of the imagination, he can knock the cover off the ball with his extremely quick swing.  In fact, one of Songco’s homers last season reportedly traveled an estimated 508 feet at Dow Diamond.  While he gets pull happy at times, he does have power to all fields.  The only drawback to Songco is that he is limited to playing left field, but he hasn’t made many errors at all since turning pro and has an adequate arm.  If he can adjust to the more advanced competition and continue to hit homers, Songco will shoot up the prospect charts.  He’ll probably play in the California League next season and will hopefully have a field day in the hitter friendly environment.

Why #31: Songco has a ton of raw power, which is something that you simply can’t teach.  That being said, his defense limits him to left field which generally requires a ton of offensive output.  Therefore, while his ceiling is that of a left fielder at the big league level, he’s going to have to continue to put up big numbers if he ever wants to make it to the show.

30.  Jon Link, RHP (60.2 IP in AAA in 2010)

Acquired in trade with White Sox for Juan Pierre

6’1”, 190 lbs, 27 years old

3-2, 3.71 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 3.55 FIP, 8.16 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jon Link, who was acquired from the White Sox when the Dodgers sent Juan Pierre to Chicago, was originally a 26^th round pick of the Padres back in 2005.  In his 5 professional seasons prior to joining the Dodgers, Link had put up solid career numbers as he had struck out over a batter per inning and had an ERA of around 3.90.  After joining the Dodgers, he spent most of the 2010 season in AAA and in my opinion was the pitching MVP of the team.  The workhorse of the Isotopes bullpen, Link threw 60.2 innings and recorded a 3.71 ERA.  His FIP for the year was 3.55 and he picked up 4 saves and 3 wins.  In addition, Link made his major league debut in 2010 as he was called up by the Dodgers 6 different times during the season.  However he was used sparingly during his callups and his MLB sample size is too small to analyze.  After the season Link was sent to the Arizona Fall League, and despite being a reliever his entire career DeJon Watson said “We’ll use him here in a starting role to get him stretched out. We know he can pitch in the middle of the bullpen at the big league level. We want to get him stretched out here to create more value going into Spring Training.”  Jon was pretty mediocre in the AFL, but during the Dodgers “Young Guns” pitching minicamp in January 2011 Rick Honeycutt re-emphasized that Link will continue to work as a starter since he “can always go back (to relief).”  In terms of his stuff, Link has a 3 pitch mix that starts his with low 90’s fastball.  His best pitch, however, is his slider which is a legitimate strikeout pitch.  Give the Dodgers pitching depth, Link will definitely start the 2011 season in AAA, but I’m guessing he’ll find his way back to LA at some point again next season.  Whether he is a starter or reliever, Link is a solid arm for this organization and gives the team depth.

Why #30: Even though Link is going to train as a starter in 2010, I think his ceiling is that of a middle reliever at the big league level.  If the Dodgers were short on arms I think Link would be able to provide adequate middle relief at the big league level for this upcoming season, but since the Dodgers bullpen appears to already be full for 2011 he’s going to have to continue to perform in AAA if he wants to see time in the MLB again.

29.  Javy Guerra, RHP (27 IP in AA, 2 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 4^th round

6’0”, 205 lbs, 25.25 years old

2-1, 2.48 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 4.51 FIP, 9.31 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 25;     Pre 2009 Rank: 47

Drafted as a 4^th round pick back in 2004, Javy Guerra had a solid debut in the Gulf Coast League but was then sidelined for portions of the 2005 and 2006 seasons due to Tommy John surgery.  He returned to full time action in 2007 and was used as a starter, but the results were disastrous as he had a 6.27 ERA in HiA.  2008 saw the beginning of Guerra’s conversion to reliever, and he has been in the bullpen ever since.  In 2009 Guerra split the year between LoA and AA and had a strong season, prompting the Dodgers to add Javy to their 40 man roster.  Guerra spent the 2010 season in Chattanooga, but injuries limited him to just 29 total innings.  He was sent to the AFL after the season to get in addition work, and DeJon Watson said “He was off-and-on with his health this year [shoulder tendinitis]. He has a chance to be a legitimate bullpen piece. He has a 94-mph fastball and a tight slider with a change. He needs innings. And he’s more than likely going to Mazatlan to play in the Mexican Winter League and carry that into Spring Training to make up for the innings he missed while he was out.”  Unfortunately Guerra suffered a deep cut on his hand while washing dishes toward the end of the AFL season so he didn’t end up throwing again until the Dodgers Winter Development Minicamp in January.  Since Guerra already has a strong fastball and a hard slider, the one thing holding him back from being a big league reliever is his sporadic control.  His career walk rate is 5.3 free passes per 9 innings, and he was even worse at 7.3 walks per 9 during his 2010 season in AA.  He wasn’t any better during his AFL stint, walking 6 batters in 10 innings.  Since he’s on the 40 man roster Guerra will be training with the big league club in spring training, but he has no chance of making the team out of camp.  He’ll probably spend the 2011 season in AAA and hopefully will improve his control. 

Why #29: In short, Guerra is a power reliever with control problems.  He has already shown that he can have success in the upper minor leagues, and if can ever learn to find the plate then he has the ceiling of a solid late inning reliever. 

28.  Javier Solano, RHP (19.2 IP in AA, 44.2 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 177 lbs, 21 years old

3-1, 2.94 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2.56 FIP, 10.07 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 111;     Pre 2009 Rank: 139

The Dodgers purchased Solano’s rights from the Mexican League’s Monterrey Sultans before the 2008 season for $250,000.  According to Baseball America at the time of his signing, they said that “Solano’s two best pitches are an 89-93 mph fastball that sits around 91 and a plus 75-78 mph curveball. He also has some feel for a changeup and uses a slider as his fourth offering.”  Assistant GM De Jon Watson also chimed in with some comments when Solano signed, saying that he’s thrown “exceptionally well” and is “very advanced for a 17-year-old, with an above-average fastball and curveball.”  Javier spent his first two professional seasons in the Pioneer League, but his stats were uninspiring and he didn’t get much attention from Dodger prospect junkies.  However that changed in 2010 as Solano made a big splash in his first year playing in full season leagues.  He started the year in HiA, and despite being the youngest player on the team he was by far the best relief pitcher on the 66ers.  While his stats weren’t eye popping, he was very consistent and had great peripherals.  He finished his Inland Empire season with a 3.22 ERA, but his FIP was even better at 2.39.  He also struck out about 10 batters per 9 innings.  That earned him a promotion to AA in August and Solano actually posted even better stats with the Lookouts through 19.1 innings.  When you combine his stats for the season, Solano had the best strikeout to walk ratio of any Dodger minor leaguer, the 3^rd best FIP, the 5^th best K/9, and the 5^th best WHIP (all minimum 50 IP).  And to emphasize his youth again, he did all this as a 20 year old playing in HiA and AA.  So what isn’t there to like about Solano?  The only real downside I can think of his height, as he is actually shorter than his listed measurement of 6’0”.  The reason I know he is shorter than 6 feet is because I found a picture of him standing next to Manny Ramirez (who is 6’0” on a good day), and Solano is a good two inches shorter than Manny.  Also, Charlie Hough specially mentioned to me that listing Javier at 6’0” is very generous.  In addition, in searching through other pictures of Solano, I’d also say that he’s a little heavier than his listed weight of 177, and that’s not because he has put on extra muscle if you know what I mean.  Anyways, despite my concerns about his physical makeup, Solano clearly has the tools to succeed against advanced competition.  At just 21 years old, he is well ahead of the game and seems to be on the fast track for the big leagues.  Nevertheless, he is going to have to continue to put up good numbers or else he’ll be forgotten just like numerous prospects before him.  He’ll probably return to AA in 2011 and will most likely remain there for the entire season since the Dodgers have no reason to rush him.

Why #28: Solano obviously moved up quite a bit in my rankings this year, but before I get too excited about him I’m going to wait and see what he does in 2011.  He had great stats in 2010, but his physical makeup really does scare me.  His ceiling seems to be that of a middle to late inning reliever at the big league level.

27.  Scott Schebler, OF (5 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 26^th round

6’1”, 208 lbs, 20.5 years old, bats left handed

.294 average, .863 OPS, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI, 1 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers selected Scott Schebler in the 26^th round of the 2010 draft after a huge season at Des Moines Area CC where he hit .446 with 20 jacks and 82 RBI’s.  However his asking price to sign was $300K – $500K and he had a strong commitment Wichita State, so both Scott and the Dodgers played the waiting game.  After getting drafted Schebler participated in the Northwoods League, a wood bat college summer league, to boost his stock.  He did just that as he smacked 10 more homers in just 218 at bats.  While negotiations went down the wire, the Dodgers eventually signed Schebler for $300K and a commitment to pay for his college.  After inking the deal, Schebler said “It was an extremely hard decision. A lot of thought got put into it.  It was an opportunity I didn’t think would come around again. It was a combination of me having leverage, being as young as I am, and the money I got. For the money I got out of this draft, I would have to be a very high draft as a junior.”  An outstanding athlete, the Dodgers got a very solid player in Schebler.  According to Baseball America, he has plus-plus speed and plus-plus raw power to his pull side.  The only question is his defense, which is fringy at this point.  He definitely has the speed to play center, but doesn’t have an accurate arm or the best instincts so he may end up in left.  If he continues to hit like he did in 2010, where he plays doesn’t really matter because his value lies in his offensive abilities.  At 20 years old, the Dodgers might push Schebler to Midwest League since he does have a decent amount of experience under his belt.  He is definitely a prospect to watch, especially given his combination of speed and power, and I have the feeling he’ll move pretty quickly through the Dodgers minor league system.

Why #27: Schebler might be my biggest sleeper in this ranking since he hasn’t really been mentioned much yet as a prospect.  However, I love his combination of speed and power and can see him developing into a legitimate outfield prospect that can play both left and center field at the big league level.  He could move up or down quite a bit in my rankings for next season depending on how he does in 2011.

26.  Brian Cavazos-Galvez, OF (121 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 12^th round

6’0”, 215 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.318 average, .863 OPS, 16 HR’s, 77 RBI’s, 43 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 34;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

As most people know by now, Brian Cavazos-Galvez is the son of a former Dodger minor leaguer who actually conceived Brian while he was playing AAA ball in Albuquerque for the Dodger affiliate then called the Dukes.  While the two lost contact, Brian grew up in New Mexico and played his college ball there before being selected by the Dodgers in the 12^th round of the 2009 draft.  BCG started his professional career with the Ogden Raptors and destroyed the Pioneer League in 2009, earning league MVP honors and leading the league in runs, hits, doubles, HR’s, and total bases.  In 2010 Brian was promoted to the Midwest League and got off to a tough start with Great Lakes as he posted a.256 average and .669 OPS prior to the All Star Break.  However he really turned things around in the 2nd half of the season which is when he smacked 14 of his 16 homers, recorded a 1.043 OPS, and hit .375.  In fact, his strong 2nd half was good enough for Galvez to claim the Loons RBI title with 77, and also win the Midwest league’s batting title.  In addition, Brian paced the Loon’s with a surprising 43 stolen bases, and was very versatile in the outfield as he played 23 games in left field, 43 games in center, and 24 games in right.  Overall, Brian Cavazos-Galvez is probably one of the more interesting prospects in the Dodgers minor league system, which also causes him to be a wildcard in terms of where people rank him in prospect lists.  Some people have BCG in their top 10, while others don’t even include in their top 30.  During the TBLA voting, he seemed to be the one player that people argued about most, as many felt strongly that he should be ranker higher than 20, yet he simply didn’t get the votes.  Me personally, I haven’t completely bought into Brian Cavazos-Galvez yet so that’s why he didn’t break into my top 20.  I realize that he’s has two outstanding season’s under his belt, but I simply want to see what he does against more advanced competition since he is already 23 years old.  His extremely low walk rate (2.3% in 2010) has also always scared me because I’m worried he’ll get exploited at the higher levels.  Furthermore, I believe Brian is destined to be a left fielder because he isn’t a great defender, and even admitted during his time in the Dominican Winter League “Who would have ever believed that I would be a defensive replacement? Not me…. I have always been the one getting replaced.”  I’m guessing that BCG will start 2011 in the California League, but will make it up to AA at some point during the year.  It’s what he does in the Southern League that will help me decide if he should be considered one of the top Dodger prospects, because right now I’m still skeptical that he will ever make it up to the big leagues.

Why #26: BCG showed a rare combination of speed and power in LoA, but he is already 23 years old and has yet to face more advanced competition.  I really don’t think he has what it takes to be a center fielder in the big leagues, so his ceiling is that of a major league left fielder.  Given the offensive requisites that come with left field, BCG is going to have to continue hitting if he wants to make it up to the show. 

25.  Ivan DeJesus, SS (130 games in AAA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 2^nd round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.296 average, .740 OPS, 7 HR’s, 70 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 13;     Pre 2009 Rank: 5

Sometimes I sit and wonder what life would be like if Ivan De Jesus hadn’t broken his leg back in 2009.  The McCourts probably wouldn’t be divorced, California probably wouldn’t be bankrupt, and there definitely would be world peace.  In all seriousness, while the world would not be different, the Dodgers might actually have a different team right now had DeJesus not gotten hurt.  Ivan was coming off a great season in AA in 2008, and he probably would have spent the next two years getting seasoning in AAA before taking over 2^nd base for the Dodgers in 2011.  If that had been a reality, we probably wouldn’t have Juan Uribe right now, and we possibly could have allocated that money to a bigger name free agent.  Instead, DeJesus is still a step slow due to his prolonged recovery which is limiting his potential.  While he had a decent season in AAA for the Isotopes and posted a .321 average in the Arizona Fall League, he is still at least a year away from making an impact on a major league roster.  In addition, DeJesus has always had a poor work ethic and has had issues with authority, which definitely scares me a bit.  After the 2010 season, DeJon Watson said, “With Ivan, we want to keep him playing, keep him moving. He’s coming off a broken leg and missed all of 2009. He’ll play second base, and we’ll mix him in at third, just to get his bat in lineup, not because that’s where we see him as a player. And after the Fall League, he’ll continue working at Camelback.”  Another thing to point out is that Ivan’s father was a major league shortstop for 15 seasons, so Ivan has a great baseball background and is a very intelligent player.  Overall, I see Ivan’s future as a major league backup infielder without much pop.  Since he is now strictly a 2nd baseman, his value has dropped significantly.  DeJesus will spend 2011 in AAA and will probably make his Dodger debut in September as an expanded roster call up.

Why #25: As you can see, Ivan De Jesus Jr. has dropped in my rankings since he broke his leg in 2009.  While I still believe that he has the ceiling of a starting major league 2^nd baseman, I think he’ll realistically be a major league backup player at best. 

24.  Matthew Magill, RHP (126.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 31^st round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 21.25 years old

7-4, 3.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 3.75 FIP, 9.62 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 44;     Pre 2009 Rank: 78

Matt Magill is from my wife’s hometown of Simi Valley and was picked by the Dodgers late in the 2008 draft due to his strong college commitment to Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  At the time he only threw about 90 mph, but the Dodgers liked his plus slider and 6’3” frame.  After a solid professional debut in the GCL, Magill spent 2009 in the Pioneer League and was a mainstay in the Raptors rotation.  While he had a good ERA of 4.00 while with Ogden, his batting average against of .224 was even better.  That earned Magill a promotion to LoA in 2010 where he had his best season yet.  While I’m sure many thought that he’d do well in the Midwest League, I’m sure nobody expected that he’d lead all of minor league baseball with a batting average against of just .194 as a 20 year old.  In addition, his 3.28 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and 9.6 K/9 all ranked among the Dodgers minor league leaders, and his 135 strikeouts were 2^nd most in the organization.  However, there should probably be an asterisk next to Magill’s 2010 stats because he had two very bad outings erased by rain, which earned him the nickname the Rain Man.  In terms of his overall pitching ability, fans and scouts seem to disagree on his potential.  I see a young kid with a big frame who has already put up strong stats and has a nice four pitch mix, including a 94 mph fastball and an above average slider (both which I saw during a game I watched online last year).  Multiple scouts, however, have described his stuff as fringy and think that his slider, which is getting him outs now, will be exploited by more advanced hitters.  Even DeJon Watson hinted that Magill wasn’t sexy, which earned him another nickname during last season (Mr. Unsexy).  Given his age, I’m going to ignore the scouts for now and continue to believe that he has what it takes to one day be a back of the rotation starter in the major leagues.  He’ll probably spend 2011 in HiA, and hopefully he’ll continue to limit the number of hits against him despite the hitter friendly environment.  Finally, it should be noted that at least one young lady finds Magill sexy because he is currently engaged to be married.

Why #24: Magill profiles as a #3 or #4 starter at the big league level, and at 21 years old he has plenty of time to reach his potential.  While I am a bit worried by what scouts say about his stuff, I think he deserves to be in the top 25 given his youth, pitching frame, and solid stats in 2010.

23.  Pedro Baez, 3B (7 games in AA, 75 games in HiA, 2 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 1/22/07

6’2”, 195 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.263 average, .661 OPS, 6 HR’s, 45 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 12;     Pre 2009 Rank: 11

Pedro Baez was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $200K before the 2007 season.  Because he was already 19 years old, the Dodgers sent Baez straight to the Gulf Coast League in 2007, and he has steadily moved up through the system ever since.  After a couple of mediocre campaigns, Pedro had a solid season in 2009 as he hit .286 for Inland Empire with 10 homers in just 79 games and was selected to participate in the Futures Game.  Unfortunately that season was cut short due to a knee injury in mid July.  In 2010 Baez returned to the 66ers, but this time he had a pretty disappointing year.  Even though he played in the Futures Game for the second straight season, Baez hit just 6 homers and had a dismal OPS of just .656.  I know he was injured a bit during the season, but that is no excuse for his below average stats.  Baez also made 21 errors in the field, which led to his .903 fielding percentage at 3rd base.  His only saving grace was the he did pretty well when he was promoted to AA for the final week of the season.  Despite his down season, Baez still has a few plus tools that may one day get him to the show.  Pedro has outstanding raw power and will crush fastballs that are left out over the plate.  Baez also has an outstanding infield arm, and has been clocked as high as 94 mph on throws across the infield.  Because he has a great arm and poor plate disciple, some have suggested that Baez should move to the mound a la Kenley Jansen.  If he has another poor year at the plate in 2011, which he’ll most likely spend in AA, that could become a reality.  Overall, you can see that Baez has dropped a bit in my rankings since last year, but I am still hopeful that he’ll make an impact with the Dodgers  at some point in his career, whether as a hitter or as a pitcher.

Why #23: Pedro Baez is really the Dodgers only 3^rd base prospect to play above rookie ball, so despite his poor stats in 2010 I still have high hopes for him.  I still believe he can be the Dodgers starting 3^rd baseman of the future, although that reality gets further and further away with every passing season.  In addition, with his ability to throw 94 mph he can always be moved to the mound, so that increases his value as a prospect.

22.  Joc Pederson, OF (3 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 11^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 18.75 years old, bats left handed

.000 average, .417 OPS, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Joc Pederson grew up in Northern California, and was a very solid athlete for Palo Alto high school.  On the football team he was a First-Team All League wide-out, and on the baseball field he hit .515 with 8 homers during his senior season to lead his team to the Central Coast Section championship game.  He had a strong commitment to play baseball at UCS in college, and even talked about walking onto the USC football team.  His college commitment and big bonus demands caused Pederson to fall to the Dodgers in the 11^th round of the 2010 draft.  Had he been drafted on talent alone, he was projected to go around the 3^rd or 4^th round, and Baseball America had him ranked as the 154^th best prospect in the draft.  After the draft, Pederson said “I have all summer to think about it, so I’ll take my time and see what happens.  I was surprised it was the Dodgers. A lot of teams were calling to see what my (salary) number was, so that may have affected where I was picked.”  After a long summer of going back and forth, Pederson finally signed with the Dodgers right around the deadline for $600,000.  Because he signed late he only appeared in 3 Arizona League games, and basically either walked or struck out in his limited plate appearances.  In terms of a scouting report, scouts say that has the potential to be a 5 tool player, although none of his 5 tools have a particularly high ceiling.  He has above average range on defense and good speed, which means he has a good chance of staying in center field.  He also shows good bat speed and has projectable raw power, and has solid bloodlines as his father actually played for the Dodgers briefly in 1985.  In short, Joc has ability to one day be a big league regular, but he’ll probably never be a major league star.  A comparable player that comes to mind is Ryan Spilborghs, although his frame reminds scouts of Jim Edmonds.  Because he’s just 18 years old, I expect Pederson to play a full season in a rookie league in 2011, with the Pioneer League as his most likely destination. 

Why #22: Joc Pederson is extremely young so it is difficult to project his future right now.  If I had to guess his ceiling, I’d say he could be a major league center fielder who plays solid defense and hits .290 with 15 homers per year. 

21.  Leon Landry, CF (57 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 3^rd round

5’11”, 185 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats left handed

.349 average, .909 OPS, 4 HR’s, 38 RBI’s, 13 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Leon Landry played his college ball at LSU, and helped the Tigers win the 2009 College World Series although he was overshadowed by several players on that team.  That changed in 2010 as he established himself as a more elite player by hitting .338 with 6 homers and 16 stolen bases, striking out just 25 times in 240 at bats, and making just one error in center field.  The Dodgers selected him in the 3^rd round of the 2010 draft and Landry signed quickly for about $285K.  Leon made his professional debut in the Pioneer League and had an outstanding season for the Ogden Raptors, ranking among the league leaders in several offensive categories and hitting very well both at home and on the road.  He’s also an outstanding defender, and according to Raptor radio man Brandon Hart “Landry should be defined by his defense.  It is what got him drafted in the 3rd round.  He has a second gear in the field.  The comparison to Pierre with less speed and more power I would feel is fair but (and I hate to compare him to someone on the Giants) he is a lot like Andres Torres.  Landry is better than Pierre.  Pierre got on base because of his speed.  Landry will drive the ball to get on base.  Great defense and good speed.  Has a bit of pop but he should not be described as a power hitter.  Gap hitter.”  I watched a few Landry play a few times myself last year and he holds the bat low during the windup and wiggles it around, then bring hands up slightly as the pitch is thrown.  He has a quick swing that is relatively short, but you can tell that he is able to generate at least decent power when he makes solid contact with his quick wrists.  The only negative about his game is his below average arm, although at this point most people believe he’ll be able to stay in center field because of his other defensive tools.  At the end of the day, Landry is a four tool talent who doesn’t have the highest ceiling in the world, but seems like he could be a regular one day in the majors.  He’ll most likely spend 2011 in class A as the everyday center fielder for either the Loons or the Quakes.

Why #21: I think Landry profiles as a solid defensive outfielder at the big league level who can play either left or center and hit .280 with about 10 homers per year.  Still just 21 years old, 2011 will be an interesting year for Landry and will really let us know what his potential is.

20.  Blake Smith, OF (115 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 2^nd round

6’2”, 220 lbs, 23.25 years old, bats left handed

.281 average, .852 OPS, 19 HR, 76 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 20;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Blake Smith was selected in the 2^nd round of the 2009 draft out of Cal where he was a two way player for the Golden Bears.  During his 3 year college career, Smith had a .312 average with 28 homers in 158 games, and a 4.63 ERA in 62.2 innings with a 12.2 K/9.  The Dodgers signed Smith as an outfielder, and after the draft Logan White said, “He was highly touted as a hitter and a pitcher.  Just like Loney, he has a really nice left-handed swing and he’s a power guy with incredible raw power. When he worked out, he almost hit one out of Dodger Stadium — way up in the seats. Obviously he can throw and if we can work with him to utilize that raw power, he’ll be a front-line corner outfielder.”  After a terrible professional debut in 2009, many wrote off Smith as a wasted pick.  I, on the other hand, expected a rebound season for Smith in LoA in 2010 and that is exactly what happened.  Blake led the Loons with 19 home runs and posted a very solid .852 OPS.  He also hit .303 against left handers despite being a lefty himself, and played very strong defense in right field while recording 11 assists.  However, Smith has a career strikeout rate of 28.4%, and some expect him to struggle against more advanced pitching.  Therefore, despite his improvements in 2010, the Dodgers are apparently still considering moving him to the mound at some point down the road.  Smith has a very strong arm and as previously mentioned had very good strikeout numbers in college, so making him a pitcher is definitely an option.  That move won’t be made anytime soon, though, as the Dodgers are probably going to promote Smith the HiA and make him the Quakes starting right fielder in 2011.  Given the hitter friendly environment of the California League, Blake could have a very big season next year.

Why #20: Blake Smith has a lot of value because he has the potential to be a powerful outfielder, yet also could end up as a power reliever on the mound.  If I had to guess right now, I’d say Smith’s ceiling is a big league right fielder who could hit 25 homers annually with an adequate batting average.

19.  Jake Lemmerman, SS (66 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 5^th round

6’1”, 192 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats right handed

.363 average, 1.044 OPS, 12 HR’s, 47 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Jake Lemmerman is a local kid who grew up in Corona Del Mar, yet he decided to play his college ball at Duke.  While he was a Blue Devil, Lemmerman built up quite a reputation for himself both on and off the field.  I’ll stick to talking about what he did on the field, however, as Late Night lead the team in virtually every offensive category, including batting average (.335), homers (11), slugging (.569), and RBI’s (45).  He also had a solid .987 fielding percentage as the team’s shortstop.  That prompted the Dodgers to select Lemmerman in the 5^th round of the 2010 draft, and they were able to sign him very quickly.  Assigned to the Pioneer League, Lemmerman had pretty much the best season possible for a first year shortstop.  Jake was named the MVP for the entire league, and definitely deserved it with the offensive stats he put up as a middle infielder.  Jake hit .363 over 259 at bats and finished the season with 12 homers.  He also ranked 1st in the league in runs (69), 1st in doubles (24), 7th in RBI’s (47), 2nd in total bases (158), 3rd in OBP (.434), 3rd in SLG (.610), and 4th in OPS (1.044).  His season reminds me a lot of what Brian Cavazos-Galvez did in the Pioneer League in 2009, but I’m much more impressed with Lemmerman because he is a full year younger than BCG was at this stage, and also because he plays the premium position of shortstop.  After the season, Baseball America ended up ranking Lemmerman as the 6th best prospect in the league, and compared him Mark Grudzielanek and Mark Loretta.  The only caveat to his big season was that Lemmerman hit 10 of his 12 home runs at home, but his overall numbers on the road were still very good as he hit .360 with a .937 OPS as the away team.  Probably the biggest question for Lemmerman is if he’ll be able to stay at shortstop as he moves up through the system.  Most of the reports I’ve read say that he is a great defender at shortstop, yet Baseball America mentioned in their pre-draft report that they saw him moving to 2^nd or 3^rd base in the future.  Since his ability to play shortstop is what really boosts his value, let’s hope he can continue to stick at that position.  I see Lemmerman spending 2011 as the Loons everyday shortstop, and it will be interesting to see how he performs over a full season in the Midwest League.

Why #19: Anyone that has the ability to play shortstop and puts up great offensive stats deserves to be included in my top 20.  However, Lemmerman’s sample size is limited to one season in a hitter friendly league, so that is why I don’t have him ranked higher than #19.  While he is still a long way off from reaching his potential, I see his ceiling as an everyday shortstop at the big league level with the ability to smack 15 homers and hit .280 over a full season.

18.  Josh Lindblom, RHP (95 IP in AAA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 2^nd round

6’5”, 240 lbs, 23.75 years old

3-2, 6.54 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 4.31 FIP, 7.96 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 8;     Pre 2009 Rank: 6

After getting selected in the 2^nd round of the 2008 draft out of Purdue, Lindblom appeared to be on the fact track to the big leagues.  He made it up to AA in his first professional season, and then found himself in the Dodgers big league spring training camp less than 10 months after getting drafted.  After a solid 2009 season, he again earned himself an invite to the Dodgers 2010 big league spring training.  Since then, however, things have gone downhill for Josh.  He started the 2010 season in the Isotopes rotation, but had a 7.06 ERA through 10 games and moved to the bullpen.  While the move helped him some, he still had a 5.93 ERA over the final 3+ months of the season.  Despite the down year, fans shouldn’t lose faith in Lindblom as a prospect, especially since he is still just 23 years old.  When asked about Josh after the season, DeJon Watson said that AAA is a very difficult place to pitch, so you have to take his stats with a grain of salt.  Watson also mentioned that Lindblom will definitely remain in the bullpen, and that it has taken him a while to get readjusted to his role as a reliever.  The fact that Josh can now focus on being a full time reliever should help him in the future since back and forth between starter and reliever is very difficult for any pitcher.  Also, reports out of the Arizona Instructional League were that Lindblom’s fastball was back up to 95 mph, so that is good news heading into 2011.  When you combine his fastball with a hard curve, a developing changeup, and solid command, that should lead to higher K/9 numbers and better overall stats in the future.  I expect Lindblom to spend 2011 in AAA, and could even serve as the Isotopes closer.  I still project him to be a solid reliever at the big league level in the future, and will most likely be added to the Dodgers 40 man roster before the end of this year.

Why #18: Lindblom is still very young and has the ceiling of a big league closer.  While he hasn’t yet demonstrated that he can handle major league hitting, he could end up being a significant piece in the Dodgers bullpen for years to come.  However, his poor year in 2010 has caused him to drop in my rankings.

17.  Kyle Russell, RF (76 games in AA, 53 games in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 3^rd round

6’5”, 195 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats left handed

.291 average, .934 OPS, 26 HR’s, 81 RBI’s, 11 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 14;     Pre 2009 Rank: 14

Kyle Russell was the Dodgers 3^rd round pick in the 2008 draft out of Texas, and after setting home runs records in college he has continued to put on a power display as a pro.  He has also struck out at a pretty alarming rate (32% for his career), but really that just comes with the territory for Kyle.  After earning co-MVP honors in the Midwest League in 2009, Russell made a joke out of the California League in 2010 by hitting .354 in 53 games with 16 homers and a ridiculous 1.140 OPS.  That earned Kyle a promotion to AA in June, and while his stats dropped across the board in the Southern League, he still managed to rank 3rd on the Lookouts with 10 home runs.  In addition, when you dig a little deeper into his AA stats, you’ll notice that after getting off to a terrible start in Chattanooga, he was able to turn things around in August as he recorded an OPS of 1.018 during that month.  In terms of his defense, Russell is a strong defensive outfielder with a good arm and profiles best in right field.  When you watch video of Kyle in college, you’ll notice how skinny he was back then.  Luckily he has added a little muscle since turning pro and now looks more solid on the field.  Overall, Russell has the power to make it to the big leagues, but you can almost guarantee that he would never hit for a high average.  He has a long swing and definitely struggles with breaking balls.  The obvious comparison to Russell is Mark Reynolds, but I don’t think that Kyle would be quite as extreme as Reynolds as a big league player since I doubt he’d hit 40 homers over a full season and I also doubt he’d hit below .200.  A more realistic expectation would be 20 – 30 homers over a full season with an average around .240.  Now 24 years old, Russell will probably return to AA to start 2011 and is going to have to continue to impress if he wants to make it to the show.  A promotion to AAA isn’t out of the question, and if he has a solid year I would expect the Dodgers to add Russell to their 40 man roster next offseason.

Why #17: Russell has a ton of power and is a solid defender in right field, so his ceiling is that of a starting right fielder in the major leagues.  He has a career OPS of .920, but is already 24 years old so he is going to have to move quickly if he wants to have an impact in the big leagues.  At the very least, I do expect Russell to make it up the Dodgers as a bench player at some point in his career.

16.  Ralston Cash, RHP (6 IP in Pioneer League, 30 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 2^nd round

6’1”, 197 lbs, 19.5 years old

2-2, 5.00 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 3.59 FIP, 7.50 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Ralston Cash was probably a bit of an overdraft when the Dodgers selected him in the 2^nd round of the 2010 draft, but you can’t blame the team since they spent $5.25M on their 1^st round pick on Zach Lee.  The Georgia prep eventually signed for $463K, and joined the Arizona Dodgers in July of 2010.  Cash, the cousin of 2008 first round pick Ethan Martin, had an interesting upbringing because he was raised by his grandparents after his mother passed away in a freak car accident.  He was committed to play at Georgia, but he couldn’t bypass the Dodgers generous offer.  Upon joining the Arizona League, Ralston put up solid stats.  He played almost the entire season as an 18 year old, yet recorded a 2.83 FIP and did not allow a homer in his 30 innings pitched.  He was also rated as the 20th best prospect in the Arizona League by Baseball America, and he earned a promotion to the Pioneer League at the end of the Arizona season.  In terms of his stuff, Cash throws a fastball from 88-92 mph with good sink, and he has touched 94 mph.  Some scouts describe his secondary stuff as fringy, while others believe his changeup and slider can one day become plus pitches.  One interesting thing about Cash is that while he is listed at 6’1” on MILB.com, other scouting reports have his height at 6’3” or 6’4”.  He’ll probably spend 2011 in the Pioneer League where he’ll continue to work on his game as a starting pitcher. 

Why #16: Ralston Cash has three pitches that project to be at solid to above average, which leads me to believe that his ceiling is that of a #3 starter at the big league level.  While there are several pitchers in the Dodgers system ahead of Cash at this point, he seems to be a solid prospect with good command of his game.

15.  Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (85 IP in HiA, 5 IP in Pioneer League, 8.1 IP in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 11^th round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 21 years old

4-6, 4.30 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 3.44 FIP, 6.59 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 7;     Pre 2009 Rank: 12

Nathan Eovaldi was the Dodgers 11^th rounded pick in the 2008 draft, and surprised many people by signing for $250,000 instead of going to college.  In his professional debut he dominated the Gulf Coast League, and then put up solid numbers with the Loons in 2009.  Promoted to HiA in 2010, Nathan made 14 starts with the 66ers in 2010 before straining his oblique in July.  During his time in Inland Empire, Eovaldi showed flashes of brilliance including two complete game shutouts, but overall he didn’t really have the dominant season that I was hoping for.  His ERA was 4.45 and his WHIP was 1.55, and he only struck out 6.14 batters per 9 innings despite a very strong fastball that was clocked as high as 97 mph.  Eovaldi also has an above average curveball and occasionally throws a changeup, but he continues to struggle with the command of his pitches which has led to his less than stellar strikeout numbers.  Some scouts believe that Nathan would be better suited as a power relief pitcher, but for now the Dodgers want to keep him in the rotation since he is just 21 years old and has a lot of potential.  Nathan finished up the 2010 season by rehabbing the rookie leagues, and for 2011 I expect him to return to HiA for more seasoning.  The other thing to remember about Eovaldi is that he had Tommy John back in 2007 and has not yet gone over the 100 inning mark in any of his professional seasons, so he’s going to have to continue to increase his workload as he gets older if he wants to remain a starter.

Why #15: Eovaldi is one of my favorite Dodger prospects, but his mediocre stats and low strikeout rate in 2010 caused him to drop a little in my rankings.  I still think he’ll make it to the big leagues one day, however, and he has the ceiling of a middle of the rotation starter or a power reliever.

14.  Aaron Miller, LHP (23 IP in AA, 101.2 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 1^st round

6’3”, 200 lbs, 23.5 years old

7-8, 3.68 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 3.91 FIP, 8.74 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 9;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

Aaron Miller was the Dodgers 1^st round pick in 2009 out of Baylor where he was a two way player for the Bears.  As a hitter Miller batter .312 during his junior season with 12 homers, and on the mound he posted a 5.12 ERA with a K/9 of almost 11.5.  The Dodgers wanted Miller as a pitcher, and after signing him for almost $900,000 he paid immediate dividends with a stellar professional debut.  Promoted to HiA for his first full season, Miller was the easily the best pitcher for the 66ers.  He was extremely consistent all season, and stuck out almost a batter per inning.  Inland Empire pitching coach Charlie Hough had this to say about Miller, “Sneaky fastball…Easy, easy delivery and the ball kinda sneaks up on the hitters. He has a ways to go throwing some breaking balls. He has good feel with the changeup. Again, he’s another guy that hasn’t pitched an awful lot. He probably got 30 innings last year coming out of college, where he didn’t pitch all that much anyway. He was a regular player. So he’s gotta spend some time on the mound and develop a better feel of all of his pitches and for the game. He’s getting them pretty good though.”  While Miller got lit up during his month long mid-season promotion to AA, he had an overall productive season.  That being said, what worries me that most about Miller was his dip in velocity.  While he apparently had the ability to dial it up to about 95 mph in the past, Miller sat in the high 80’s to low 90’s for most of 2010.  I realize that the 124 innings he pitched were by far the most he’s threw in any calendar year, but I still have some doubts that he’ll ever be able to get his velocity back up to where it once.  Hopefully he won’t need those extra miles per hour, however, since he has great control and also shows potential for a slider, which could be his 2^nd plus pitch.  Miller will spend 2011 in AA, and I’m sure he’s eager to prove that his previous stint in the Southern league was a fluke.  At 23 years old, Aaron has already moved very quickly and could be knocking on the door of Los Angeles at some point in 2012 season if he has another strong campaign in 2011.

Why #14: I know that my ranking of Miller looks a little low, but there simply isn’t room for him any higher on my list since I feel the players I ranked ahead of him are better prospects and have even more upside.  That being said, Aaron has the ceiling of a middle of the rotation starter, and I think he has a pretty good chance of reaching that goal if he stays healthy.

13.  James Baldwin, OF (46 games in Arizona League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 4^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats left handed

.274 average, .676 OPS, 2 HR’s, 22 RBI’s, 17 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

James Baldwin is one of the more intriguing players drafted by the Dodgers in 2010.  The son of the former major leaguer by the same name, Baldwin is an extremely athletic player who is still relatively raw as an outfielder because he played three sports in high school also spent time on the mound.  James signed relatively quickly for $180,000, but got off to a very slow start in his professional debut with the Arizona Dodgers.  Through July, Baldwin was hitting below .220 with an OPS of less than .525.  However, things clicked for Baldwin in August as he hit .357 in the month to go along with 15 RBI’s, 9 SB’s, and an .890 OPS.  For the season as a whole, he led the Arizona Dodgers with 17 SB’s and was among the top 3 on the club in runs, RBI, and doubles.  In terms of his prospect status, Baldwin has the potential to be a five tool player, although currently his only plus tool is his outstanding speed.  I’ve read mixed reports on his future power potential, but at 6’3” I’ve got to think that he’ll be able to hit at least 20 homers per year in his prime.  He also plays a very smooth center field, and uses his speed to get to balls quickly.  After the season, DeJon Watson had this to say about his new prospect, “James Baldwin is a guy to keep your eye on.  He’s a guy who’s going to pop up quickly…He’s going to stay in center field.”  Like most young players Baldwin needs to improve his pitch recognition at the plate, and hopefully that will improve the 30.8% strikeout rate he had in 2010.  The left handed batter also needs to get more reps against lefty pitchers because he hit just .057 against southpaws last year.  Since he’s just 19 years old, James will probably spend the first few months of 2011 in extended spring training before playing in the Pioneer League later in the year.  He still has a long way to go in the Dodgers minor league system, but he will be a very exciting player to follow over the next few years.

Why #13: I really like James Baldwin as a prospect, and although I haven’t seen him play I really like his potential.  Due to his athleticism his ceiling could be through the roof; possibly even as high as a Matt Kemp type player.  It’s for that reason that I have him ranked this high on my list.

12.  Jonathan Garcia, RF (61 games in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 8^th round

5’11”, 175 lbs, 19.25 years old, bats right handed

.305 average, .892 OPS, 10 HR’s, 40 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 10;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers selected Jonathan Garcia in the 8^th round of the 2009 draft out of Puerto Rico, and so far the pick looks like a steal.  In his professional debut Garcia did very well in the Arizona Rookie League, hitting .305 with a .862 OPS as a 17 year old.  Promoted to the Pioneer League in 2010, Jonathan was a full two years younger than any other position player on the Raptors yet ranked 3^rd on the club with his 10 homers and .527 slugging percentage.  He also showed above average bat speed throughout the season.  In addition to his strong hitting, Garcia is a very good defensive right fielder and tied for the league lead with 12 outfield assists.  Baseball America said he had a hose for an arm, and Raptors announcer Brandon Hart told me that “His arm is top notch and the best of the outfielders I have seen this season.”  Brandon also went on to mention that “His defense as far as catching the ball and range is average, not great but not bad either.  He has average speed.  He is not slow by any means but isn’t a speed demon either.”  With the good of course come the bad, and for Garcia he still needs to work on pitch selectivity.  In addition, at just 5’11” his size gives some people doubts, but I don’t think his height will hinder him as he moves up through the system.  Overall, the fact is that you couldn’t have asked for a better offensive season out of Garcia in 2010.  Sure he had pretty drastic home vs road splits, but can you honestly expect any more out of an 18 year old facing pitchers who are all 2 to 4 years older than him?  2011 will be a real test because Garcia will definitely move up to LoA for his first taste of full season ball.  He’ll still be one of the youngest players in the league, so he’s going to have to continue to work hard if he wants to maintain his solid stats. 

Why #12: Last year I compared to Garcia to Raul Mondesi with less speed, although the more I think about it Jonathan’s ceiling probably isn’t quite that high.  I still believe Garcia could be a solid right fielder at the big league level with solid power and a decent average, but that is still a long ways off.  Also, the only reason he dropped a couple spots in my ranking was because other prospects emerged and pushed him out of my top 10.

11.  Scott Elbert, LHP (43.1 IP in AAA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 1^st round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 25.5 years old

1-1, 4.98 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 4.82 FIP, 9.35 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 6;     Pre 2009 Rank: 4

Scott Elbert was the Dodgers first round pick back in 2004, and it seems like he’s been around forever.  He’s been ranked as a top 10 Dodger prospect basically since he was drafted, and made Baseball America’s top 100 prospect list from 2006 to 2008, peaking at #31 in 2007.  However, 2010 was season to forget for Elbert as he left the organization for personal reasons in June, and didn’t return until after the season.  He was back in time for the Arizona Fall League, however, and at the start of the AFL Elbert told Tony Jackson “It was just some personal issues I had to attend to.  I can tell you right now, it had nothing to do with baseball. It was just a lot of personal stuff I had to take care of, and that’s about it.”  Although he had been a starter for pretty much his entire minor league career, in the AFL the Dodgers told Elbert to concentrate on his new role, which would be out of the bullpen.  Elbert took the news in stride, and said “To be honest, I would like to be a reliever. If that is going to be my job, then that is what I will prepare for. … I don’t ever think [starting] is out of the question, but I have always been known as a high pitch-count guy, and if I’m able to bring that down and go deeper into games, maybe I can be a starter again. Nothing is ever out of the question in this game.”  With the Desert Dogs in the Fall league Scott posted very good stats, striking out 15 batters in 11.2 innings and allowing a .195 batting average against.  His stuff was also described as “nasty” by several AFL scouts, which is definitely encouraging news.  His fastball is still in the mid 90’s, and his slider and a solid strikeout pitch and ranks as the best in the Dodgers organization.  He also throws a good changeup, although he doesn’t use it much out of the bullpen.  Don Mattingly got a chance to watch Elbert in the AFL, and said “He was tremendous for me. His stuff plays. I’ve talked to him. He’s been up and down, up and down. He’s got a power arm and can get lefties or righties out. He seems durable. He’s not afraid. I like him.”  With the Dodgers lack of left handed bullpen arms, Elbert still has a shot to make the Dodgers 2011 opening day roster if he has a good showing in spring training.  If he doesn’t make the club, he’ll continue to work in the Isotopes’ bullpen and will almost certainly get called up to the Dodgers at some point in 2011 as long as he stays healthy.

Why #11: Elbert lost some value now that he is no longer a starter, which is why he dropped a little in my ranking.  However he still has very good stuff, so he if can stay healthy and doesn’t have any more personal issues, he will probably be a solid late inning bullpen arm for years to come. 

10.  Garrett Gould, RHP (57.1 IP in Pioneer League in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 2^nd round

6’4”, 190 lbs, 19.5 years old

1-4, 4.06 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 3.39 FIP, 8.12 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 5;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

The Dodgers selected Garrett Gould in the 2^nd round of the 2009 draft, and were able to lure him away from his college commitment to Wichita State for $900,000.  Because he signed late he only appeared in 3 games in 2009, so last year was really his first professional season.  Playing in the Pioneer League in 2010 Gould wasn’t overly impressive, but he did post a 3.39 FIP to go along with 8.1 strikeouts per 9 innings.  He also allowed 15 unearned runs, which is a surprisingly high number given that he only threw 57 innings.  The one thing that people talked about was his drop in velocity during the season, but I’m not too concerned about that because he battled a couple of minor injuries throughout the year and was simply adjusting to the rigors of being a professional pitcher that throws every fifth day.  He is also still just 19 years old and has a lot of projection left in his frame, so I expect him to get back into the mid 90’s by next year.  In addition, Baseball America said that “even at reduced velocity, his fastball worked well because he commands it to both sides of the plate and it features plus sink and armside life.”  Now that we’ve covered his fastball, it’s time to mention that he has one of the best curveballs in the Dodgers minor league system.  It’s a plus pitch that was rated as one of the best among high school pitchers in the 2009 draft.  It is thrown at around 82 mph and to me looks like a right handed version of Kershaw’s curveball.  Gould also has a serviceable changeup which gives him a solid three pitch mix.  In 2011 Gould should be ready for a full season league, with the Great Lakes Loons as his most likely destination.  However, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers piggybacked him with another starter to keep his innings down given that he is just 19 years old.  He still has a ways go to, but I think there is a good chance that Gould will one day help the Dodgers at the big league level.

Why #10: Gould did drop a bit in my rankings, but that is mostly due to the emergence of other players.  Even still I have him ranked higher than most, and that is because he is still so young which puts his potential through the roof.  I’m sure he’ll regain the velocity on his fastball, and his great curveball gives him a very solid out pitch.  I believe his ceiling is that of a #2 starter in the big leagues, which is enough to rank him in my top 10.

9.  Allen Webster, RHP (131.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 18^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 21 years old

12-9, 2.88 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 3.50 FIP, 7.81 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 11;     Pre 2009 Rank: 100

Allen Webster was pretty much an unknown when he was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2008 draft.  He played mostly shortstop in high school, and when he was first used as a pitcher he could barely hit 90 mph.  Just a few years later, Webster has bloomed into one of the Dodgers best pitching prospects and had an All Star season for the Great Lakes Loons in 2010.  He led the Midwest League with 12 wins, and had an outstanding 2.88 ERA for the season.  He was also very consistent, posting a 2.88 ERA against both lefties and righties, and recording a 2.90 ERA at home vs. a 2.85 ERA on the road.  In addition, while his strikeout numbers weren’t overpowering, batters still only hit .239 against him.  Stats aside, the best part about Webster is that he has the potential for three plus pitches.  His fastball sits in the low 90’s with good sink, and during one start I watched online last season the announcer had him topping out at 97 mph.  He also has a solid curveball, which is improving with every start.  His best pitch, however, is his changeup which was rated by Baseball America as the best in the Dodgers organization.  Since Webster is still just 21 years old, the Dodgers probably won’t rush him so he’ll most likely start the 2011 season in Rancho Cucamonga.  In terms of his more distant future, one scout was quoted as saying “He could end up being a stud.  He has a couple of plus pitches and will be a solid middle-of-the-rotation guy.”

Why #9: Webster has three very good pitches and is still very young, which definitely gives him a good chance of making it to the big leagues one day.  I believe that he “only” has the ceiling of a #3 starter, but I have him higher on the list than Gould because he has already had success in a full season league.  That being said, I just don’t think he has the upside of the other pitchers ranked above him, and that is why I don’t have him higher on my list.

8.  Trayvon Robinson, CF (120 games in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 10^th round

5’11”, 195 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.300 average, .842 OPS, 9 HR’s, 57 RBI’s, 38 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 15;     Pre 2009 Rank: 44

Drafted in 2005 out of Crenshaw High School, Trayvon Robinson’s career got off to a slow start.  In his first three professional seasons he was very ordinary and wasn’t mentioned in any of the Dodger top prospect discussions.  In 2008 he showed some signs of life while in Inland Empire, then really broke out in 2009 with 17 homers and 47 stolen bases.  That brings us to the 2010 season, which Robinson spent in AA.  While his stats weren’t eye popping with the Lookouts, the switch hitter had a solid all around year.  He led the team with a .300 average, hit 9 homers, stole 38 bases, and only made 4 errors in center field.  He also had an impressive .404 on base percentage which ranked 3rd in the entire Southern League, and recorded 12 outfield assists despite having a below average arm.  After the season, Robinson played in the AFL and DeJon Watson has this to say about him: “He had a big year. Look at his numbers over the last three years, the trend is up. His on-base percentage has gone up 150 points in a three-year window. We’re trying to expand his overall game, to get him to be more aggressive defensively. He’s still pushing the envelope with his baserunning. We want him a little more aggressive going first to third. He gets good reads and jumps. He’s relatively close to finishing off the skill set. This will be a really good test for him.”  After watching him play in the AFL, Don Mattingly also had some praise for Robinson and said “He’s coming. I’ve had the chance to see him play with my son in Michigan, saw him in the spring and fall, and every time I see him, I love to see the progression. Each time he’s gotten better. He’s getting there. If he continues to progress, he’s got a chance to be an impact guy.”  Besides his arm, which worries some scouts enough to say that he might not be able to handle center field at the big league level, Trayvon has solid 4 tools and a knack for getting on base.  None of his tools are really outstanding, however, which limits his ceiling.  Robinson also strikeouts out a little too much, so he’s going to try and polish his game in AAA next season.  That being said, I’m almost positive that Robinson will make his major league debut at some point in 2011, even if it is just as a September call up. 

Why #8: I like Robinson’s athleticism and the fact that he is a switch hitter, but I’m not as high on him as most other people.  I think his ceiling is that of a solid defensive center fielder who has a weak arm and hits around .270 with 10 homers and 20 steals annually.  While that’s still pretty good, I just think the prospects I’ve ranked above him have brighter futures.

7.  Ethan Martin, RHP (113.1 IP in HiA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 1^st round

6’2”, 195 lbs, 21.75 years old

9-14, 6.35 ERA, 1.77 WHIP, 4.82 FIP, 8.34 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 3;     Pre 2009 Rank: 3

Ethan Martin was the Dodgers 1^st round pick in 2008, and he ended up being the first high school pitcher selected in that draft.  Prior to the draft he had been named as the Baseball America High School Player of the Year as a two way player.  His overall pitching stats as a senior were 11-1 with a 0.99 ERA and 141 K’s in 79 innings, but he was also a great power hitting 3^rd baseman.  Due to a knee injury Martin didn’t make his professional debut until 2009 when he threw an even 100 innings in the Midwest League.  He did very well for the Loons, as he had a FIP of 3.45 and a K/9 of 10.8 for the season.  In 2010 he was promoted to HiA but the results were ugly.  While he got off to a decent start and showed flashes of brilliance throughout the season, Martin ended up with a 6.35 ERA and 14 losses.  When I asked DeJon Watson about Martin’s struggles in 2010, he said that the biggest challenge for Ethan is the mental game.  Watson went on to say that he needs to make mental adjustments in order to succeed, and will most likely repeat the California League next year and will stay there until he can prove he can dominate that level.  I also heard from another scout that Martin’s fastball was much too straight last season and lacked the movement he had during 2009.  However, even though Martin had a poor season and needs to make some adjustments to his game, there is still reason to be excited about him as a prospect.  Both Watson and Charlie Hough told me that he still has great stuff and that he continues to get his fastball up to 98 mph.  Martin also has a big breaking curveball and a developing changeup, and is still just 21 years old.  Overall, I think it is much too early to give up on Martin after just one poor season.  He was invited to participate in the Dodgers Winter Development Minicamp, and hopefully he’ll continue to get good coaching during spring training.  I do expect to see Martin back in the California League to start the 2011 season, but if he does well he might make it up to AA at some point next year.

Why #7: Ethan Martin still has a ton of potential in my book and has the ceiling of a #2 starter in the big leagues.  Therefore I decided that he deserved to stay in my top 10 although he did drop a few spots due to the emergence of other Dodger prospects.

6.  Kenley Jansen, RHP (27 games in AA, 18 IP in HiA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 11/17/04

6’6”, 220 lbs, 23.5 years old

5-1, 1.60 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 1.27 FIP, 15.60 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 16;     Pre 2009 Rank: 36

Since Kenley Jansen burst onto the scene in Los Angeles last season and dominated major league batters, almost everyone already knows his story.  Nevertheless, I’ll give a little background on the Dodgers rookie phenom.  The former catcher was signed by the Dodgers out of Curacao as a 17 year old, and made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League.  After showing some offensive potential in his first season, things went downhill for Jansen at the plate over the next 2 and a half years.  But then something amazing happened as Jansen found new life on the pitching mound.  He started throwing blazing fastballs and was striking batters out at an astonishing rate.  Even though he had immediate success on the mound, nobody could have imagined how well he would do in 2010.  Jansen dominated the minor leagues for a few months, and then went on to record the 4th lowest major league rookie ERA in major league history with the Dodgers (minimum 25 innings) at 0.67.  Armed with a mid 90’s fastball that can get up to 100 mph and a developing slider, Kenley is the perfect late inning relief pitcher and definitely has closer potential.  He also throws a changeup on occasion, although it is a work in progress and he basically hasn’t needed to use it yet.  Despite his outstanding big league debut, however, there are a few things keeping from ranking in my top 5.  His walk rate last season was much too high, and he currently only has one plus pitch.  Don’t get me wrong, I love Jansen as a prospect and Dodger, but if he doesn’t improve his secondary stuff I’m sure major league hitters will eventually figure him out.  When the 2010 season ended it appeared the Jansen was a lock for the Dodgers 2011 bullpen, but now things seem more uncertain given that the team has signed or acquired several relievers this offseason.  Even if he doesn’t start the season with the Dodgers, there is no question that he will still be a big part of the Dodgers’ plans next year.

Why #6: Jansen has already dominated big league hitters, and has a very bright future as a late inning reliever and/or closer.  As I mentioned above, his lack of a plus second pitch keeps him from being ranked any higher, but he still should be a very good bullpen arm for a long time.

5.  Rubby De La Rosa, RHP (51 IP in AA, 59.1 IP in LoA in 2010)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’1”, 170 lbs, 22 years old

7-2, 2.37 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 3.16 FIP, 7.67 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 35;     Pre 2009 Rank: 51

Rubby De La Rosa was signed out of the Dominican Republic on the first day of international signing period in 2007.  After throwing just 6 innings in 2007, De La Rosa played a full season in the Dominican Summer League in 2008 and put up some very impressive numbers.  His stellar season prompted the Dodgers to bring De La Rosa to Camelback Ranch for spring training in 2009, and it was there that Rubby began to get noticed.  Keith Law was the first to report on his strong fastball and overall great stuff, and that was enough to get me interested.  However, after appearing in just 5 games with the Arizona Dodgers in 2009 and recording a 6.06 ERA, De La Rosa sat out the rest of the season for what some have called disciplinary reasons.  That caused many to forget about Rubby as a prospect, but I saw his potential last season and ranked him favorably at #35 last year.  That brings us to 2010, which is when RDLA truly had a breakout season.  Rubby joined the Loons in late April, and was initially in the Loons bullpen where he picked up 6 saves.  After he was stretched out a bit, RDLA joined the Great Lakes rotation and continued to show plus stuff.  He reached 100 mph with his fastball on multiple occasions, and showed a lot of potential with both his slider and changeup.  Loons manager Juan Bustabad said that Rubby reminded him of Pedro Martinez, although Rubby throws harder.  De La Rosa was promoted to AA in late July and spent the remainder of the season in Chattanooga.  He got off to a great start by not allowing an earned run in his first three starts, and after posting a 3.19 ERA in LoA RDLA actually lowered his ERA to 1.41 with the Lookouts.  After the season, Lookout manager Carlos Subero raved about Rubby’s ability to add extra velocity late in games, and compared De La Rosa to Edinson Volquez.  The one thing that worried me about Rubby’s season was that he jumped from 16 innings in 2009 to over 100 in 2010.  However, DeJon Watson put my worries to rest when he told me “The Dodgers are not concerned with his workload this year because he threw way more than the listed 16 innings in 2009…the 16 innings are just what you have listed in your book.”  Watson also said that “Rubby’s skill set is what caused the Dodgers to promote him to AA.  In particular, his poise, his demeanor, his fastball command, and his ability to make adjustments inning to inning and batter to batter.  He has come a long way in a short period of time.”  De La Rosa’s season culminated with him winning the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year award and an invitation to the Dodgers major league spring training.  In 2011, Rubby will return to AA to continue refining his game.  His strikeout rate dipped quite a bit in 2010 despite his outstanding fastball, so getting more swings and misses is something he’ll probably work on.  If he continues to put up solid stats, however, a call up to Los Angeles towards the end of the 2011 season isn’t out of the question.

Why #5: Rubby De La Rosa moved up quite a bit in my rankings, and at just 22 years old his youth is just one of his many valuable assets.  With three potential plus pitches Rubby’s ceiling could be as high as a #2 starter in the big leagues, although I still have this feeling that could end up in the bullpen where he would also be very good, just not quite as valuable. 

4.  Chris Withrow, RHP (129.2 IP in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 1^st round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 22 years old

4-9, 5.97 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 4.50 FIP, 8.33 K/9

Pre 2010 Rank: 2;     Pre 2009 Rank: 8

After getting selected by the Dodgers in the 1^st round of the 2007 draft, Chris Withrow’s professional career got off to a rocky start.  A freak accident involving a snorkeling mask and a case of tired arm limited Withrow to just 13 innings in his first two seasons, and some people were starting to get worried about the top prospect.  However, in 2009 Withrow silenced most of his critics by staying healthy and putting together a very solid season as a 20 year old.  He split the year between HiA and AA, and his most impressive stats that season were his K/9 rate of 10.4 and his 3.13 FIP.  2010 started off with a bang for Withrow as he wowed fans in Spring Training with two near perfect innings while striking out 5 of the 7 batters he faced.  He then returned to Chattanooga for the 2010 minor league season, but as most people already know things didn’t go so well.  He had a couple of good streaks, including a solid month of June when he had a 2.89 ERA and a .226 batting average against, but overall he had very ugly stats.  For the season as a whole Withrow had a 5.97 ERA and a 1.66 WHIP, although his FIP was a little more favorable at 4.51.  One of his biggest problems was his ability to keep the ball in the park as he allowed 13 homers, compared to just 5 allowed in 2009.  Despite his dreadful statistical season in 2010, Chris continued to show good stuff off the mound.  His mid 90’s fastball shows good movement and has been clocked as high as 99 mph, and according to Baseball America he has the best curveball in the Dodgers minor league system.  After the season I talked to DeJon Watson about Withrow, and he said Withrow has made big strides in the past one and a half years.  He also said that Withrow was only the age of a college junior during the 2010 season, so he was still way ahead of most 21 year olds.  In terms of Withrow’s struggles, DeJon said that his mental composure needs to improve for him to pitch more effectively.  After the season Withrow participated in the Dodgers instructional league, but unfortunately he suffered a herniated disk in his lower back which limited his throwing until the Winter Development Program.  When I saw him throwing during the Winter Development Program he luckily looked fine, so he should have no trouble being ready for spring training.  Chris will almost certainly spend 2011 back in AA and hopefully this time he’ll have better results.  At just 22 years old there is no need to rush him, so at this point Withrow’s MLB debut will be in 2012 at the earliest.

Why #4: While he struggled in 2010, I still believe Withrow has great stuff and can be a top of the rotation starter in the big leagues.  I see him as the second best pitching prospect in the organization behind Zach Lee, and think he will have a solid rebound season in 2011.

3.  Dee Gordon, SS (133 games in AA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 4^th round

5’11”, 150 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats left handed

.277 average, .687 OPS, 2 HR’s, 39 RBI’s, 53 SB’s

Pre 2010 Rank: 1;     Pre 2009 Rank: 9

Dee Gordon was a bit of a surprise as the Dodgers 4^th round pick in 2008 because he had been ruled ineligible as a college sophomore due to transcripts problems and didn’t even play baseball in the spring of before the draft.  Nevertheless he had a great professional debut in the Pioneer League in 2008 and has been a top Dodger prospect ever since.  His 2009 season in the Midwest League was one to remember since he was named league MVP with 73 stolen bases and a .301 average, and that earned him a promotion AA in 2010.  While Gordon was caught stealing 20 times and posted an on base percentage of just .332 while in Chattanooga, he showed a ton of raw talent and was voted as the most exciting player in the Southern League.  He was also rated as the Dodgers best defensive infielder by Baseball America despite making 37 errors for the Lookouts.  He already has a plus arm, and his athleticism leads scouts to believe that he’ll be able to make spectacular plays at the big league level.  In addition, several scouts ranked his speed as an 80 and the 20-80 scouting scale, which is a rating rarely given out.  Gordon has improved his bunting skills over the past few years, but he does need to be more patient at the plate and learn to take more walks.  He also needs to put on more muscle, which is something he struggled with since turning pro.  After the season Dee played in the Puerto Rican Winter League and led the league with a .361 average with a career high .889 OPS.  He then participated in the Dodgers Winter Development program, and was invited to the Dodgers big league spring training even though he isn’t on the 40 man roster.  Gordon will turn 23 years old this upcoming April, and will most likely spend 2011 in AAA.  He is the Dodgers heir apparent at shortstop, and if Furcal’s option doesn’t vest he could be the team’s starter as early as 2012. 

Why #3: Dee Gordon has the potential to one day be the Dodgers everyday shortstop, and could steal 50+ bases on a regular basis in the big leagues.  He’ll never have any power, but he could be a plus defender one day and is a very exciting player.  I almost put him #2, but I like Sands’ power more than Gordon’s speed. 

2.  Jerry Sands, RF (68 games in AA, 69 games in LoA in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 25^th round

6’4”, 225 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.301 average, .981 OPS, 35 HR’s, 93 RBI’s, 18 SB

Pre 2010 Rank: 23;     Pre 2009 Rank: 81

To say Jerry Sands came out of nowhere in 2010 is a bit of an exaggeration since he’s shown tremendous power dating back to his college days.  During his 3 years at Catawba College in North Carolina, Sands had a .381 career batting average and hit 61 home runs.  His power numbers continued during his debut season with the Dodgers as he hit 10 HR’s in just 46 games, and he then smacked 19 bombs in 2009 despite logging just 267 at bats.  Even still, nobody could have predicted Sands’ meteoric rise through the Dodgers minor league system in 2010, although I came pretty close in my write-up last season when I said: “Sands is a very intriguing prospect with a very high ceiling.  With 29 home runs in 119 games over the past two years, that projects out to almost 40 HR’s over a 162 game schedule.  I’m not saying that Sands is ever going to hit 40 HR’s in the big leagues, but I think that if he continues to improve, he has the chance to be a solid MLB regular.  That’s pretty good for a former 25th round pick.  2010 should see Sands return to LoA to start the season, but by the end of the year he may find himself in AA.”  In 2010 Jerry didn’t quite hit 40 jacks, but he did have a monster season as his 35 homers were just one shy of the minor league HR title.  Sands also hit .301 with 18 stolen bases and a .981 OPS despite playing in two pitching friendly leagues, and ended up winning the Dodgers minor league player of the year award.  Scout say that he has power to all fields, above average bat speed, and very strong wrists.  When you look at Sands’ splits between LoA and AA, his batting average, slugging %, and on base % all dropped a bit in Chattanooga, but he had no trouble maintaining his power numbers as he hit 17 homers in just 68 games.  In addition, Sands was able to make decent contact throughout the entire season, and his strikeout rate actually decreased from 21.3% in LoA to 20.5% in AA.  After the season Sands played in the AFL where he continued to put up very solid stats against the advanced competition.  The big question that people have about Sands relates to his defense.  Is he an outfielder?  1^st baseman?  DeJon Watson answered that question by saying that he can play both and that the Dodgers don’t have to limit him.  Watson thinks that Sands’ versatility will help Ned Colletti down the road when he is building his team, and went on to say “His defense is fine, his base running is fine, and his arm is above average.  Also his approach at the plate has been consistent all year.  However, you can’t put a time table on when he’ll make the big leagues, and it is going to come down to how he continues to progress and when the Dodgers have a need for him.”  Personally, I believe that Sands is a good enough fielder to play 1^st base, left field, or right field at the big league level.  He might not ever earn a gold glove, but I’ve seen him play enough to know he can handle each of those positions.  3^rd base, however, seems very unlikely.  My gut tells me that he’ll probably start his career as a left fielder while getting occasional starts in right, but that he’ll end up at 1^st later on down the road.  2011 should see Sands start back in AA, and as Watson said his major league debut will really depend on when he’s needed.  No matter where he plays, I expect another big season out of the 23 year old.  Finally, Sands got engaged this offseason and is set to be married on November 19, 2011.  Sorry ladies.

Why #2: I really like Sands as a prospect, and I believe he has what it takes to be a big league regular for years to come with the potential for a .300 average and 30 homers annually.  The only reason I have him behind Zach Lee is because I think Lee is going to be a stud pitcher.  See below.

1.  Zach Lee, RHP (Did not pitch in 2010)

Drafted by Dodgers 2010, 1^st round

6’4”, 210 lbs, 19.5 years old

No Stats in 2010

Pre 2010 Rank: N/A;     Pre 2009 Rank: N/A

When the Dodgers drafted Zach Lee last June, I immediately had mixed emotions.  Since I knew Lee was going to be one of the toughest players to sign in the draft, my initial reaction was that we had wasted a pick due to high bonus demands, and I was very upset.  However I did have a small glimmer of hope that we’d somehow find a way to sign him, and that made me excited because I knew how good of a player Lee could be.  Well we all know what happened next, as the negotiations with Lee went down to the wire before the Dodgers miraculously lured him away from LSU baseball and football for $5.25M.  When the news broke of his signing, that was probably the best Dodger news I’d heard all season given the team’s poor performance.  Considered by some to be the 2^nd best pitcher in the entire 2010 draft behind #2 pick Jameson Taillon, Lee is very advanced for his age and has a great feel for pitching.  He has an outstanding pitching frame with lots of projection, and has the potential for three plus pitches.  His fastball sits around 93 mph and hit 95 mph as recently as the Fall Instructional League, and it has good movement.  His changeup is very advanced for a high school pitcher and will only get better as he gains experience.  Finally he has a power curveball/slider that again has the potential to be a very good pitch.  When you combine those pitches with his plus control and clean mechanics, you have the makings for a very successful pitcher.  Zach will start his professional career in LoA, and he’ll probably remain with the Loons all season given that he is just 19 years old and there is no reason to rush him.  For 2012, however, I can see him making the jump up to AA, and while he probably won’t reach the major leagues as fast as Kershaw did, I think he can move quickly through the system.  He should be a very fun minor leaguer to follow over the next few years.

Why #1: From the moment Zach Lee signed with the Dodgers I knew he’d be my #1 Dodger prospect in this ranking.  I know Lee hasn’t thrown a professional pitch yet, but I rank players on their big league potential instead of basing it on their stats.  Of course it all still comes down one’s own opinion, but I personally think that Zach Lee will have a much more successful career in the big leagues than anyone else in the Dodgers minor system.  It’s really all about ceilings and the likelihood that a player will reach the ceiling, and I think Zach Lee has a strong possibly of being a #1 starter.

The players are going to be listed by how I rank them as a prospect.  Just like last year, the list is almost exactly 200 players, and I will start from #200 (actually, #201 this year), and work my way to who I think is the #1 prospect in the Dodgers system.  I’ve included where each prospect played in 2009, how each was acquired by the Dodgers, their height, weight, and age as of the start of the 2010 season, and finally their 2009 combined minor league statistics.  Also, since this is my second year completing these rankings, I’ll include my prior year ranking, my review of how accurate I was during my prior year ranking, and obviously a current year discussion about the player.  I will generally post 10 players at a time, and will try to post at least once a week.  The first 100 players will probably be unknown to most people, but look at it as a way to get to know the Dodgers minor league system even better.  Feel free to discuss, comment, and let me know what you think. 

201.  Taiwan Perry, LF (18 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 185 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats right handed

.050 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

There are two questions that surround Taiwan Perry: where did he come from, and how can anyone be that bad?  While I can’t provide too much insight on either of these questions, I can tell you that based on his myspace and twitter accounts, he likes Kim Kardashian, was a Reds fan growing up, and fell in love for the first time at age 16.  In regards to baseball, I really don’t know where he came from, and I’m assuming the Dodgers saw him play somewhere and decided to sign him to fill out their rookie league roster.  The only thing that was somewhat interesting about him during last season was that I wanted to see how low his average could go.  He didn’t get his first hit until August 10^th, and by August 25^th I believe his average was at.031.  But then, he unfortunately got a hit in his 2^nd to last game of the season, and ended the year batting .050.  Needless to say he has no future with the Dodgers, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he didn’t return in 2010. 

200.  Parker Dalton, 3B (55 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 24^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 26.75 years old, bats right handed

.169 average, 1 HR’s, 14 RBI, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 195

I ranked Parker Dalton #195 last season, and I think my assessment of his baseball skills was right on.  Dalton had a bad 2008, and an even worse 2009.  He has no power, can’t hit for average, and strikes out way too much (27.3% of plate appearances in 2009).  However, I can’t help but like Dalton as a person.  His teammates call him Pops because they say he is wise beyond his years.  In addition, he has overcome melanoma, a very serious type of skin cancer, which is why he started his professional baseball career at such an advanced age.  I think that Dalton was more of a player/coach for the Loons during 2009, and I believe that he may have that same role in the future. 

199.  Esteban Lopez, C (49 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 25^th round

6’1”, 210 lbs, 25.75 years old, bats right handed

.203 average, 3 HR’s, 22 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 169

Esteban Lopez has always had the reputation as a strong defensive catcher who can’t hit.  During his two years at the University of Hawaii, he only made four errors, yet hit .260 as a senior.  Unfortunately this trend has continued into his professional career.  He hit .243 in 2008, and just .203 in 2009.  His horrid average can partially be attributed to his extremely low batting average for balls in play (.245), but I think the bigger problem is that he just can’t hit.  Last year I said he had a good build for a catcher, and would probably get a chance to prove himself in HiA.  Well, he still has a good catchers body, but he played in LoA instead of HiA, and obviously did nothing to prove himself.  Even my #169 ranking last year was probably a little too high, which is why I dropped him to the very bottom this year.  At 25 years old, the only reason the Dodgers may keep him in their system is to help out with all the pitchers during Spring Training.

198.  Geraldo Martinez, LHP (6 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/23/07

6’0”, 162 lbs, 22 years old

0-2, 9.00 ERA, 2.17 WHIP, 4.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 156

Last year, I talked about how Martinez had a good second half in 2008, and how if he had a good 2009, he’d have a chance to play in the U.S. in 2010.  Well, he didn’t hold up his end of the bargain.  I’m not sure why Geraldo Martinez was only limited to 6 innings in 2009, but whatever the reason, it really hurt Geraldo’s progress and basically killed any chance he had to make it with the Dodgers.  When the 2010 season starts, Geraldo will be a 22 year old with 23 innings of professional experience (all in the DSL).  That being said, he may not even warrant another look, so he may not even be back with the team next season.

197.  Ryan Arp, C (17 games in Arizona League, 1 game in AAA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 45^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 24.25 years old, bats right handed

.167 average, 1 HR’s, 8 RBI, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 176

Not much has changed for Ryan Arp from 2008 to 2009, so I’m going to repeat some of the information from last year.  Arp was the Dodgers very last draft pick in the 2008 draft, and he ended up signing with the team because he had already graduated from Upper Iowa University.  It’s actually surprising that he was even drafted at all because he only hit .208 during his senior year, but apparently he is a pretty good defensive catcher.  After a respectable showing in the Pioneer Rookie League in 2008, the Dodgers demoted Arp to the Arizona Rookie League for the majority of 2009 where he was awful.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers picked Arp when they needed a backup catcher in AAA after AJ Ellis was promoted to the majors.  He played in one game in September, and then was probably a reserve on the Isotopes playoff roster.  Overall, despite his cameo in AAA,  Arp has no chance to make it to the majors, but may continue to help out a few young pitchers along the way by playing solid defense behind the plate.

196.  Irvit Mendez, RHP (1.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’6”, 225 lbs, 19.75 years old

0-0, 27.00 ERA, 8.25 WHIP, 13.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 175

In 2008, Irvit Mendez made one appearance in the DSL and allowing 4 runs without getting an out.  In 2009, Mendez made three appearances, and again allowed 4 runs, although this time he was able to also get 4 outs.  Is that considered that an improvement?  I’m not sure, but either way, the biggest problem for Mendez is his control.  He walked 5 batters in his one appearance last year, and 7 batters in his 1.3 innings this year.  That’s just ridiculous.  The two positives about Mendez are his age and his size.  He’ll still be 19 years old when the 2010 season starts, and I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL (if he returns at all).  As for his size, Mendez amazingly grew from 6’0” to 6’6” in the past year.  That growth spurt could have contributed to this control problems, but in the long run, if he learns to use that size to his advantage, he could eventually move up through the system.

195.  Tommy Perez, RHP (2 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 9/7/03

6’4”, 167 lbs, 23.5 years old

0-0, 9.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 0.00 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I didn’t rank Tommy Perez in my top 200 last year because he missed all of 2007 and 2008, so I had thought that he had been released.  But alas, he resurfaced in 2009, even though it was only for two brief one inning appearances.  Looking back at Tommy’s career, it seems that injuries have been a consistent theme.  After pitching 44 innings in his debut in 2004, Perez has only pitched 22 innings since.  Not a great track record.  However, Perez will be just 23 and a half years old at the start of the 2010 season, and has a good pitching frame at 6’4”.  Therefore, if he can somehow find a way to get healthy, Perez may still have a chance to make a splash in the Dodgers minor league system.

194.  Garett Green, 3B (49 games in HiA, 17 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 30^th round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 25 years old

.235 average, 4 HR, 32 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 181

Garett Green had a subpar and injury riddled season in 2009 while playing most of the season at HiA (his time in Arizona was spent rehabbing his injury).  As I mentioned last year, he has no chance to make it to the big leagues.  Drafted out of San Diego State in 2008, the highlight of his baseball career will probably be that he got to play college ball with Stephen Strasburg.  At the end of the day, age is the biggest factor for Garett Green, as he’ll be 25 years old at the start of the 2010 season.  If he’s back with the club in 2010, he’ll most likely return to Hi-A.

193.  Steve Cilladi, C (14 games in Arizona League, 1 game in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 33^rd round

5’9”, 182 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.119 average, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Besides the great Taiwan Perry and 18 year old Jorky Infante, Steve Cilladi had the lowest OPS of any Dodger minor leaguer at .379.  It is true that he only played in 15 games, but still, that is just awful.  The only reason that he isn’t ranked last is that he will be 23 years old when the 2010 season starts, instead of 24 or 25 like some of the other players.  Anyways, to provide a little background on Cilladi, his dad was a former athletic trainer for the Rockies and Cubs, so I’m sure he knows something about conditioning.  He played college ball in the NAIA with the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes, and during his four seasons there, Steve hit .267 with 76 hits, so he wasn’t exactly a masher in college either.  In fact, he wasn’t even the full time starting catcher during his Senior year.  I’m not sure why the Dodgers spent a pick on draft pick on Cilladi, even if it was a 33^rd rounder, but I wish him the best of luck, and I guess he’ll be one of the backup catchers for the Dodgers in the Pioneer League next year.

192.  Jose Sanchez, LF (1 game in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 2/9/07

6’2”, 175 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.200 average, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 151

After playing in 5 DSL games during the 2008 season, Sanchez decided to take even more time off during 2009, and played in only 1 game.  Apparently he had some kind of an injury because he was on the DL from mid June until the end of the season, but I have no idea what that injury was.  Last year, I actually had some high hopes for Sanchez given his young age, his experience (2009 was actually his 3^rd professional season), and his ideal size for an outfielder.  After another injury shortened season, however, I don’t see how Jose will be able to make up for so much lost time.  He’ll still be just 19 years old to start the 2010 season, but there is no doubt that he’ll be in the DSL yet again, that is if he comes back at all.

191.  Nick DeBarr, RHP (29.3 innings in AAA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 11/30/08

6’3”, 245 lbs, 26.5 years old

2-0, 7.36 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 7.67 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Nick Debarr is an injury prone 26 year old who struggled mightily in his first season in the Dodgers system.  Originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Rays in the 14^th round of the 2002 draft, DeBarr started his professional career with three mediocre seasons, posting ERA’s of 4.59, 4.15, and 4.91.  Unfortunately, he then underwent Tommy John surgery before the 2005 season, and missed the entire year.  However, he came back even stronger in 2006 with a 2.74 ERA and 1.09 WHIP in HiA, and then continued to move up the ladder in the Ray’s system in 2007 and 2008.  Eligible for free agency after the 2008 season, the Dodgers picked up DeBarr as a long shot to help out in the bullpen.  Although he put up fairly solid stats in spring training (3.86 ERA in 7 innings), the Dodgers didn’t have enough room on their 25 man roster for him, and he was sent to AAA.  There he was pretty horrible, and apparently got hurt in mid July as he didn’t pitch after July 12^th.  I doubt the Dodgers will re-sign Debarr for 2010, but if they do, he’ll definitely be in AAA again to trying to prove his worth.

190.  Keyter Collado, C (9 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 5/27/04

5’11”, 178 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.273 average, 0 HR’s, 5 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 154

Collado is another young catcher in the Dodgers system who hasn’t amounted to much.  After back to back successful seasons in 2006 and 2007, in which he was even named to the GCL post season all star team (in 2007), Collado has only played in 32 games over the past two years.  I’m not sure what has limited Collado over that time, but the 23 year old is running out of time to impress.  The one thing I noticed about Collado in 2009 was that he had a ridiculous ground ball percentage of 79%.  Granted it was only through 9 games, but still, I’ve never seen a ground ball percentage that high.  Overall, Collado has yet to play above rookie ball, so if he does return in 2010, he be a 24 year old either returning to rookie ball, or playing at Lo-A for the first time.

189.  Noel Acevedo, LHP (4 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

5’11”, 160 lbs, 19.75 years old

0-0, 4.50 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 2.25 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

When players debut for the Dodgers in the Dominican Summer League, they are generally 18 years old or younger.  Noel Acevedo, however, was 19 when he threw his first pitch for the Dominican Dodgers, and then went on to appear in only three games, probably due to injury.  In those three games, Noel didn’t have very good stats, as he walked 4 and only had one strikeout.  In addition, Acevedo is only 5’11” and 160 pounds, so I can’t imagine that he will ever develop into a significant prospect, even though he is a lefty.  So basically my ranking of Acevedo is based on his inexperience going into his 20 year old season, and his lack of impressive makeup.

188.  Rafael Aybar, 2B (Did not play in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 4/9/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 19.75 years old, switch hitter

No stats for 2009

Prior Year Ranking: 148

First of all to clarify, Rafael Aybar is not related to former Dodgers infielder Willy Aybar or Angels infielder Erick Aybar.  That being said, last year I thought that Aybar had some potential as a 2^nd baseman because he had some speed, and had shown an improvement to his overall game when compared to the prior year.  However, before the 2009 season, Aybar was suspended for 50 games for testing positive for the steroid boldenone.  In fact, even though the DSL season is longer than 50 games, Aybar ended up missing the entire year.  This will not only hurt his development, but also has put him in the doghouse with Dodger management.  You can’t blame the guy for trying to get ahead in such a competitive environment, but steroids are obviously not the way to go.  When the 2010 season begins, he’ll already be almost 20 years old, so he’ll have to make up for lost time quickly.  My guess is that his career is pretty much finished.

187.  Gabriel Gutierrez, C (33 games in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2002

5’11”, 190 lbs, 26.25 years old, bats right handed

.267 average, 0 HR’s, 14 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 161

Gabriel Gutierrez is an interesting case.  One of the few Mexican born players in the Dodgers minor league system, Gabriel returns to Mexico to play baseball any chance he gets.  In addition to playing in the Mexican Winter League for the past three seasons (where he has struggled, especially in 2008), Gutierrez was actually loaned to the Mexican League by the Dodgers during the 2009 regular season.  No matter where he has played, however, Gutierrez hasn’t had very good results.  While he holds his own as a catcher, Gabriel doesn’t project to be a starter in the minor leagues, let alone in the majors.  He has never shown any power whatsoever, and obviously has no speed.  He will be 26 years old next season, and while he has worked his way up to AA, I don’t see him being promoted beyond that. 

186.  Johan Garcia, 3B (40 games in HiA, 12 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 4/19/05

6’0”, 170 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.189 average, 0 HR’s 10 RBI’s, 13 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 155

After spending two season in the Dominican Summer League, and then two more seasons in the Dodgers U.S. based rookie leagues, Johan Garcia finally got a chance to prove himself in Hi-A after he was promoted to the California League in July of 2009.  Unfortunately, his promotion was far from memorable.  In 111 at bats, Garcia hit. 162 with only 4 RBI’s.  While he may have been a little unlucky with his .205 batting average for balls in play, that is no excuse.  His only asset is his speed, but even that isn’t overly impressive.  At 23 and a half years old, Garcia is running out of time to impress.  I’m sure he’ll return to Hi-A again next year, but I doubt he’ll ever have the chance to play every day.

185.  Edward Bens, 1B (41 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 2/9/07

6’1”, 189 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.266 average, 1 HR, 14 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 132

Even though I thought Edward Bens would move to a U.S. based rookie league in 2009, the Dodgers decided to keep him the Dominican Summer League for a third straight year.  And I guess the Dodgers were right to keep him there, as Bens only had a mediocre season in 2009, even though he was one of the oldest and most experienced players in the league.  In addition, Bens saw his stock drop significant because he no longer appears to be a true catcher.  Last season he played 35 of his 41 games behind the plate.  In 2009, however, he only caught 18 games, while playing 23 at 1^st base or DH.  The one thing that Bens has going for him is that he doesn’t strike out very much.  He K’d in less than 10% of his plate appearances in 2009, which was one of the best rates in the Dodgers minor league system.  Looking to the future, I can’t image that Bens will stay in the Dominican League for a 4^th year, so I suspect he’ll finally make it the U.S.

184.  Gari Tavarez, RHP (18.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

6’0”, 170 lbs, 22.25 years old

0-0, 6.75 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 9.64 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 149

While Tavarez didn’t exactly dominate in 2008, I still thought that the Dodgers would give him a chance in the Pioneer League in 2009.  However, the Dodgers decided to put Gari in the Arizona League, and it looks like they made the right decision.  While Tavarez wasn’t quite as bad as his stats may lead one to believe (his FIP was a respectable 3.75 and he struck more than one batter per inning), he was far from impressive.  In fact, his 6.75 ERA was a far cry from the 1.49 ERA he posted in 2007 in the Dominican Summer League.  I’m not sure why he was limited to just over 18 innings, but this undersized pitcher is running out of time as he is a 22 year old who has yet to play above rookie ball.

183.  Christian Lara, SS (115 games in HiA in 2009)

Acquired via trade with Red Sox in April 2008 for Eric Hull

5’11, 150 lbs, 24.75 years old, switch hitter

.256 average, 6 HR’s, 46 RBI’s, 11 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 200

I should apologize to Christian Lara.  Last year, I ranked Lara dead last in my top 200 ranking.  After further review, however, I realized that Lara wasn’t quite as bad as I had originally thought, and I also realized that there were other players who were more deserving of last place on my list.  In fact, while browsing through the old Baseball America archives, I discovered that Lara was once a legitimate prospect.  In 2003, Lara was the Red Sox player of the year for their Dominican Summer League.  In 2004, Lara was actually ranked the 9^th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League after hitting .433 in 60 at bats.  During that season, Lara apparently had “good on-base ability and speed and focuses on getting the most out of those tools”.   Now that I got my apology out of the way, I will say that Lara still isn’t a very good player.  He made the third most errors of any Dodger minor leaguer with 25, and struck out 4 times for every walk.  He did show a little more speed and power in 2009, but those are both functions of him repeating in the California League, as he has much more experience in the league than the other players.  I can’t see Lara as anything more than a bench player for Hi-A or AA in 2010.

182.  Jean Eusebio, RHP (21.7 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/12/07

6’1”, 195 lbs, 20.75 years old

0-0, 4.15 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 7.48 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 174

After playing catcher in 2008, Jean Eusebio took the Kenly Jansen route and made the transition to the mound during the 2009 season.  For a guy with no pitching experience, Eusebio was relatively successful.  Playing in the Dominican Summer League, his 3.91 FIP was even better than his 4.15 ERA, and his strikeout rate was respectable.  His only ugly stat was his WHIP, which was a function of his 15 walks in less than 22 innings.  I’m not sure what 2010 will bring for Jean Eusebio.  He will be 21 years old during most of next season, and will probably return to the DSL to continue his growth as a pitcher.  He has the size to succeed, but he’s going to have to make great strides in the next 12 months to get his name on the Dodger prospect map.

181.  Marlon Urriola, RHP (2 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 5/25/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 21.75 years old

0-1, 13.50 ERA, 4.00 WHIP, 13.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 117

After pitching 3 seasons in the Dominican Summer League, the Dodgers fulfilled my prediction and decided to give Marlon Urriola a chance to play in a U.S. based league in 2009.  Unfortunately, his 2009 U.S. debut lasted only 2 innings, which was spread over two days in late June.  I can honestly say that I have no idea why Marlon only pitched in two games in 2009, but I can only assume it was due to injury.  The good news, however, is that Marlon will only be 21 years old at the start of the 2010 season, so he has plenty of time to make up for his lost time.  At 6’2”, Marlon has a solid right handed frame, and hopefully he can stay healthy in 2010 and put together a solid season (while mostly likely repeating in the Arizona Rookie League).

180.  Jose Ramirez, RF (51 Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 200 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats right handed

.213 average, 2 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 10 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I’m guessing that Jose Ramirez won’t be replacing Andre Ethier as the Dodgers right fielder anytime soon, as Ramirez hit just .213 in his first professional season.  In addition, Ramirez is already 21 years old and only has 51 games under his belt, so his inexperience could be a problem as he moves up.  His one strong point, however, seems to be his speed.  He stole 10 bases on the year, with 8 of them coming in the month of June.  Those 8 stolen bases in June were good for 3^rd place among all Dodger minor leaguers for that month.  In addition, at 6’2” and 200 lbs, Ramirez seems to have good size.  He is also pretty versatile in the outfield, playing in both right and center field during the 2009 season.  As for his future, I’m pretty sure the Dodgers will keep Jose in the Dominican Summer League for another year, even though he’ll be one of the oldest player in the league. 

179.  Adam Godwin, CF (95 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 11^th round

5’11”, 170 lbs, 27.25 years old, bats right handed

.254 average, 1 HR’s, 22 RBI’s, 13 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 145

Adam Godwin is definitely fast.  How fast you may ask?  Try 84 stolen bases in 93 attempts during his senior season at Troy State.  That same season, Godwin hit .367 with 5 HR’s.  Ever since his professional debut, however, Adam success has seemed to fade away.  After hitting .310 in 2005 with the Ogden Raptors, Godwin has seen his game steadily decline.  While he continued to steal bases from 2006 through 2008, even that tailed off in 2009 as he was limited to 95 games due to a crowded Lookout outfield.  Besides his lack of playing time, Godwin’s biggest disadvantage is his age, as he will turn 27 before the start of the 2010 season.  As Godwin looks toward his 6^th professional season, he has to wonder if he will ever get the chance to play full time again.  I see him as a part time player in AAA at best, but I think that he’ll start the 2010 season in AA for yet another season.

178.  Jose Garcia, LHP (7.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

5’11”, 185 lbs, 18.75 years old

0-0, 13.50 ERA, 2.86 WHIP, 8.59 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Jose Garcia is a young lefty from the Dominican Republic who has a lot to learn before he’ll be a successful professional pitcher.  In 2009, he was ridiculously wild, walking 14 batters in just over 7 innings, allowed way too many runs, and only pitched in 10 games.  Despite these negative, however, Garcia showed flashes of success during 2009.  He struck out almost one batter per inning, and allowed only a .259 batting average.  In addition, Garcia was even able to pick up two saves in his limited appearances.  Jose is only 5’11”, but given the fact that he is only 18 years old, maybe he’ll still grow an inch or two.  He’ll return to the Dominican Summer League next year, and I’m assuming the Dodgers will try to get him some more innings than during 2009.

177.  Kyle Wilson, RHP (Did not play in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 22^nd round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 26.75 years old

No stats for 2009

Prior Year Ranking: 128

Does anyone know what happened to Kyle Wilson during 2009?  I had originally excluded him from my list because I thought he had been released, but then I saw on Baseball America that he had been reinstated from the DL at the end of the season, so I put him back in.  Last year, I ranked Wilson a respectable #128 because the UCLA alum was actually extremely dominate in 2007 (1.09 ERA in 33 innings at Inland Empire), and then did pretty well in limited innings in 2008.  However, as he has pitched just 22.2 innings over the past two season, and is now pushing 27 years old, I felt that I had to drop his ranking a little.  His stats demonstrate that he has good stuff when healthy, but I have no idea how hard he throws or what kind of pitches he has.  In 2004 at UCLA, he led the team with 12.5 strikeouts per 9 innings, so he most likely has a good “out pitch”.  Wilson topped out in AA in 2008, and if healthy, will look to return to that level in 2010. 

176.  Jose Lugo, 1B (41 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 200 lbs, 19.75 years old, bats right handed

.223 average, 0 HR’s, 13 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Jose Lugo is a young player from Venezuela who made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2009.  While his stats weren’t pretty, I’ll give the 19 year old Lugo a break because he was getting himself used to the life as a professional baseball player.  In addition, I like the fact that Lugo improved as the season progressed, as he hit .206 in June, .238 in July, and .250 in August.  However, the biggest negative about Lugo is that he didn’t show any speed or power in his game.  Listed as a first baseman, Jose also played 12 games at catcher, which could potentially boost his value if he can continue to improve behind the plate. 

175.  David Iden, 2B (32 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 35^th round

5’9”, 160 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.239 average, 0 HR’s, 5 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

A late round pick for the Dodgers in 2009 out of Cal Lutheran University, David Iden is the type of player who just wants to be given a chance.  Upon being drafted by the Dodgers, Iden was “ecstatic… relieved…and anxious”.  At Cal Lutheran, the Thousand Oaks native was a career .343 hitter, and ranked in the school’s top 10 for career RBI’s (100), runs scored (121), and stolen bases (63).  However, upon arriving in professional baseball, Iden struggled to produce.  He hit only .239 in 32 games, and only had 5 RBI’s.  In addition, Iden proved that he wasn’t really a stolen base threat, as he was caught stealing 6 times in 11 attempts.  At 5’9”, Iden is the perfect size for a 2^nd baseman, but must step up his game if he wants to make an impact with the Dodgers.  Also, at 23 years old, time is against David, so I’m going to guess that he’ll play at Lo-A or Hi-A in 2010.

174.  Luis Vasquez, RHP (58.3 innings in Pioneer League, 12.7 innings in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/20/03

6’4”, 155 lbs, 24 years old

3-5, 5.96 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 6.46 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 130

I’m actually a little confused about Luis Vasquez, because when I look him up on the minor league baseball website, it now shows that his parent club is the Colorado Rockies.  It does make some sense, since he has been with the Dodgers for over 6 years and was probably a minor league free agent (although he wasn’t listed as one at Baseball America).  However, it seems strange that he signed so quickly with another club.  Whatever the case, Vasquez wasn’t the greatest player anyways, so he wouldn’t be a big loss.  After putting up respectable numbers in 2008, albeit with a low strikeout rate, Vasquez was rocked in Hi-A before getting demoted to the Pioneer League.  He continued to struggle with Ogden, allowing 8 HR’s to lead the team, and posting a 5.09 ERA.  Stats aside, Vasquez is a tall and skinny ball player who has yet to fill out his lanky frame.  He’ll be 24 years old at the start of the 2010 season, and I have no idea where his future lies.

173.  Luis Mesa, RHP (29.7 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’4”, 170 lbs, 19.75 years old

0-3, 6.37 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 5.16 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Luis Mesa is another young player from Venezuela who debuted with the Dominican Dodgers in 2009.  While his ERA and WHIP weren’t great, a closer look at his numbers show that he actually had a fairly successful first professional season.  His FIP was actually a respectable 4.26, and his ground ball percentage of 64% was tops on the Dominican Dodgers.  That ground ball percentage demonstrates that he probably pitches with sink, and has the ability to induce quite a few ground balls, which generally make a pitcher successful.  A lanky right handed pitcher, Mesa has a great pitchers frame, and will hopefully gain some weight over the next few years.  I expect the Dodgers to hang onto Mesa, and I’m sure he’ll return to the Dominican Summer League next season.  However, I wouldn’t be surprised if he made an appearance in a U.S. based rookie league at some point in 2011.

172.  Rafael Ynoa, 2B (35 games in Pioneer League, 14 games in HiA, 2 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

5’10”, 162 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.163 average, 0 HR’s, 9 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 89

I may have whiffed on my ranking of Ynoa last year.  I had ranked him 89^th last year because he was coming off a season where he hit .306, which led the GCL Dodgers.  However, I should have taken a look at his prior year numbers more closely and realized that his 2008 season was a fluke, and not a breakout season.  Ynoa hit .259 in 2006 and just .206 in 2007, and hadn’t shown any previous power.  So really, his struggles in 2009 are nothing new.  He started the 2009 season in Hi-A, but was absolutely awful through 37 at bats, hitting just .054.  So the Dodgers demoted him to the Pioneer League in June, but he wasn’t much better.  Also, he must have gotten injured at some point during his stay in Ogden because he finished up the season on a rehab assignment back in the Arizona Rookie League.  Overall, Ynoa had a very forgettable season in 2009, and at 22 and a half, this prototypical 2^nd baseman is going to have to do something special in 2010 to make a name for himself.

171.  Amauri Guzman, RHP (13.3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/05

6’3”, 200 lbs, 23.5 years old

0-0, 3.38 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 8.78 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 178

Even though Amauri Guzman is just 23 years old, he has already seen his baseball career take quite a few twists and turns.  After signing with the Dodgers as an outfielder in March of 2005 out of the Dominican Republic, Amauri actually played his first few professional games in the Gulf Coast League before finishing the season in the Dominican Summer League.  In 2006, Guzman spent the entire season in the DSL.  In 2007, Guzman was promoted up to the Gulf Coast League, still as an outfielder, where he hit a respectable .310.  Then, for whatever reason, Guzman was converted to a pitcher, and spent all of 2008 back in the DSL, posting a horrid 9.64 ERA.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided to bring Amauri back to the U.S. again in 2009, and let him pitch in the Arizona Rookie League.  I’ve never heard of any other prospect going back and forth between the U.S. based and foreign rookie leagues so many different times.  Anyways, Guzman performed surprising well in 2009, although he was limited to just 13 and one third innings.  With less than 28 innings of professional pitching experience, however, I’m not sure how the 23 year old will ever be able to move fast enough to make an impact in the Dodgers system, but the one thing he does have going for him is that he does have a good pitching frame.  If healthy, he’ll probably move up to Lo-A in 2010.

170.  Matthew Smith, RHP (7 innings in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 22^nd round

6’6”, 195 lbs, 23.25 years old

0-1, 12.86 ERA, 3.57 WHIP, 3.86 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 120

As I mentioned last year, Smith was drafted by the Dodgers in 2008 because of his size, not because of his college stats at Wichita State.  He recorded a 6.11 ERA during his 2008 season with the Shockers, and a 7.41 ERA during his 2007 season.  Nevertheless, Smith was able to use his size to his advantage during his professional debut as he posted some pretty respectable stats in the Pioneer Rookie League in 2008.  2009, however, was a totally different story, as Smith had probably the worst stats out of any Dodger minor leaguer.  While he only pitched 7 innings, he was absolutely horrendous.  Besides his 12.86 ERA and 3.57 WHIP, it should also be noted that batters hit an astonishing .541 against Smith.  Also, while he must have been injured most of the season, it should be noted that he was healthy at the end of the year, because he pitched on September 5^th of 2009, which was one of the 66ers last games.  Overall, even though Matt has had really bad stats in 3 of his last for collegiate/professional pitching seasons, I have some faith that he’ll rebound at some point based on his great pitching frame, and I’m guessing that he’ll be back in the California League in 2010.

169.  Joseph Becker, SS (20 games in AA, 17 games in LoA, 11 games in HiA, 3 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/11/07

5’11, 175 lbs, 24.25 years old, bats right handed

.299 average, 1 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 190

Joseph Becker did quite a bit of traveling in 2009.  He played at four different levels, ranging from the Arizona Rookie League, all the way up to AA.  When it was all said and done, his stats were actually pretty respectable for the year, especially when compared to what he did in 2008.  He finished the season in LoA, and was part of the Great Lakes playoff roster.  Unfortunately, he only hit .211 in 19 at bats during the Midwest League playoffs.  Becker was originally signed by the Dodgers as a non drafted free agent in 2007.  His college experience consisted of two years at Antelope Valley College, where he hit .350 for his career.  As a middle infielder, Becker is mediocre at best, and even though he’s listed as a shortstop, he also plays 2^nd base.  He also has no power or speed to speak of.  At this point, while he had a solid average during the 2009 season, he appears to be more of an organizational player for the Dodgers.  In 2010, the 24 year old will probably bounce around again to different levels that need a middle infielder.

168.  Travis Vetters, OF (36 games in LoA, 4 games in Arizona league in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 6/28/06

6’2”, 190 lbs, 26.5 years old, bats right handed

.237 average, 1 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 73

Too bad Travis Vetters can’t just make a career out of playing in baseball’s Rookie Leagues.  For his career, Vetters is hitting .332 in 398 Rookie League at bats (in the Gulf Coast League, Arizona Rookie League, and Pioneer Rookie League), and .223 in 220 LoA at bats.  The difference is amazing as he goes through some sort of transformation when he plays in the Rookie Leagues.  One reason for his success in the Rookie Leagues has to be attributed to his age.  Most guys are between 18 and 20 when they play in the Rookie Leagues, but not Travis.  He was signed as a non-drafted free agent in June 2006 when he was almost 23 years old, and managed to stay in the Rookie Leagues for the better part of 3 years.  When he did get a chance to play in Lo-A in at the beginning of 2008, he struggled so bad that the Dodgers sent him to the Pioneer League for the rest of the season.  They let him try Lo-A again at the beginning of 2009, but his results were similar.  He struggled at the beginning of the season, got injured and rehabbed in the Arizona League (where he of course hit .333 in 4 games), and returned to Lo-A in July where he struggled some more.  So needless to say, the 26 year old Vetters is not much of a prospect.  The one thing he’ll always be able to tell his kids, however, is that during the 2008 season, he hit .404 in the Pioneer League in over 150 AB’s, and hey, I’ll give him props for that, because hitting over .400 in that many at bats is a major accomplishment.

167.  Jorky Infante, 2B (26 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 155 lbs, 19 years old, switch hitter

.143 average, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Let’s start with the positives for Jorky Infante.  First, he has a great name.  Second, he is a switch hitter.  Third, Infante played the entire 2009 season as just an 18 year old.  Unfortunately, I don’t have any other good things to say about Jorky.  His .368 OPS looked more like a batting average, and he didn’t show any power or speed.  He also plays 2^nd base, which limits his value on the field.  In addition, from the looks of his stats, Infante appeared to be limited to a pinch hitting role during the 2009 season as he only had 35 at bats in 26 games.  Nevertheless, I expect improvement out of Infante in 2010.  He is obviously still young, and he still has the chance to develop into an average player next season.  If he does progress enough during 2010, he might be in line for a move to a U.S. based rookie league in 2011.

166.  Justin Dignelli, RHP (14 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 34^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 23 years old

1-1, 7.71 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 11.57 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Dignelli was a low risk, high reward draft pick for the Dodgers in 2009.  The 6’4” pitcher out of George Washington University allowed more than a run per inning in his college career.  In addition, Justin walked a ridiculous number of batters in college, a stat that followed him into his professional career.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided to take a chance on Dignelli because they felt his size might lead to a promising future.  Sure enough, in his limited time with the Dodgers during his professional debut, the Dodgers got a glimpse of what they were hoping for as Dignelli struck out 18 batters in 14 innings, and allowed just a .216 batting average against.  They also saw his lack of experience, however, as demonstrated by his 7.71 ERA.  While the Dodgers will want to be aggressive with Dignelli, they also have to be careful with his right arm as he was constantly injured throughout his college career.  I expect Dignelli to play in the Pioneer League next year, and hopefully he’ll be able to show significant improvement.

165.  Jose Mateo, RHP (14.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’8”, 190 lbs, 21 years old

1-2, 8.16 ERA, 2.16 WHIP, 7.54 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The most interesting thing about Mateo is his extreme size.  The 6’8” Dominican towers over his Dodger teammates, and I would guess that he was the tallest player in the entire Dominican Summer League.  With his size comes wildness, however, as Jose walked as many batters as he struck out, which almost came out to one walk per inning.  It is for that reason that you don’t find many pitchers taller than 6’6” in the major leagues, because it is very difficult for extremely tall pitchers to harness their stuff.  In addition to his wildness, Jose must have also left too many hittable balls over the plate, as opposing batters hit .322 against him.  Even though Mateo was 20 years old in his debut season, the Dodgers used him sparingly, spreading out his 13 appearances evenly from June through August.  Overall, I don’t see too many positives in regards to Mateo besides the fact that he had a strikeout rate that was just a tick above average.  Nevertheless, his height makes him such a wildcard that I can’t help but have some hope that he’ll have a dramatic turnaround next year and burst on to the prospect scene, setting himself up for a U.S. debut in 2011.

164.  Adolfo Gonzalez, 2B (59 games in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/8/02

5’11”, 160 lbs, 24.75 years old, bats right handed

.271 average, 4 HR, 24 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 104

Adolfo Gonzalez regressed significantly in 2009.  After spending all of 2008 in AA and hitting .298, the Dodgers demoted Gonzalez to Hi-A in 2009.  At Inland Empire he got off to a hot start, but then steadily declined before his season early on June 30 due to some sort of injury.  A smaller player who is pretty much limited to 2^nd base, I’m not sure why I ranked Adolfo all the way at #104 last year because I really don’t like him as a player.  He just really isn’t that good.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers already re-signed this Venezuelan native after the 2009 season to a minor league contract, and I suppose he’ll return to Hi-A in 2010.

163.  Faustino Oguisten, SS (24 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 165 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.190 average, 0 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Faustino Oguisten’s stats were obviously pretty ugly in 2009.  Not only was his batting average only .190, but so was his slugging percentage.  That’s right, all of Oguisten’s hits in 2009 were singles.  Nevertheless, this Dominican deserves some recognition in my ranking due to his youth and his position.  Oguisten was just 18 years old during his first professional season, and played the premium position of shortstop (even though he made 11 errors in just 24 games).  In addition, Faustino has good size, and if he is able to put on some muscle in the future, he could be a pretty scary offensive threat.  That potential still a long way off, however, and I’m positive that Oguisten will return to the Dominican Summer League in 2010.

162.  Miguel Sanfler, LHP (89 innings in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/2/02

5’11”, 165 lbs, 25.5 years old

1-0, 5.48 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 6.13 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 102

Back in 2005, Sanfler was rated by Baseball America as the 19^th best prospect in the Gulf Coast League.  This was only four spots ahead of one of the Dodgers top prospects Ivan DeJesus Jr.  At that time, Miguel boasted a 95 mph fastball and a devastating curveball.  Four years later, Sanfler’s stuff seems to have faded.  While the California League has been historically tough on pitchers, it is no excuse for the control problems that plagued Sanfler in 2009.  He walked almost as many batters as he struck out, which inflated Miguel’s WHIP to 1.64.  Sanfler also tends to leave the ball up when he misses, and allowed 7 HR’s in 2009, a remarkably high number for a reliever. At 5’11”, 165 lbs, and 25 and half years old, Sanfler doesn’t appear to have what it takes to make it to the show, and I’d be surprised if he was promoted to AA next year.  Lastly, Sanfler is currently playing in the Dominican Winter League, and has a 10.80 ERA in 1.7 innings, which doesn’t bode well for his assignment next year.

161.  Charlie Mirabal, SS (61 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/1/07

5’11”, 164 lbs, 23 years old

.254 average, 0 HR’s, 26 RBI’s, 9 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 79

As I said last year, Charlie Mirabal is an interesting story.  He was signed by the Dodgers after he performed well during an open tryout before the 2007 season.  Originally a middle infielder, Mirabal struggled during the 2007 season in the Dominican Summer League.  So the Dodgers decided to try him out as a pitcher during 2008, and he put up some great numbers.  He had a 1.99 ERA in 32 innings and had an outstanding strikeout rate.  Based on those facts, one would think that Mirabal would continue to pitch in 2009 in one of the U.S. based rookie leagues right?  Wrong.  The Dodgers had different plans for Miarbal, and decided to move him back to shortstop in 2009.  I don’t really understand this decision at all given Charlie’s success on the mound in 2008, and the only reasonable explanation would be that he had some sort of a minor injury to his pitching arm.  Whatever the case, Mirabal had another lackluster season as a position player in 2009.  He did rank 3^rd on the Dominican Dodgers in RBI’s and stolen bases, but he was also one of the oldest players in the league.  It is for this reason that I dropped Charlie significantly in my ranking from last year.  When the 2010 season starts, the 5’11” Mirabal will be 23 years old.  I can’t see him making any sort of an impact as a shortstop, but maybe the Dodgers will give him yet another chance on the mound to see if he can repeat his 2008 performance in a more advanced league.

160.  Marlon Arias, LHP (18.6 innings in HiA, 6.3 innings in AAA, 1 inning in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/11/03

6’3”, 150 lbs, 25.5 years old

1-1, 6.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 9.35 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 171

Marlon Arias’ claim to fame will always be the no-hitter he threw in 2007 while with Inland Empire.  Given the reputation of the California league, that is no small feat.  Going back to the beginning of his career, Arias was signed at the beginning of 2003 out the Dominican Republic.  He dominated the Dominican Summer League in 2003 and 2004 before coming to the U.S. in 2005.  From 2005 through 2009, however, he has continually struggled, and has never posted an ERA below 5.00 during that time period.  In addition, he regressed significant in 2009 as his ERA rose to an ugly 6.23.  Nevertheless, there were two positives for Marlon in 2009.  First, he made it all the way to AAA, and ended the season there.  Second, he struck out more than one batter per inning.  A current minor league free agent, it remains to be seen if the Dodgers will resign this tall lefty to another minor league contract, or if they’ll let him join another organization.  While he has shown flashes of brilliance over his career, I don’t see any major league potential in him as a player, so unless the Dodgers need organizational depth at pitcher, I’d prefer that they left him walk. 

159.  Carlos Mercedes, 1B (42 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 190 lbs, 18.75 years old, bats right handed

.133 average, 2 HR’s, 12 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Carlos Mercedes is a young Dominican player who made his professional debut in 2009.  He was only 17 when he played his first professional game, and his lack of experience showed.  He hit just .133 for the season, and struck out in almost one-third of his plate appearances.  However, he did hit 2 home runs, which is pretty good for the Dominican Summer League.  In addition, Mercedes was extremely unlucky in 2009, as his batting average for balls in play was only .192, which is one of the lowest in the Dodgers minor league system.  Primarily a 1^st baseman in 2009, Mercedes also played in the outfield throughout the course of the season, which shows that he has some versatility.  Overall, while his 2009 stats were awful, I believe that his youth and size give him the potential to turn things around next season. 

158.  Thomas Melgarejo, LHP (36.3 innings in HiA, 4.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 12/1/05

6’1”, 216 lbs, 23 years old

2-3, 6.15 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 8.78 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 91

A native of Mexico who was signed by the Dodgers before the 2006 season, Melgarejo is another player who I ranked as a top 100 Dodger prospect last year, yet disappointed in 2009.  After spending back to back seasons in Lo-A, Melgarejo was promoted to the hitters’ paradise known as the California League, and the results were not pretty.   He posted a 5.70 ERA and allowed 7 HR’s in just over 36 innings.  He also walked too many batters, and based on his results, didn’t appear to have overpowering stuff.  However, when you combine his Hi-A stats with the stats he accumulated in the Arizona Rookie League while rehabbing an injury, he did end up striking out almost a batter per inning, and also had a respectable 5.00 FIP and a .272 batting average against.  In 2010, I anticipate that the 23 year old Melgarejo will return to Hi-A, and hopefully he’ll have better results.  Finally, it is worth noting that Thomas is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League, and is doing fairly well with 13 K’s and 4.82 ERA in just over 9 innings.

157.  Ronny Lugo, RF (63 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 170 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.246 average, 0 HR’s, 24 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Ronny Lugo was signed out of Venezuela prior to the 2009 season, and debuted with the Dominican Dodgers in May.  While his offensive stats were just average, it should be noted that Lugo played all three outfield positions, and only made 3 errors in 63 games.  He played the most games in right field, so one can only assume that he has an above average arm.  Getting back to his offense, he really didn’t do too badly for a first year player.  He had a very solid month of June by hitting .293, and his 24 RBI’s for the year ranked forth on the team.  In addition, he showed some speed with 5 triples throughout the course of the season, which led the Dominican Dodgers by far.  Nevertheless, at 20 years old, Lugo is going to have to show something special next year to get a chance at playing in a U.S. based league in 2011.

156.  Eric Thompson, RHP (28 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 23^rd round

6’6”, 210 lbs, 22 years old

1-1, 5.79 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, 4.82 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 121

Eric Thompson was drafted out of high school in 2006, and even though he was a 23^rd round pick, the Dodgers had to pay him a fairly large signing bonus to convince him put his basketball career aside.  The thought was that the 6’6” pitcher would have the ideal frame and size to be a power pitcher.  However, more than three years have passed since he was drafted, and Thompson is still struggling in Rookie ball.  While he did make it up to LoA in 2008, he found himself back at Ogden for the entire 2009 season.  I don’t know anything about his pitches, command, or his velocity, but the fact that he struck out less than 5 batters per 9 innings in 2009 seems to suggest that his doesn’t have overpowering stuff.  But on the plus side, he did have a respectable 4.34 FIP in 2009, and opposing batters only hit .241 against him.  At 22 years old, Thompson is running out of time to prove himself to Dodger management.  Nevertheless, I have a soft spot for pitchers who were drafted out of high school, so I hope that he puts together a solid campaign in 2010.  He’ll probably start next season at Lo-A, and there is a chance that he’ll move up to Inland Empire by mid-season.

155.  Bridger Hunt, OF (Did not play in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 9^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats right handed

No stats in 2009

Prior Year Ranking: 97

After a mediocre 2008 season in Hi-A, Bridger Hunt was on track to make the jump to AA in 2009 as a part time player.  The 9^th round pick out of Central Missouri State had something to prove after being relegated to an organization player who was just there to fill out a roster. Unfortunately, Hunt never got that chance in 2009 as he was injured the entire season.  I’m not sure what Bridger’s injury was, but I did see his name on the Inland Empire DL list for the entire season.  My analysis of Hunt as a player is that he has the ability to hit for a decent batting average, but has no power.  He is also a scrappy player who has the potential to be a solid leadoff hitter, but unfortunately he lacks the speed to ever be great.  Overall, this injury has really put Hunt’s career on hold, and now I’m not sure if he’ll ever be able to get back on track.  If healthy in 2010, he’ll probably stay in extended spring training for a while to get back into game action, and then depending on his results, will play in HiA or AA.

154.  Chris Handke, RHP (1.3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 41^st round

6’10”, 235 lbs, 22 years old

0-0, 13.50 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, 0.00 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Chris Handke is an interesting prospect with an even more interesting story.  The 6’10” pitcher (or 6’11” pitcher, depending upon where you look) was actually a much better basketball player at Cornell College, averaging 9.8 points per game and setting the single season record for blocks with 45 during the 2008-2009 season.  In addition, Handke had a 3.92 GPA while majoring in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology.  And by the way, his career pitching stats at Cornell looked like this: 0-1, 10.12 ERA, 25 walks, and 11 strikeouts in 21 and one third innings.  Based on the above information, who would have guessed that he’d be playing in the Dodgers minor league system?  Well, Chris didn’t even believe it after he was drafted.  He was quoted as saying “I told the Dodgers that I want to finish my degree at Cornell and complete my basketball career.”  His dad Jim also told the local paper “Chris was up front with them. He told them academics are a big priority for him, and he wants to go back to play basketball this winter. They were fine with that.”  So what changed his mind?  I’m not too sure, but I bet it had something to do with the Dodgers agreeing to pay for his education during the offseason, or when he is done playing baseball.  I also know that the Dodgers drafted Chris after watching him hit 93 mph at the Perfect Game’s National Pre-Draft Showcase.  In regards to his professional debut, Chris only pitched in 2 games, and was hit very hard.  Nevertheless, a 6’10” pitcher who can hit 93 mph is always intriguing, so I’m sure the Dodgers will continue to spend time on him to see if they can maximize his potential.  He’ll probably start next season in the Pioneer League as a 22 year old.

153.  Ivan Eugenia, RHP (14 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 185 lbs, 18.5 years old

1-1, 5.79 ERA, 1.86 WHIP, 9.64 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Ivan Eugenia is a young Dominican player who made his debut in 2009.  In fact, not only is Eugenia young, but he is the fourth youngest player in the entire Dodgers minor league system.  Because Ivan is so young, I’ve given him the benefit of the doubt despite his mediocre ERA and WHIP in 2009.  His 5.79 ERA was supplemented by the fact that his FIP was a respectable 3.41.  In addition, another positive feature about Eugenia is his ability to strike batters out.  While he was limited to 14 innings in the DSL in 2009, his 9.64 K/9 ranked as one of the best for the Dominican Dodgers.  If Ivan can learn to limit the amount of walks he allows, he will no doubt turn into a legitimate prospect.  I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL in 2010, and hopefully he’ll get a chance to exhibit his potential by pitching more innings.

152.  Jordan Roberts, LHP (26.7 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 28^th round

6’1”, 180 lbs, 24.25 years old

1-0, 2.70 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 4.05 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 150

While he only pitched 26 innings all year, the 2009 season was a tail of two halves for Jordan Roberts.  After making 6 appearances in June and July and posting an ERA of 8.00, Jordan found his groove in August, and never looked back.  From August 4th through the end of the season, Jordan made 7 appearances, pitched just under 18 innings, and did not allow an earned run.  His WHIP during that streak was a ridiculous 0.68, and opposing players hit less than .150 against him.  The strange thing was that he only struck out 12 batters the entire season, so you have to wonder if he was a little bit lucky.  His 2009 FIP of 3.70 also seems to suggest that he was pretty fortunate throughout the season.  Going back to his college career, Roberts was a first team All-American out of the NAIA college Embry-Riddle in Florida.  Drafted in the 28th round of 2008, he finished his that season 12th in the NAIA in ERA a 1.94 and, and was 24th in strikeouts per game with 10.10 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.  So obviously Roberts does have some good stuff.  Looking to the future, however, Roberts will be 24 years old when the 2010 season starts, so he’s getting too old for the rookie leagues.  He’ll probably move up to Hi-A next year, and hopefully this lefty will continue his scoreless streak in the California League.

151.  Jessie Mier, C (35 games in HiA, 1 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 12^th round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.217 average, 3 HR, 7 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 115

From now on, I’m guessing that Jessie Mier will simply be known as the older brother of Jiovanni Mier.  For those of you who don’t know, Jessie’s brother Jiovanni was drafted by the Astros with the 21^st overall pick in the 2009 draft.  Jiovanni is a promising young shortstop, and I’m pretty sure we’ll see him in an Astro uniform sometime in the next five years.  Jessie, on the other hand, is a struggling backup catcher.  Drafted out of Lewis-Clark College in 2007 he played in 8 games with the Ogden Raptors in his debut season before breaking his hand.  He made a full recovery, however, and split time between Ogden and Great Lakes in 2008, posting a respectable .270 average.  In 2009, Mier’s season got off to a late start as he didn’t make his debut until May 30 with Inland Empire.  With the 66ers, Mier served as the backup catcher for the remainder of the season and struggled in pretty much every offensive category.  Despite his struggles, the Dodgers decided to send Mier to the Arizona Fall League for some additional work.  Generally, I consider all players sent to the Arizona Fall League as at least a marginal prospect.  In Mier’s case, however, I don’t consider that to be the case.  In fact, I think the Dodgers wasted an AFL spot by sending Mier.  He proved my point by hitting just .167 in the AFL in 36 at bats.  Overall, while he is known as one of the better defensive catchers in the Dodgers system, Mier’s offensive skills have just not developed enough to compliment his abilities behind the plate.  He will probably play in AA next season, but will definitely be the backup catcher as I don’t him ever being a starting catcher at any level.

150.  Andres Perez, INF (26 games in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 8/9/09 out of independent ball

6’0”, 200 lbs, 25.75 years old, bats right handed

.340 average, 5 HR’s, 20 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Andres Perez played his college ball at Stony Brook University, and during 2006, his Senior season, he hit .327 and led the team with 7 HR’s.  Undrafted out of college, Perez signed with the Yankees as a non drafted free agent in September of 2006.  In 2007, his first professional season, he played at 4 different levels ranging from the Gulf Coast League to HiA.  After an uninspiring season, however, he was cut from the Yankees, so he signed with Tampa Bay before the 2008 season.  After a mediocre season in the Florida State League, he was again let go again.  Unable to find a team to sign with at the beginning of 2009, Perez kept his baseball hopes alive by playing independent ball with the Newark Bears.  According to the Newark website at the time of his signing, “Perez was batting .306 with 11 doubles, 4 triples, and 17 home runs, and he collected 54 runs batted in just 64 games.  Perez was a versatile player who appeared at first base, second base, third base, and the outfield.”  Because he signed so late in season, Perez only got into 26 games in the California League, but he made each game count.  He averaged almost an RBI a game, and hit a sizzling .340.  He also had a great OPS of .966.  On the downside, he didn’t walk a whole lot, and his batting average for balls in play of .400 shows that he was probably getting a little lucky.  A minor league free agent after the season, Perez will have to wait and see if his performance was enough to earn him another job in 2010.  However, at 25 years old, he also may be tempted to give up the dream and pursue another realistic occupation.

149.  Austin King, OF (28 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 31^st round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 21.25 years old, bats right handed

.244 average, 3 HR’s, 12 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I had the toughest time finding Austin King’s college stats.  He played at Jackson State Community College, but their website really sucks and it doesn’t have stats.  In addition, he apparently didn’t even play college ball in 2009 based on the Junior College Athletic Association website, which complicated things even further.  When I did finally find his stats, they didn’t agree with what I had previously read.  So contrary to previously published report about him on Scout.com, he did not hit .452 with 15 HR’s and 110 RBI’s in college.  Instead, in 2008 he hit .328 with 4 HR’s 25 RBI’s.  He also stole 17 bases in 18 attempts.  Going back even further into King’s past, he was drafted out of high school by the White Sox in the 40^th round of the 2007 draft, but obviously didn’t sign.  Turning to his professional debut, Austin really struggled in his first few months of professional ball.  Luckily for him, however, he turned things around in August as he hit .302 for the month, slugged 3 HR’s, and had a very respectable .879 OPS.  Overall, I believe that King has some potential as a prospect because he has good size and is still reasonably young.  I’m sure he earned a spot in the Pioneer League with his hot streak at the end of last season, so I’m guessing he’ll play there in 2010.

148.  Graham Miller, LHP (14.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 32^nd round

6’2”, 205 lbs, 23.25 years old

1-0, 4.30 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 8.59 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Graham Miller was a late round pick out of The Master’s College, a tiny NAIA school located in Santa Clarita.  While his Senior season was less than impressive (he had a 6.63 ERA in 55 2/3 innings), after the draft his college head coach said that “He can hit 90 with his fastball.  He has really good movement.  He has a really good changeup.  A pretty good split.  There’s an upside to him.  He struggled throwing strikes here a little bit, but he’s a left-hander.  He’s a big kid.  Getting in pro ball, they have more of a daily routine.  Maybe he can be more consistent, more effective.”  Well, Miller’s coach may have been right, because while the level of competition in the Pioneer League was significant better than in the NAIA, Graham’s numbers actually improved from college.  He had an overall solid professional debut, and while he only appeared in 9 games, he made his time count, especially when he faced lefties.  For the season, left handed batters only hit .077 against Miller.  While his future role is still uncertain, I’m sure his only chance to make it to the big leagues will be as a left handed specialist.  Since he is already 23 years old, he will probably assume that role for the Great Lake Loons in 2010.

147.  Andres Santiago, RHP (42.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 16^th round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 20.25 years old

3-4, 7.17 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 8.02 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 133

Andres Santiago was drafted out of Puerto Rico in 2007 at the tender age of 17.  After spending his first two seasons in the Gulf Coast League, I thought the Dodgers would challenge him with a promotion to the Pioneer League in 2009.  Instead, the Dodgers sent Santiago to the Arizona Rookie League for some more work.  Upon further review, I guess his assignment makes sense since he only had 30 innings of professional experience prior to the 2009 season and was still only 19 years old.  Anyways, before you write him off due to his 7.17 ERA, it should be noted that his 2009 FIP was actually 3.36.  As a pitcher’s FIP is a much better indicator as to what kind of season a player had, it looks like Andres didn’t do so bad after all.  In addition, his strikeout rate of 8 batters per nine innings is a major improvement over the last two seasons.  Overall, Santiago has a solid pitchers frame, and is still very young.  Therefore I think that he has some potential as a prospect, and I really hope the Dodgers decide to challenge him in 2010 with an assignment in the Pioneer League or LoA.

146.  Kevin Childs, RHP (14.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 36^th round

6’2”, 195 lbs, 22.75 years old

0-0, 6.14 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 7.98 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Kevin Childs was drafted out of Culver-Stockton College where he pitched only 8.1 innings in 2009.  A transfer out of Delta Junior College, the Culver-Stockton Wildcats were excited to get a player like Childs, who would have been already drafted in 2008 if it hadn’t been for his inability to find the strike zone.  Unfortunately, Childs came down with elbow stiffness during Fall ball, and while he was lucky to escape Tommy John surgery, it did limit his innings during the season.  He made the best out of his limited appearances, however, as he posted a 2.16 ERA while striking out 10 batters.  What impressed the scouts the most, though, was his .194 battering average against, and his ability to consistently hit 90-91 mph.  What also showed was his wildness, however, as he walked 6 batters and hit another 5.  Nevertheless, most people think that if he had pitched an entire season in 2009, he would have been drafted much higher.  In addition, it has been said that his fastball used to top out at 97 mph.  Once Childs hit the professional ranks in the Arizona League, he initially struggled.  However, he calmed down in August by posting an ERA of 1.69 and striking out 5 in 5.1 innings.  In addition, his FIP for the season was 4.19, which was much more impressive than his 6.14 ERA.  Overall, the Dodgers must believe that Childs is a project worth investing in, especially with his solid frame, and I think he’ll start next year in the Pioneer League.

145.  Luis Rosano, RHP (43.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’2”, 190 lbs, 18.75 years old

3-5, 4.98 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 5.40 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I know three things about Luis Rosano: he is young, he has a good pitching frame, and he is from Venezuela.  In looking at his stats, he did pretty well for his professional debut.   While his ERA was close 5.00 and he didn’t strike out many batters, his FIP was a respectable 4.15.  In addition, he was surprising successful against lefties, who hit just .184 against him.  In regards to the future, I have pretty high hopes for Rosano.  He was used strictly as a starting pitcher in 2009, and I assume that trend will continue in 2010.  I’m sure he’ll be back in the Dominican Summer League next year since he’ll be just 19 years old, but if he continues to improve, I can see him playing in a U.S. based league in 2011.

144.  Alex Garabedian, C (84 games in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 8^th round

6’2”, 210 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats right handed

.236 average, 6 HR’s, 35 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 98

Coming out of high school, Alex Garabedian was considered to be one of the better catching prospects.  He was a 2003 AFLAC All-American, was named as the top catcher in Florida by TeamOne Baseball, and was ranked by Baseball America as the second-best catching prospect and the 33rd-best overall prospect nationally going into the 2004 draft.  However, he fell to the Yankees in the 7^th round of that 2004 draft, and decided to attend the University of Miami rather than turning pro.  After hitting .255 with the Hurricanes during his freshman season, he actually decided to transfer to the College of Charleston.  At Charleston, Garabedian did much better, and as a Junior, he hit .353 with 13 homers, and also threw out over 40 percent of attempted base stealers.  That led to him being drafted by the Dodgers in the 8^th round of the 2007 draft.  Unfortunately, even though his biggest asset is his bat, he has struggled at the plate since his professional debut.  He ended the 2008 regular season hitting .095 in 13 games at Inland Empire, and then continued to struggle in the Hawaii Winter League (.154 average in 52 AB’s).  2009 wasn’t much better as he struggled to the tune of a .236 average in 280 at bats.  While he did show a little bit of power, I’m sure it wasn’t enough to impress Dodgers management.  At 24 years old, Garabedian will probably have to spend a third season at Hi-A to prove his worth.  While he seems to have a lot of potential, another lackluster season could put his career in jeopardy. 

143.  Stetson Banks, CF (44 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 22^nd round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.231 average, 2 HR’s, 11 RBI’s, 11 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Stetson Banks was drafted out of BYU in the 22^nd round of the 2009 draft.  He only played two years in college, however, because he served his Mormon mission in 2007 and 2008.  During his 2009 college season, Banks hit .348 and stole 23 bases in 29 attempts.  He is extremely fast, and that speed carried over into his professional debut as he stole 11 more bases in the Arizona Rookie League.  Unfortunately, his ability to hit for average did not carry over to his professional debut as he batted only .231 in 169 at bats.  In addition, he showed very little power, and his on base percentage of .309 was very poor.  Nevertheless, Stetson is a great athlete, which he demonstrated in high school by being named second team all-state in football as a wide receiver.  Further his uncle, Brian Banks, made it to the major leagues earlier in the decade, so he does have some decent bloodlines.  While he played at 2^nd base and shortstop in college, he was primarily a center fielder for the Dodgers.  He’ll most likely play in the Pioneer League next season, and hopefully his athleticism will lead to better stats.

142.  Freudys Perez, C (38 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

5’10”, 160 lbs, 18.5 years old, bats right handed

.198 average, 2 HR’s, 14 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Freudys Perez is the Dodgers youngest catching prospect, and was just 17 years old for the majority of the Dominican Summer League season.  While his stats were pretty ugly, I’m sure his youth and the difficultly of his position played into his lack of offensive.  I also noticed that Perez had a very solid start, hitting .293 in the month of June, and then struggled the rest of the way, including the month of August where he went just 2 for 19.  In addition, Freudys did show some power with 2 HR’s, and has a pretty good eye at the plate as he walked in 12.8% of his plate appearances, which ranked as third best for the Dominican Dodgers.  I’m 100% certain that Perez will return to the DSL next season, and hopefully this Dominican native can improve offensively as he continues to learn his position.

141.  Steve Smith, RHP (67.3 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’2”, 215 lbs, 23.75 years old

4-1, 2.67 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.22 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 160

Steve Smith was signed by the Dodgers in 2008 as a non drafted free agent out of the University of New Mexico, where he was a teammate of fellow Dodger minor leaguer Brian Cavazos-Galvez.  He wasn’t overly impressive during his senior season with the Lobos, posting a 5.01 ERA and 58 strikeouts in just under 74 innings, but the Dodgers decided to give Smith a chance anyways.  In his professional debut, he struggled to adapt to more experienced hitters, but he dramatically turned things around in 2009.  His 2.67 ERA with the Loons actually ranked as the 7^th best ERA of all Dodger minor leaguers with at least 50 innings pitched.  In addition, his ERA for the 2^nd half of the 2009 season was an amazing 1.98.  Despite his 2009 success, however, I’m skeptical that Smith has what it takes to be a legitimate prospect.  His strikeout rate was just average, and his performance came in the pitcher friendly Midwest League.  He also struggled against left handed batters, who hit .309 against him.  Overall, while I was very impressed with Smith in 2009, I don’t think his success will continue in the future, especially if he plays in the California League next season.

140.  John Hernandez, RHP (14.3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 28^th round

6’0”, 190 lbs, 22.75 years old

2-1. 1.88 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 7.54 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

John Hernandez, who was drafted out of Barry University in the 28^th round of the 2009 draft, is also called Bobby by his teammates (because his middle name is Robert).  At Barry, Hernandez was a 4 year player, and while his Senior year was decent (5-3, 4.14 ERA, 60 K’s in 67 innings), his most successful season came in 2008 as a Junior.  During that season, John went 7-0, had a 1.58 ERA, and struck out 51 batters in 51 innings.  Also, according to his college website, he was “One of the most dominant pitchers on the Bucs staff … Great fastball and slider … Solid change up and curve … Has good command of pitches … Hard worker and athletic.”  Upon turning pro, Hernandez had immediate success in the Arizona Rookie League.  His 1.88 ERA was one of the best on the Arizona Dodgers pitching staff, and his 0.90 ERA against righties demonstrates that he knows what he’s doing.  However, upon further review, it appeared that he was getting pretty lucky.  While his ERA was great, his FIP was actually 5.26.  In addition, his WHIP of 1.67 and his .293 batting average against were pretty ugly.  In 2010, Hernandez will be 22 years old, and I expect him to play in Lo-A.  The righty will have to prove himself against tougher competition in order to be considered a legitimate prospect.

139.  Giordanny Chavez, RHP (18.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’3”, 185 lbs, 18.75 years old
0-1, 6.38 ERA, 1.80 WHIP, 5.89 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

How can you go wrong with a 6’3” 18 year old?  In my opinion, you can’t.  Giordanny Chavez is a Dominican native who made his debut with the Dodgers in 2009.  While his stats were less than impressive, his physical stature screams potential.  Limited to just 18 innings in 2009, Chavez was actually fairly effective against right handed batters, who hit just .246 against him.  What he’ll have to improve is his performance against lefties.  I really don’t know much about Chavez at all besides the fact that he has a very projectable frame.  I think that he’ll improve with experience, and while I’m sure that he’ll return to the DSL in 2010, I expect much better results. 

138.  Melvin Ray, CF (29 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 33^rd round

6’4”, 205 lbs, 20.75 years old, bats right handed

.130 average, 2 HR’s, 6 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 143

So far in his professional career, Melvin Ray has put up atrocious stats.  He had a .162 average in 2008, and then followed up that season by hitting .130 in 2009.  He also struck out at an incredible rate in 2009, going down on strikes in over 56% of his plate appearances.  Nevertheless, I can’t help but like his potential.  Out of all the players in the Dodgers minor league system, I would say that Ray has the best size for an offensive player, as 6’4” and 205 lbs is exactly what you want in an outfielder.  And I’m sure that he is athletic, because as I mentioned last year, he claims to be related to Jackie Robinson.  He also showed some power and speed during his 29 games this season.  In addition, he is just 20 years old, so he has plenty of time to get his act together.  If he can learn to make contact on a more consistent basis, I really do think that Melvin can make a name for himself within the Dodgers minor league system.  I think the Pioneer League is the right place for Ray to play in 2010, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he matured into a legitimate prospect in the years to come. 

137.  James Tomlin, LF (108 games in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/2/2006

6’0”, 183 lbs, 27.5 years old, bats right handed

.315 average, 2 HR’s, 34 RBI’s, 12 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 138

When you compare Tomlin’s stats between 2008 and 2009, they are almost identical.  Literally, the only difference was that he had a higher walk rate and strikeout rate in 2009.  Everything else was pretty much the same.  Originally drafted in the 7^th round by the Twins in 2000, he played 6 seasons with them before moving to the Royals organization in 2006.  He stayed there for only one season, before moving on to the Dodgers in 2007.  In his three seasons with the Dodgers, he has shown very little power, but has demonstrated a little speed, along with the ability to hit for a decent average.  Overall, Tomlin has played 10 minor league seasons and has a career .283 average.  He may never make it up the majors, and was actually selected by the Rangers in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft this past December, so he won’t be back with the Dodgers.  He has decent tools, but I doubt that he has what it takes to make it to the show.

136.  Clayton Allison, RHP (Did not play in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 27^th round

6’5”, 235 lbs, 24.5 years old

No stats for 2009

Prior Year Ranking: 96

Allison was part of the 2008 College World Series championship team while playing for Fresno State, and even picked up a big win against North Carolina in the Semi Finals.  He also posted a 3.91 ERA throughout his final college season.  While he wasn’t drafted until the 27^th round, the Dodgers gave him a chance because they liked Allison’s size and ability to win.  In his first professional season, he moved all the way up to AA, but only pitched 8 professional innings.  Then, Clayton disappeared in 2009.  While I was pretty sure it was due to an injury, it wasn’t until after the 2009 season that I learned that it was indeed shoulder surgery that caused him to miss the season.  Luckily, he is expected to be back at full strength by the start of spring training.  At 6’5” and 235 lbs, Allison has an ideal pitchers body, and in the future will probably work out of the bullpen.  Given that he missed the entire 2009 season, the Dodgers will probably take it easy with Allison, but he may return to AA since he is already 24 years old.  I’m hoping he’ll have a successful return as I think he has the potential to one day make an impact with the Dodgers.

135.  Jose Capellan, C (50 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 190 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.248 average, 1 HR, 11 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Jose Capellan made his professional debut in 2009 and was the starting catcher for the DSL Dodgers.  While his overall stats make it seem like he did not have a good season, the reality is that Jose had two great months, and one really bad one.  Capellan started the season by hitting .303 in June, but then dropped off considerably in July as he managed just a .125 average.  He finished the season by catching fire in August, however, as he posted a batting average of .326 and an OPS of .827 in 43 at bats.  Throughout the entire season, Capellan showed that he had the ability to make pretty good contact, as he struck out in just 15.4% of his plate appearance.  In addition, he only made 8 errors behind the plate, which is pretty good for a first year catcher.  Capellan played the entire 2009 season as an 18 year old, so he is still very young.  He also is the perfect size for a catcher.  I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL next year, and hopefully he’ll continue to improve and become a more consistent hitter.

134.  Jose Dominguez, RHP (59.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’0”, 180 lbs, 19.5 years old

4-5, 3.64 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 8.65 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 60

Signed for $50,000 as a 16 year old at the start of the 2007 international signing period, Jose Dominguez impressed scouts back then with a 90 mph fastball and a solid curve.  At the time, Logan White said, “It’s rare to see a kid as polished as he is.”  Last year, I ranked Jose Dominguez 60 overall because I thought that he had a lot of potential.  He posted a 11.79 K/9 rate in 2008, even though he was just 17 years old for most of the season.  In 2009, Dominguez had a lower strikeout rate, but improved his overall performance with an impressive ERA and WHIP.  So why did I rank him so low?  Well, after the minor league season was over, I found this little piece of information on milb.com: “Jose Dominguez of the Dodgers’ organization and Waldo Rosario of the Rays’ organization each received 50-game suspensions on Monday for violating the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.  Both players, part of their respective clubs’ Dominican Summer League team, tested positive for the performance-enhancing substance Stanozolol.  Their suspensions will be effective at the start of next season.”  A 50 game suspension will have a detrimental effect on Jose’s career, both in terms of experience and his reputation.  He could have been one of the youngest players in one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2010, but now will have to sit until at least July.  Without the suspension, I probably would have ranked Dominguez in a similar spot as I did last year.  But unfortunately, he is now a huge question mark for me. 

133.  Christian Gonzalez, RHP (12 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 11/1/04

6’1”, 169 lbs, 21.75 years old

0-0, 2.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 5.25 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 129

After spending four seasons in the Dominican Summer League (one at 3^rd base, two in the outfield, and one as a pitcher), Gonzalez made his U.S. debut in 2009.  While he only made nine appearances throughout the season, his results were quite good.  Not only did he have an impressive ERA, but he showed great control by walking only one batter during his 12 innings.  He did have his weaknesses however, as demonstrated by his low strikeout rate and the fact that opposing batters hit .333 against them.  Overall, Gonzalez is not a big player, and I see him staying in the bullpen throughout his career.  At 21 years old, he’ll probably climb the later up to the Pioneer League in 2010, and hopefully the Dodgers will give him a longer look next year by allowing him to pitch more innings.

132.  Jovanny Rosario, CF (55 games in AAA, 18 games in HiA, 12 games in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 6/2/03

5’9”, 160 lbs, 25 years old, switch hitter

.258 average, 1 HR, 11 RBI’s, 14 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 99

Rosario played at three different levels for the Dodgers in 2009.  He started in AA, and while he didn’t perform particularly well there, he was promoted up to AAA in May during the Dodgers outfield shuffle, in which both Xavier Paul and Jamie Hoffmann were promoted to LA.  Rosario wasn’t a full time player in AAA, but he did get into 51 games and had average results.  Once August hit, the Dodgers decided that they should give Rosario some more playing time, so he was sent to Inland Empire and played almost every day for the rest of the season.  All in all, Rosario ended the season with a mediocre average, an awful slugging percentage, and an even worse walk rate (he walked just 4 times all season).  In addition, Jovanny didn’t really utilize his speed, which is his biggest asset.  Sure he ended the season with 14 steals, but 9 of those steals came at Hi-A against easier competition, and only one steal came during his time in AAA.  To make matters worse, Rosario is currently hitting just .214 in the Dominican Winter League through 56 at bats.  A minor league free agent at the end of this past season, the Dodgers already re-signed Rosario for 2010.  Now almost 25 years old, I predict he’ll play a similar role in 2010 as he did in 2009, and while he reminds me of a switching hitting version of Juan Pierre, I don’t think he has what it takes to make it to the next level.

131.  Joe Torres, LHP (18.3 inning in HiA, 22 innings with other organization in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/20/09

6’2”, 195 lbs, 27.5 years old

0-0, 0.98 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 8.35 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Once upon a time, Joe Torres was a great prospect.  He was the #10 overall pick in the 2000 draft (by the Angels), and signed for $2.08 million.  In 2001, he was ranked by Baseball America as the Angels’ #1 prospect, and at the time he drew very high praise.  He consistently hit 93 and was clocked as high as 95.  His curveball was the best in the organization, and he had a promising changeup.  Baseball America also predicted he would be in the major leagues by the age of 23.  Unfortunately, things went downhill from there.  He pitched a few mediocre seasons, and had trouble with his delivery, which ultimately led to his Tommy John surgery in 2004.  He was back pitching for the Angles in 2005, but then left as a minor league free agent to sign with the White Sox in 2007.  He stayed with the White Sox until 2008, and then signed with Texas in 2009.  He only lasted a few months with the Rangers before signing on with the Dodgers.  He was placed on the Inland Empire roster and proceeded to record an ERA under 1.00.  However, his other stats were not quite as impressive, especially his 1.53 WHIP and his 3.86 FIP.  While he had a limited sample size, I will venture to say that Torres isn’t the prospect that he once was.  He’s 27 and a half years old and was playing in A ball.  While he still shows flashes of brilliance, he is much too old to make it to the big leagues.  He was obviously a minor league free agent at the end of the 2009 season, and I highly doubt he’ll return to the Dodgers system next season.

130.  Cody White, LHP (Did not play in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 12^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 25 years old

No stats for 2009

Prior Year Ranking: 125

Not too long ago, Cody White was considered a legitimate Dodger prospect.  He was ranked #24 in the 2007 Baseball America prospect handbook, and in the 2008 version of the handbook he was listed as having the system’s best changeup.  Those accolades did not come without just cause, as his ERA was 2.68 and 3.14 in 2006 and 2007 respectively.  However, White’s troubles started in 2008.  His ERA jumped to 4.94, and his strikeout rate dropped to 5.81 per 9 innings.  In addition, his heavy workload of just about 146 innings in 2008 probably attributed to the fact that he missed the 2009 season.  While I’m not sure what his injury was, I’m guessing that it was pretty serious.  Whatever the case, the missed year is going to definitely hurt his development as White will be 25 years old when the 2010 season starts.  A draft and follow player who wasn’t actually signed until 2004, White will be a minor league free agent after the 2010 season, so his performance next year will determine if the Dodgers decide to resign him.  I’m betting that he’ll return to AA in 2010 if he’s healthy.

129.  Chris Henderson, 3B (47 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 21^st round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats right handed

.255 average, 0 HR’s, 18 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Chris Henderson was an amazing college player at George Mason University.  In 2009, Henderson hit.413 with 14 homers, 58 RBI and 70 runs scored.  He also had a ridiculous .487 on-base percentage and a .702 slugging percentage.  But the kicker is that he did all this as a catcher.  That’s right, Henderson was a catcher in college, and was in fact named one of the three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award for the nation’s best catcher.  The other two finalists were the #4 overall pick Tony Sanchez, and the Dodgers own Jeremy Wise.  So my first question is how did Henderson last all the way until the 21^st round?  The simple answer is that scouts don’t think his college game will translate well into professional success.  The other question is why did the Dodgers convert Henderson to a 3^rd baseman?  I actually have no answer to that question, but I can say that it wasn’t because he was a defensive liability, as he had a career fielding percentage of .990 in college.  Whatever the case, learning the new position seemed to limit Henderson’s hitting ability once he turned pro.  His batting average was less than impressive, and he showed no power.  In addition, he made 16 errors at 3^rd base.  My guess is that the Dodgers will return Henderson back to catcher next year.  He has much more value at that position, especially since he has proven that he can be an offensive force.  I bet that they just wanted to save his knees in 2009 after he had already caught an entire college season.  I can see him having a much better offensive season in 2010 if he does return to catcher, and I would guess that this 21 year old will play in either the Pioneer League or in Lo-A.

128.  Jesus Rodriguez, RHP (80.3 innings in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/20/05

6’0”, 180 lbs, 24.5 years old

6-5, 3.47 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 4.71 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 141

Jesus Rodriguez is from Mexico, and while he only signed with the Dodgers in 2005, he actually already had three years of baseball experience before signing as he had played in the Mexican League from 2003 through 2005.  Since joining the Dodgers, Rodriguez has made a steady ascent through their system.  He started in the Pioneer League in 2006, and after a great year in 2007 split between LoA and HiA (3.05 ERA, 1.22 WHIP in 91 innings), Jesus made it all the way up to AA in 2008, just his third professional season.  He continued his career in AA in 2009, and upon first glance it looks like he put up pretty good numbers.  His 3.47 ERA was definitely better than average, and his WHIP was solid.  However, his extremely low strikeout rate is worrisome, as is his FIP of 4.67.  Rodriguez also allowed 10 HR’s throughout the year, which ranked as 9^th worst in the Dodgers minor league system.  In addition, at 6’0”, Jesus isn’t very big for a pitcher, and his aforementioned strikeout and HR rate seem to suggest that he doesn’t throw very hard.  As for 2010, Jesus is still just 24 years old, so he’ll probably return to AA again next season.  With a good first half, he may even be able to make it up to AAA.  Overall, Rodriguez’ future is definitely in middle relief, and while he is a good minor league inning eater, I’m not sure that he has what it takes to make as a reliever at the next level.

127.  Anthony Hatch, 3B (130 games in LoA in 2009)

Acquired by Dodgers in Minor League portion of Rule 5 Draft in December of 2008

6’3”, 200 lbs, 26.5 years old, bats left handed

.294 average, 11 HR’s, 73 RBI’s, 6 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The Dodgers acquired Anthony Hatch in the minor league portion of the Rule 5 draft in December of 2008.  Originally, he was a 13^th round pick of the Blue Jays in the 2005 draft.  At the start of 2009, was coming off of a 2008 season where he had spent the majority of his time in AA, and when he was reassigned to HiA in July of 2008, he hit .329.  When I first saw that we had drafted Hatch, I automatically assumed that he would play in AA given his age and experience.  However, the Dodgers decided to send Hatch to LoA where he spent the entire season, and I really think it was a selfish move on the Dodgers part.  I believe the Dodgers sent Hatch to LoA because they wanted an older player on the Great Lakes team to be a mentor to the other players.  The Dodgers knew that almost every player on the Loons would be under 23 years old, so they wanted a veteran presence.  Don’t get me wrong, I think it was genius of the Dodgers to do that, I just think that it was selfish in the sense that it probably hurt Hatch’s overall development.  Instead of being challenged by AA pitchers, Hatch got to face undeveloped 22 year olds, and he took full advantage.  While he didn’t have any eye popping numbers, he was very consistent throughout the entire season, and ranked 6^th in the entire Midwest League with 141 hits.  Hatch also ranked 4^th in the Midwest League in doubles (36), 10^th in RBI’s (73), and 9^th in OPS (.827).  In addition, I would say that Hatch was a key ingredient in the Loons first playoff berth given his consistency all season.  If Hatch were 22 years old instead of 26, he would probably rank in my top 25.  But unfortunately, that is not the case, so I think my ranking is appropriate.  He’ll probably move up to AA next season where he’ll face players closer to his own age, and even if he doesn’t make it to the show, I hope that he continues to be a good influence on his Dodger teammates.

126.  Zach Schreiber, RHP (26 innings in AA, 11.3 innings in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 4/15/09

6’1”, 220 lbs, 27.75 years old

2-0, 2.65 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 8.68 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Zach Schreiber played his college ball at Duke, and was originally a 16^th round pick by the Braves in the 2004 draft.  He performed exceptionally well in the minor leagues with the Braves, and from 2005 through 2008, he never had an ERA above 2.97 at any level.  After the 2007 season, he was placed on the Braves 40 man roster in order to protect him from the Rule 5 draft.  However, after completing a full year in AAA in 2008, he was released in March of 2009 due to roster limitations.  After he cleared waivers, he was signed by the Dodgers and was placed on their Inland Empire roster.  He performed well through 11 innings, and was quickly promoted to AA where he performed even better.  His 2.42 ERA and 10 K/9 at Chattanooga ranked among the team leaders, and he even picked up a couple of saves.  Nevertheless, I’m not sure that Schreiber has any potential as a prospect with the Dodgers.  He is 27 years old, and is also a minor league free agent who is unlikely to resign with LA.  My guess is that he’ll be with another organization in 2010.

125.  Matthew Wallach, C/1B (107 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 22^nd round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 24 years old, bats left handed

.251 average, 4 HR’s, 48 RBI’s

Prior Year Ranking: 64

Matthew Wallach dropped significantly in my ranking this year despite his great bloodlines.  The son of former Dodger and current AAA manager Tim Wallach and brother of 2009 draftee Brett Wallach, Matthew had a disappointing season in 2009 with the Great Lake Loons.  After a solid 2008 campaign where he was the starting catcher for Ogden and hit .283 with 10 HR’s, Wallach moved to 1^st base for a portion of the 2009 season and saw his numbers deteriorate.  Due to the emergence of Tony Delmonico, Wallach only played 53 games at catcher, and spent the rest of his time at first base.  If he moves away from full time catching, that definitely hurts his overall value as a prospect.  Wallach also batted just .251 for the season and only hit 4 HR’s.  In addition, he made 18 errors in 2009, which ranked as 8^th most among all Dodger minor leaguers.  At the end of the day, we shouldn’t expect too much out of Wallach as he was a 22^nd round pick.  Still, I was hoping that he’d continue to improve and become a viable option for a backup catcher with the Dodgers.  Matthew will be 24 years old at the start of the 2010 season, and my guess is that he’ll move up to Hi-A.  Maybe one day he’ll be able to play for his dad at AAA, but that day is still at least a few years away.

124.  Greg Wilborn, LHP (19.3 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 18^th round

6’2”, 175 lbs, 22.75 years old

2-1, 7.45 ERA, 2.12 WHIP, 10.71 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Greg Wilborn was drafted out of the University of Louisiana Lafayette in the 18^th round of the 2009 draft.  For the Ragin Cajuns in 2009, Wilborn compiled a 3-4 record with a 7.83 ERA, and struck out 46 batters in 46 innings.  His career ERA of 7.30 wasn’t much better.  Keep in mind, however, that Wilborn missed the entire 2008 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2007, so even now he is not fully recovered.  Nevertheless, since the surgery he has already gotten his fastball up to 92-93 miles per hours, and has topped out at 94.  Upon being drafted, his college coach said “The thing they like about him is that he has a loose arm that will throw very hard…Once you hit that velocity range and have a loose arm, they will look past everything else.”  After making his professional debut with the Ogden Raptors in June, Wilborn was used sparing throughout the rest of the season due to his past history of injuries.  Overall, he pitched just over 19 innings.  While his ERA and WHIP were pretty ugly (mostly due to allowing too many walks), one thing that stands out is his strikeout rate.  His 10.7 strikeouts per 9 innings is impressive, especially for a young lefty, and his ability to strike guys out shows that he has at least one dominate pitch.  2010 will probably bring an assignment to LoA, I’m sure the Dodgers are hoping that Wilborn will follow in the footsteps of the 2008 18^th round pick and take off in his second professional season.

123.  Alexis Aguilar, 2B (45 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’11”, 162 lbs, 18.75 years old, bats right handed

.275 average, 1 HR’s, 19 RBI’s, 9 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 135

Alexis Aguilar is a young middle infielder from Venezuela in his second season with the Dodgers.  After hitting just .211 with 8 RBI’s in 2008, Aguilar showed significant improvement in 2009 with his .275 average.  He also demonstrated that he was patient at the plate, as he walked almost as much as he struck out.  In August, he was named the Dodgers DSL Pride Award winner with a .333 average, 5 SB’s, and an .834 OPS.  While he moved to 2^nd base for most of the year (from shortstop), I believe that he still has value to the Dodgers if he can continue to improve.  He’ll never be a great hitter, but I think he can still play shortstop full time if given the chance.  He is only 18 years old, yet may very well be promoted to the Arizona Rookie League in 2010 since he already has 86 professional games under his belt.

122.  Jonathan Dutton, LHP (20 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 24^th round

6’1”, 155 lbs, 22.5 years old

0-3, 3.60 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 10.35 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 105

After splitting 112 innings in 2008 between the Pioneer League and LoA, I thought that Dutton might be ready to take on the challenge of the California League.  After all, 2009 was Dutton’s 5^th professional season (counting 2005 when he was drafted, but didn’t play in any games).  The Dodgers had other plans, however, and decided to limit Dutton to just 20 innings while repeating him in LoA.  The good news is that his limited role was not due to injury, because his appearances were spread pretty evenly between May and September.  The bad news is that the Dodgers must not have him that high on their prospect radar because they didn’t get him into very many games.  Either way, Dutton performed well in his abbreviated season, especially against lefties.  In addition, he finished the season with a hot streak, allowing just 3 earned runs in August and September combined (over 13 and two-third innings).  I see potential for the left hander, though I think his future role will be more as a left handed specialist.  He’ll still be just 22 years old when the 2010 season starts, and I’m hoping he’ll get some more innings next year in the California League.  

121.  Florencio Bustillos, RHP (48.7 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 209 lbs, 20.75 years old

4-2, 3.70 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 10.36 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I don’t know as much about Florencio as I would like.  Originally, I thought that he was just another teenager signed out of the Dominican Republic as a teenager.  Then I realized that he had previously played in the Mexican League for the past three seasons, starting as a 17 year old.  So the Dodgers must have purchased his contract from the Mexican League.  In his three seasons in the Mexican League, he never had an ERA better than 5.49, and he had a ridiculously low strikeout rate (50 K’s in 125 innings).  In the Dominican Summer League, however, Bustillos suddenly turned it around (which shows that the level of competition in the Mexican League is much higher than in the DSL).  In the DSL, Florencio had a good ERA, and an even better FIP (3.30).  He also had a ridiculous strikeout to walk ratio.  In just under 49 innings, Florencio struck out 56 batters, and only walked 10.  In fact, his K/BB ratio of 5.60 ranked 2^nd in the entire Dodgers minor league system, behind only Danny Danielson (minimum 40 innings).  His one downfall, however, is that he allows too many home runs.  The 6 long balls that he gave up in 2009 ranked 4^th in the entire Dominican Summer League.  Overall, I think that Bustillos has some real potential.  While he’s not real big, he is still relatively young and will most likely play in a U.S. based league next year.  He is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League, and while his ERA is a mediocre 4.62, batters are only hitting .240 against him.

120.  Jake McCarter, RHP (46 innings in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’2”, 200 lbs, 25.5 years old

3-3, 3.33 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 9.98 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 158

McCarter, like many of the players on my list, has a very interesting back story.  Believe it or not, McCarter was drafted four different times, yet never signed with any of the teams that drafted him.  His draft year, round, and team were as follows: 2003 40^th round Reds, 2004 28^th round Yankees, 2005 39^th round Nationals, and 2006 45^th Red Sox.  Obviously, based on the round numbers that he was drafted in, teams were not amazed by his talent by any means.  Anyways, in regards to his college career, McCarter played in junior college for two years before transferring to Alabama.  In 2006, Jake was very successful with the Crimson Tide (2.32 ERA in 62 innings), but he decided to transfer to Oklahoma after the season.  After being forced to sit out the 2007 season due to NCAA rules, McCarter was handed the closer role for the Sooners in 2008.  While he did pick up 9 saves throughout the season, he had a very ugly ERA of 7.11, which is why he was not drafted for a 5^th time in 2008.  Instead, he signed as a non drafted free agent with the Dodgers after the 2008 college season, and got his first taste of professional ball in the Gulf Coast League.  Due to his age, I basically wrote McCarter off last season, but his performance in 2009 may have changed my mind.  Jake performed very well in the Dodgers extended Spring Training, and because of that performance he was able to start the year in HiA.  During his first month in the California League, he was absolutely lights out, and only allowed 1 hit in his first 11 innings.  In June and July he hit a speed bump and struggled quite a bit, but once August hit he again found his groove and did not allow a run in his final 10 appearance of the season.  When it was all said and done, McCarter lead all 2009 Dodger minor leaguers with a .193 batting average against, and also recorded a 3.33 ERA (and 3.31 FIP).  In addition, he shared the Inland Empire closing duties with Marcel Prado, and converted 7 saves during the season.  While I don’t know much about his pitching repertoire, his stats seem to strangely suggest that he does very well against lefties, and struggles somewhat against right handed batters.  Overall, I’m not sure what to make of Jake because he is already 25 years old, yet proved in 2009 that he can get the job done out of the bullpen.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers pushed him in AA and AAA next season to see how he responds. 

119.  Daniel Tamares, RHP (38 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 9/26/06

6’3”, 170 lbs, 20.25 years old

1-5, 7.11 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, 9.95 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 74

I probably over-estimated Tamares in my rankings last year.  I don’t blame myself, however, because Daniel had a 2.37 ERA through 49 innings in the DSL as 18 year old in 2008.  Because of his good size and solid stats, I thought he was destined for bigger and better things in a U.S. based rookie league in 2009.  But the Dodgers had other plans and kept Tamares in the DSL for another year, which appears to have been the right decision because he struggled mightily in 2009.  He tripled his ERA from the previous year and batters hit .314 against him.  Nevertheless, I think Tamares has a bright future.  As I mentioned before, he has a great size for a pitcher at 6’3”.  He also significantly improved his strikeout rate from the prior year, and his FIP was actually pretty good at 4.15.  In addition, he is still very young and has yet to fully mature.  Even though his stats weren’t great this past year, with 3 DSL seasons under his belt, I think it is time for Tamaras to move to a U.S. based rookie league, so I predict that we’ll see Tamares in Arizona in 2010.

118.  Casio Grider, SS (47 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 14^th round

6’1”, 165 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.263 average, 2 HR’s, 15 RBI’s, 22 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Casio Grider has a great name, and is extremely fast.  He was named as the faster runner in the Dodgers 2009 draft by Baseball America, and runs a 6.5 second 60.  Drafted out of Newberry College in the 14^th round draft, Logan White calls Grider a tools guy who is a bit raw and very athletic.  Upon turning pro, Grider was sent to the Arizona Rookie League and had immediate success, as he was named as one of the Dodger Pride Award winners for the month of July.  For the season as a whole, however, he was pretty mediocre in most aspects of his game, although he did continue to show his speed by stealing 22 bases in 24 attempts (which ranked 3^rd in the Arizona League).  Also, while he models his game after Ozzie Smith, Grider made 18 errors in 47 games.  Overall, with his speed, raw ability, and error prone defense, this slender shortstop actually reminds me of a taller version of Dee Gordon.  Unfortunately, he is a year older than Gordon and two levels behind, so he has come catching up to do.  If the Dodgers want to be aggressive with Grider, they may send him to Lo-A next season to see how he responds, but his more likely destination is the Pioneer League in 2010.

117.  Marlon Sucre, LF (47 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 5/27/07

6’2”, 160 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.255 average, 3 HR’s, 22 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 66

After the 2008 season, I was pretty high on Sucre.  He had a successful year in the DSL as an 18 year old in 2008, so I thought that he was on the verge of breaking out.  This led me to rank Marlon all the way at 66 in my pre-2009 rankings.  Unfortunately, Sucre had a lackluster season in 2009 which caused his ranking to drop quite a bit.  While he showed a little more speed and power, his average, OBP, and SLG% all decreased from 2008.  He also did not demonstrate any patience in 2009, as he walked in only 4% of his plate appearances.  Even still, this young man from Panama does have some potential.  He has a solid frame, still has room to fill out, and won’t even be 20 years old until the start of next season.  After spending three seasons in the DSL, I think Sucre’s ready to move up to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2010. 

116.  Ramon Jean, 2B (44 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.280 average, 0 HR’s, 23 RBI’s, 14 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 85

Signed before the 2007 season out of the Dominican Republic, Jean only spent one season in the DSL before being promoted to a U.S. based rookie league.  In 2008 as a 20 year old in the Gulf Coast League, Ramon hit 4 HR’s in 111 AB’s with a .279 average, and also stole 10 bases.  After his successful season, I thought that Jean was ready for the Pioneer League in 2009.  The Dodgers, however, decided to place him in the Arizona Rookie League, and while his average and stolen base numbers were pretty good, Jean did not display any power or patience.  He was also atrocious in the field, as Jean made 21 errors in 44 games while splitting time between 2^nd base and shortstop.  Heading into 2010, I believe that Jean will be promoted to Lo-A where he’ll continue to split time between 2B and SS.  He is still just 22 years old, so if he can learn to cut down on his errors, he may one day be a useful middle infielder.

115.  Lenell McGee, CF (45 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 13^th round

6’2”, 185 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats right handed

.268 average, 2 HR’s, 22 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 101

Lenell McGee was drafted out of Oakton Community College in the 13^th round of the 2008 draft.  Upon being drafted, the Dodgers immediately placed McGee in the Gulf Coast Rookie League, but his stats were rather uninspiring during his debut season.  Nevertheless, the Dodger promoted Lenell to the Pioneer League in 2009 to get him some experience against older competition.  McGee again struggled through the season, however, as he batted just .268 and showed little speed or power.  He also didn’t show any patience at the plate as he walked in less than 5% of his plate appearances.  Despite these struggles, I think that McGee has the size and athleticism to potentially be a legitimate prospect.  In addition, McGee plays a solid centerfield and made just 3 errors during the 2009 season.  Finally, Lenell seems to be a hard worker because in a video I watched about the Dodgers new Venezuelan facility, DeJon Watson was talking about some of the Dodger players who were down there working out, and he specifically mentioned McGee (as well as Melvin Ray).  In regards to 2010, I expect McGee to be in LoA where he’ll split the centerfield duties with the Dodgers other young outfield prospects.

114.  Gabriel Martinez, 1B (72 games in AA, 4 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 2/2/09

6’2”, 180 lbs, 26.75 years old, bats left handed

.296 average, 10 HR’s, 47 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Gabriel Martinez was originally selected by the Rays in the 27^th round of the 2001 draft when he was just a teenager in Puerto Rico, but did not sign until 2002.  In his first three professional seasons (2002 – 2004), he hit a combined .315 in 896 at bats, but didn’t show much power as he shifted between 1B, 3B, and the OF.  Starting in 2005, however, Gabriel’s average started to decline, but his power numbers steadily increased.  In 2008, his last season with Tampa Bay before leaving as a minor league free agent, Martinez hit .276, but had 20 HR’s.  Seeing that he had some power potential, the Dodgers decided to give Martinez a chance and signed him before the 2009 season.  They placed him in AA where he was primarily a first baseman, but also played 3B and RF.  Before getting injured in late May, Martinez was doing quite well as he had a .998 OPS and 7 HR’s at the time of his injury.  After missing all of June, he returned to the AA lineup in July and continued to hit for a decent average, but his power pretty much disappeared.  When it was all said and done, Martinez put together a pretty solid season, but it’s hard to get too excited about a 26 year old in AA who is pretty much limited to 1^st base.  After the 2009 season, he again became a minor league free agent, so he probably won’t even be back with the Dodgers next season.  If he does return, he’ll probably play in AAA as a backup infielder, and because of his age and position, I doubt that he’ll ever make it to the big leagues.

113.  Wilner Charles, CF (51 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’11”, 160 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.268 average, 1 HR’s, 8 RBI’s, 10 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 90

After spending the entire 2008 season as a second baseman, Wilner moved to centerfield for the majority of 2009 in the DSL.  The move in defensive position had very little effect on his offensive performance, however, because Charles’ stats in 2009 were almost identical to his stats in 2008.  For me, that was a little disappointing because I was hoping that Charles would be able to provide a little more production in his second professional season.  Still, it is hard to be too disappointed because Charles played the entire 2009 season as an 18 year old, and is still one of the youngest players in the Dodgers minor league system.  In addition, Wilner was named as the July Pride Award Winner in the DSL, so he is on the Dodgers radar.  In 2010, the Dodgers will have to decide if Charles needs a third season in the DSL, or if he’s ready for the Arizona Rookie League.  My decision would be to bring him to Arizona to challenge his game, but the Dodgers may decide to wait.  At just 5’11”, he may still have some room to grow, but even if he doesn’t grow he is still a good size for a speedy centerfielder.

112.  Marcel Prado, RHP (44.3 innings in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/04

6’4”, 226 lbs, 22.25 years old

2-2, 4.06 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 4.06 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 77

After doing some research, I’m pretty sure that Marcel Prado was part of the 2000 Venezuelan team that won the Little League World Series.  Anyways, I’m not really sure what to make of Marcel Prado as a professional pitcher.  He has a great pitching frame, is still pretty young, and based on his ERA, he had a pretty successful season in the California League in 2009.  In addition, he was coming of a 2008 season in which he struck out more than a batter per inning.  Yet in 2009, Prado walked more batters than he struck out, had a K/9 of just over 4, and had a FIP of 5.20.  In addition, Prado pitched in the Venezuelan Winter League this past offseason, and batters hit .409 against him.  I ranked him 77^th last year because of his youth and size, but I’m becoming more skeptical of what he’ll be able to do as he moves up in the Dodgers system.  Overall, while Prado has a lot of potential, I’m not sure if he has the stuff to really succeed.  My guess is that he’ll return to Hi-A in 2010 as the Inland Empire closer, and hopefully he’ll post some better numbers.

111.  Javier Solano, RHP (33 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 177 lbs, 20 years old

2-0, 4.64 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 8.45 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 139

The Dodgers purchased Solano’s rights from the Mexican League’s Monterrey Sultans before the 2008 season for $250,000.  Given the Dodgers lack of recent spending in the international markets, this was a pretty big signing for them.  According to Baseball America, Solano has a mature body, and he’s more athletic than that build might indicate.  Baseball America also says that the Dodgers love his mechanics, pitchability and confidence.  As for his stuff, BA says that that is promising too. “Solano’s two best pitches are an 89-93 mph fastball that sits around 91 and a plus 75-78 mph curveball. He also has some feel for a changeup and uses a slider as his fourth offering.”  Upon his signing, Assistant general manager De Jon Watson said he’s thrown “exceptionally well” and is “very advanced” for a 17-year-old, with an above-average fastball and curveball.  Solano has pitched the past two seasons in the Pioneer League, and in 2009 he put up some pretty good numbers.  While his overall ERA was an uninspiring 4.64, Solano has been quoted as saying his ERA was bloated because of the way the league was structured – pitchers are instructed to go out and throw just a fastball for a particular game, or just breaking pitches for another.  Overall, I believe Solano has some pretty good potential as a relief pitcher.  He’ll most likely play in either Lo or Hi A next season to get a full workload.

110.  Blake Brannon, RHP (35.7 innings in HiA, 25.7 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 6/10/07

6’2”, 225 lbs, 25 years old

1-3, 3.82 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 8.07 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 70

Blake Brannon was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2007 out of the University of Texas at San Antonio.  It was no wonder he wasn’t drafted, because in his Senior season with San Antonio, Brannon posted a 6.33 ERA in 58 innings of work with just 44 strikeouts.  Still, the Dodgers decided to take a chance on him, after struggling in his debut season, Brannon has turned things around ever since.  In 2008 he was outstanding (3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and 10.43 K/9), and while his 2009 numbers weren’t quite as good, he continued to show why he was worth signing.  He had a 2.81 ERA with the Great Lakes Loons before earning a promotion to Inland Empire in June, and after joining HiA he held his own despite in the hitter friendly California League.  At 6’2” and 225 pounds, Brannon is a big kid and has the body type to pitch out of the bullpen.  He’ll be 25 years old when the 2010 season starts, so he’ll have to move quickly if he ever wants to make it to the show.  Brannon will probably start the 2010 season with Inland Empire, but a midseason promotion to AA wouldn’t be surprising.

109.  Harvey Garcia, RHP (13.3 innings in AA, 1.7 innings in AAA, 15 innings with other organization in 2009)

Acquired via trade with Pirates

6’2”, 220 lbs, 26 years old

0-2, 3.60 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 9.60 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The Dodgers acquired Harvey Garcia from the Pirates in the Delwyn Young trade.  The strange thing is that even though Young was traded in April, Garcia didn’t join the Dodgers until August, so the Dodgers must have taken a while to pick him as their player to be named later.  Some other interesting facts about Garcia are that he was one of the players included in the Hanley Ramirez for Josh Beckett trade, and also that he actually made his major league debut in September of 2007 with the Marlins (and posted a 4.38 ERA in 12 innings).  In regards to his time with the Dodgers, Harvey was initially placed on the AAA roster, but was quickly reassigned to AA after just two rough appearances.  Garcia found much more success at Chattanooga as he posted a 3.05 FIP and 0.90 WHIP through 13 innings.  When you combine his entire 2009 season, including his time with Pittsburgh, batters only hit .179 against him, and he struck out over a batter per inning.  Sure it was only through 30 total innings, but those are some pretty good numbers.  At the end of the day, it is expected that Garcia put up good numbers in the minors since he is already 26 years old, and does have major league experience.  He was a minor league free agent after the season, but if the Dodgers do end up resigning him, he is someone to keep an eye on as a potential fill in middle reliever (if the Dodgers bullpen suffers some injuries during the 2010 season).  While he’ll never be a great professional pitcher in my opinion, he may be useful as an inning eater.  NOTE AFTER POSTED: Turns out he wasn’t part of the Delwyn Young trade, but was instead part of a separate transaction.

108.  Robert Blevins, RHP (153.7 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 13^th round

6’0”, 200 lbs, 25 years old

11-10, 4.16 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 5.68 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 80

Last year after a very successful season in LoA, I said that because of his age, Blevins needed to move quickly through the Dodgers system if he wanted to make an impact.  I also thought that he’d start in HiA, and then move up to AA if he was successful.  Instead, the Dodgers decided to keep Blevins in LoA for another year, so even though he had another successful season in 2009, I think that Blevins is behind in his development.  To look at things in a positive light, however, it should be noted that Bobby was very durable in 2009 and was 2^nd in the Midwest League and in the entire Dodgers minor league system in innings pitched.  He also ranked 7^th in the Midwest League with his 1.24 WHIP, which was mainly attributed to the fact that he had a remarkable walk rate, as Blevins walked less than 5% of the batters he faced.  In addition, Bobby’s 4.16 ERA was complimented by his 3.57 FIP.  Going back to the negatives, besides his age, the other thing that worries me about Blevins is his low strikeout rate in 2009.  Overall, if Blevins were either a couple of years younger or playing in a higher level, I’d consider him a much better prospect.  But until Blevins is able to succeed at a higher level, I’m going to have to rank him in the lower half of the Dodger minor league players.  I really hope he gets a chance to play at AA next season so he can prove himself.

107.  Austin Yount, 3B (38 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 12^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats left handed

.257 average, 3 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 59

I was really hoping for a lot more out of Austin Yount in 2009.  After spending the 2008 season in the Pioneer League and hitting .301, I guessed that Yount would move up to LoA and spend time as a utility player while getting used to a full season league.  The Dodgers instead decided to keep Austin in the Pioneer League for another year, however, and because the Ogden Raptors were so stacked with good players, he found himself sitting on the bench for about half the season.  When he did get into games, he was mediocre at best with his .257 average and .745 OPS.  The nephew of hall of famer Robin Yount, Austin was actually more of a pitcher while at Stanford, but after the Dodgers selected him with their 12^th round pick in the 2008 draft, they decided he’d be a hitter.  So he’s played mostly at 3^rd base since professional debut, and while there was talk that the Dodgers may try to convert him to a catcher, he only spent one game behind the plate in 2009.  Overall, Yount is a fairly small player without much power or speed, and at 23 years old he is running out of time to impress.  His bloodline suggest that he has the ability to one day succeed at the big league level, but he’s going to have to play above rookie ball before that can happen.  Hopefully he’ll play in LoA or HiA in 2010.

106.  Arismendy Ozoria, RHP (57 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’0”, 195 lbs, 19.5 years old

3-2, 2.53 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 8.53 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Signed out of the Dominican Republic, Ozoria put together a very solid debut season in the DSL in 2009.  To put it into perspective, when compared to all Dodger minor league pitchers in 2009 with a minimum of 45 innings pitched, Ozoria ranked 5^th in ERA, 4^th in WHIP, and 3^rd in batting average against.  Of course he was facing easier competition in the DSL, but you’ve got to give him some credit as he had no prior professional experience, and was only 18 for most of the season.  In addition, while his FIP was 3.57 and his walk rate was a little high, the fact that opposing batters hit just .216 shows that he has some good stuff.  At 6’0” and 195 pounds Arismendy is not that big, but his stats demonstrate that he obviously has some potential.  At 19 years old and with 57 innings under his belt, he may be ready to move up to the Arizona League even though he’s only pitched one professional season.  It will be interesting to see how he evolves as a player at higher levels.

105.  Alberto Bastardo, LHP (75 innings in HiA, 72.3 innings in AA, 1 inning in AAA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/13/06

6’0”, 160 lbs, 26 years old

12-5, 4.00 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.89 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 142

Alberto Bastardo, who obviously has a great name, was originally signed by the Baltimore Orioles in 2002.  He had successful seasons with the Orioles, but left as a minor league free agent before the 2006 season.  Upon joining the Dodgers, Bastardo was been pretty average until 2009, when he seemingly broke out with a solid season.  He spent time in three different levels, and posted decent stats in each.  His first half in the California League was especially good, and he was named as a mid season All-Star.  Overall, he ended the season with a 4.00 ERA and had an even better 3.67 FIP.  He also had a great strikeout to walk ratio, and actually had the third most strikeouts in the entire Dodger minor league system with 130.  A relatively small lefty, Bastardo is still just 26 years old, even though 2009 was his 8^th professional season.  Since he made his AAA debut at the end of last season, I see him returning there in 2010.  Strictly a starter the past two years, the Dodgers may try him as a lefty reliever at some point in the future.  He’s currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League, and is performing well with a 2.77 ERA in 52 innings.  Lastly, even though he was a minor league free agent after the season, the Dodgers already resigned him for next year.

104.  Pedro Tavarez, C (43 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 198 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.325 average, 1 HR, 26 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 183

After hitting .220 in the in the Dominican Summer League in 2008, I ranked Tavarez 183^rd last year, but I also mentioned that he was still young enough to possibly break out in 2009.  Well, after the Dodgers promoted Pedro to the Arizona Rookie League, he actually did have a breakout season.  He improved his average by over 100 points, and his OPS increased from .587 to .765.  He also showed good plate discipline as he walked almost as much as he struck out during 2009.  In addition, he was named to the Arizona League post season all start team as the catcher.  Even with this breakout season, however, I’m not completely sold on Tavarez.  He has never shown any power, and his career average is still just .259.  While he has good size for a catcher and is still just 22 years old, he’ll have to prove himself again in 2010 to really put himself on the Dodgers prospect radar.  He’ll probably play in the Pioneer League next season.

103.  Abdul Nieto, LF (30 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 180 lbs, 18.25 years old, bats right handed

.153 average, 1 HR, 6 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Abdul Nieto was one of the best prospects coming out of Panama when he was signed by the Dodgers in the Summer of 2008.  At the time, he was 16 years old, yet already had a solid build.  While I don’t know how much the Dodgers signed him for (although I’m betting it was for less than $100,000), I do know that they got a young player who has a lot of potential.  After training with the Dodgers in second half of 2008, Nieto made his professional debut in the DSL in June of 2009.  Unfortunately, his overall season stats were pretty dismal.  He only had 13 hits throughout the entire season, and only two of them were for extra bases.  He also only appeared in only 30 games over three months.  Nevertheless, I believe that Nieto gained some valuable experience as a 17 year old.  As mentioned earlier, he has an ideal build for baseball, and will only get stronger as he matures.  I wouldn’t be surprised if people started talking about him next year as a potential legitimate prospect.  He’ll definitely return to the Dominican Summer League next season, and I’m sure that he’ll get more at bats, most likely as a starting outfielder.  If he had a good season in 2010, he may be one of the youngest players in the Arizona Rookie League in 2011. 

102.  Joel Lima, RHP (30.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 165 lbs, 20.5 years old

2-1, 2.97 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.12 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 65

As I mentioned last year, Joel Lima is in fact the brother of former Dodger Jose Lima.  They are 17 years apart, but the bloodlines are obviously there.  Joel is a little smaller than Jose, but they are both right handed.  After posting a 2.52 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP, and a .243 batting average against in 2008, Lima recorded similar numbers in 2009.  The downside is that while the numbers were similar, he actually slightly regressed in all aspects of his game.  In addition, Lima has only pitched 70 total innings over his two professional seasons, so he still lacks experience.  Overall, while Joel’s 2009 season wasn’t quite as impressive as his 2008 campaign, you really can’t really complain about a 2.97 ERA.  After spending two seasons in the DSL, this 20 year old is probably ready for tougher competition in the U.S.  I think he’ll play in the Arizona Rookie League in 2010, and hopefully he’ll continue to post good numbers.

101.  Travis Chick, RHP (113 innings in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 12/3/08

6’2”, 220 lbs, 25.75 years old

8-7, 4.22 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 7.81 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I’m not going to spend too much time on Travis Chick because he was a minor league free agent after the 2009 season and has signed with Angels.  So obviously he is no longer in the Dodgers system.  I wish he was still with the Dodgers, however, because Chick is a pretty solid pitcher.  In fact, I considered him to be one of the better non roster invitees that the Dodgers signed in the 2008-2009 offseason.  Obviously he didn’t make the team out of spring training, but he put up pretty good numbers last season in AA.  Originally drafted by the Marlins in 2002, Chick actually made his major league debut with the Mariners in September of 2006.  Overall, while he’s never going to be a big league star, he seems to be a decent back up plan to keep in the minors in case of injuries.  It will be interesting to see if he has any impact with the Angels during the 2010 season.

100.  Jimmy Marshall, RHP (11 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 23^rd round

6’6”, 195 lbs, 23 years old

0-1, 4.09 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 9.82 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Jimmy Marshall was a four year player for Florida State, and overall had a very successful career for the Seminoles.  He was a middle reliever and spot starter for FSU in 2006 and 2007, then shared the closer role during 2008 with Giant top prospect Buster Posey, who was actually a pretty dominate pitcher in college in his limited opportunities.  In 2009 Marshall inherited the team captain patch and the full time closers role for FSU, and while he had his least successful season in terms of ERA (4.85), he was able pick up 10 saves, post a strikeout rate of 13.5 K’s per 9 innings, and hold batters to a .238 average.  His biggest problem during his senior season was his control as he walked 24 batters in 26 innings, which is probably attributable to his height.  Because of his age and college experience, the Dodgers moved Marshall directly into the closer role for the Arizona Dodgers, although they limited him to just 11 innings spread over two months.  While his ERA of 4.09 and FIP of 4.38 were just mediocre, he continued to show a good strikeout rate and also allowed batters to his just .211 against him.  From what I’ve heard, he has a low 90’s fastball and a decent slider, but I don’t know much else about his pitching repertoire.  Overall, I really like Marshall’s size and potential, even though he is already 23 years old and was drafted in the 23^rd round.  I’m almost positive that he’ll start in Lo-A next season, and I’m hoping that he develops into a useful power reliever.   

99.  Josh Walter, RHP (110 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 6/27/08

6’4”, 250 lbs, 25 years old

10-4, 3.27 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.25 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 189

If Josh Walter were three years younger, he would easily be a top 30 prospect for the Dodgers.  He has pretty good stuff, and he is big…like Jonathan Broxton big.  He also had a great season with Great Lakes in 2009 while splitting time between starter and reliever.  He was named as a mid season All Star in the Midwest League after having a phenomenal first half, and ultimately finished the season with 113 K’s and a .228 batting average against, both stats which ranked among Dodger minor league leaders for 2009.  But unfortunately, Josh Walter is not three years younger.  Instead, he is almost 25 years old, and has yet to play above Lo-A.  He was signed as a non-drafted free agent in 2008 out of Texas State University where he posted a 4.71 ERA as a Senior.  He actually didn’t pitch much at all in college, as he only pitched about 40 innings at Texas State.  Going back to his professional career, even if Walter is promoted to AA in 2010, he is still going to be behind schedule.  While he has the potential to thrive as a middle reliever, he may be too old to ever make it in the major leagues.  It’s going to take another outstanding season in 2010 for him to make any sort of an impact with the Dodgers.

98.  Joseph Paxson, RHP (29.3 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 13^th round

6’3”, 250 lbs, 23.5 years old

1-3, 5.52 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 8.90 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The third time was the charm for Joseph (J.B.) Paxson.  After being drafted in the 33^rd round by the Dbacks in 2005 and the 18^th round by the Braves in 2006, Paxson signed with the Dodgers in 2009 as a 13^th round pick.  He actually didn’t really have a choice this time, because he was a Senior in college and didn’t have the option of going back to school.  In looking at Paxson’s past, it also makes sense why Joseph was drafted so many times.  He hit a school record 29 home runs during his high school career, and then hit .455 with 13 HR’s in his only season at Walters State Community College.  Up until this point, you’ll notice that Paxson was actually known for his offense, as he was a full time catcher.  In 2007, however, Paxson joined Western Kentucky and proceeded to have three solid seasons as a two way player.  In his three years with the Hilltoppers, Paxson was the starting catcher for the majority the games, and as a Senior actually hit .345 with a great 1.076 OPS.  However, the Dodgers wanted him for his pitching arm.  While his ERA wasn’t great during the 2009 season (6.82), he struck out 41 batters in 31 innings and Dodgers really liked his fastball.  According to reports, his fastball can get up to the mid 90’s, which makes sense given that he is 6’3” and weights 250 lbs.  Upon signing with the Dodgers, J.B. was sent to the Pioneer League where he compiled a 5.52 ERA in 29 innings.  However, his 2009 FIP was 2.89, so he actually did a lot better than most people would initially think.  Used strictly in relief, Paxson picked up 3 saves during the season, and he also had 3 holds, which ranked 6^th in the Pioneer League.  Even though Paxson is already 23 years old, I think that he has a bright future as a reliever.  I’m sure that he’ll head to LoA next year, and hopefully a full season of concentrating on pitching will result in even better stats for 2010.

97.  Mario Alvarez, RHP (85 innings in HiA, 3 innings in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/16/03

6’0”, 205 lbs, 26 years old

5-7, 4.60 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 7.06 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 83

While I discussed Mario’s background last year, it is worth repeating.  Alvarez was signed as a 3^rd baseman in 2003, and hit very poorly in his debut.  So the Dodgers converted him to a pitcher in 2004, and he was an immediate success, posting a 1.24 ERA in 65 innings.  From 2005 to 2007, however, Alvarez had three mediocre seasons as he never finished with an ERA below 5.60 during that time period.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided to add him to their 40 man roster after the 2007 season to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.  He went on to have arm surgery during the 2008 season which caused him to miss most of 2008 and the beginning of 2009.  During that time, he was removed from the Dodgers 40 man roster, and is now just another Dodger minor leaguer.  Upon his return in 2009, Alvarez actually had pretty solid stats even though he played the majority of the season the California League.  His 1.18 WHIP with Inland Empire ranked as best on the team for players with at least 20 innings pitched, and his overall season WHIP of 1.22 ranked as 9^th best in the entire Dodgers minor league system (minimum 45 innings).  In addition, his FIP for 2009 was 3.76, and batters hit just .249 against him.  To add to his recent success, Mario currently has a 1.17 ERA through 15 innings in the Dominican Winter League.  While he’s not very big, Alvarez does have something special about him, which is why the Dodgers put him on the 40 man roster back in 2007.  At 26 years old, he is running out of time to make it to the big leagues, but he is worth keeping an eye on.  He was already resigned by the Dodgers this offseason to a minor league contract, so I expect Mario to play a full season of AA in 2010, with a good chance of making it up to AAA at some point.

96.  Leonel Beras, LHP (14 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/22/07

5’11”, 143 lbs, 18.75 years old

0-3, 7.07 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 9.00 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 34

Leonel Beras was definitely one of my biggest ranking mistakes last year.  I’m not saying that we should give up all hope in Beras because of his 2009 ERA, but obviously he is not one of our top 40 prospects as I thought last year.  What plagued Beras in 2009 was his lack of control.  In 14 innings, Leonel walked 20 batters, which calculated out to him walking more than 25% of the batters he faced.  When he did find the plate, however, he showed decent stuff as opposing batters hit just .200 against him for the season.  He also struck out a batter per inning, and absolutely dominated left handed batters in his limited exposure to them.  In addition, Beras is obviously very young, so he has still has plenty of time to improve.  Besides his lack of control, the two biggest negatives about Leonel are his size and his lack of experience.  Over his two professional seasons, he has pitched just 34 total innings.  I expect that to change next year as I believe the Dodgers will give Beras a bigger role in his third season in the DSL during 2010.  He’ll play most of the 2010 season as a 19 year old, so hopefully the Dodgers will feel he is finally mature enough to pitch an entire season.  While he’s not currently a top 50 prospect, I would continue to keep an eye on Beras as he has shown flashes of brilliance and is still developing as a player.

95.  Jesus Castillo, RHP (150.3 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 27^th round

6’0”, 195 lbs, 25.75 years old

7-9, 4.31 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 5.33 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 43

I’m not really sure what to think of Jesus Castillo.  Drafted by the Dodgers as a late round pick in 2003, he had three straight excellent seasons from 2004 through 2006, and never finished with an ERA above 2.96 during any of those years.  In 2007, Castillo received a bigger challenge as he played the entire year in Hi-A, but even then he did relatively well with a 4.78 ERA in the California League.  Then in 2008, Castillo probably had his best year as a professional, and based on those numbers the Dodgers decided to add Castillo to their 40 man roster after the season.  Even though I thought Castillo would play in AAA in 2009, he was a victim of numbers and was forced back to AA for a second season.  In Chattanooga, Castillo posted average stats, but wasn’t as successful as in prior years.  So when the Dodgers 40 man roster got too full in August of 2009, Castillo again was a victim of numbers and was designated for assignment.  He cleared through waivers, however, and luckily the Dodgers were able to outright him back to the minors.  In regards to Castillo’s future, as mentioned earlier I’m not sure what to think.  His career ERA is a respectable 3.91, but his strikeout numbers have always been very low.  He is also already 25 years old, and isn’t very big for a pitcher.  Nevertheless, he should finally be ticketed for AAA in 2010.  It’ll be tough for the Dodgers to add him back to their 40 man roster after he has already been removed from it, so he’ll have to convince them with his play on the field.  So far this offseason he is doing his part, as he is currently doing very well in the Mexican Winter League with a 1.67 ERA through 32 innings.

94.  Andrew Suiter, LHP (15.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 10^th round

6’3”, 210 lbs, 22.75 years old

2-0, 4.02 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 8.62 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I read an interesting interview with Suiter that took place in 2008, shortly after he was drafted by the Yankees in the 32^nd round.  At the time, we has looking for 3^rd or 4^th round bonus money, so it is no wonder he didn’t sign.  In the interview, Suiter discussed a variety of topics.  He started with a discussion about his pitches, and at the time of the interview, said that he had a 4 seam fastball that ranged from 90 – 92 mph, a 74 mph 11-to-5 curveball, and a “fosh,” which is held like a split-finger, but where the thumb is off to the side of the ball.  Next, Andrew talked about his college career, and how he was originally a prize recruit by UCLA, but then due to a broken wrist and poor coaching decisions, transferred to UC Davis where he finally got an opportunity to play.  Finally, Suiter described how he wanted to be a starter rather than a reliever, how he was a really good water polo player, and how he definitely needed to improved upon his control.  Anyways, enough with the interview.  Suiter obviously didn’t sign with the Yankees, and returned to UC Davis in 2009.  While his 2009 college stats were rather unimpressive, he did improve his velocity and was hitting 94 mph by the end of the season.  So the Dodgers decided to take a chance on him with their 10^th round pick, and immediately placed him in the Pioneer League.  After the draft, Logan White said “This kid has a really good arm…He’s throwing 94-95 now and has a good change and a good curve ball. The question is getting him to command the strike zone.  When he was a starter he wasn’t very successful but when they moved him into the bullpen he had good success.  We’re going to start him and if he has trouble we’ll move him into relief and we feel he will be very good.  We think we have a great find this late in the process.  We can see no reason he can’t throw strikes, maybe he just likes relief better.  If we get another Brent Leach, that will be great.”  In the Pioneer League, Suiter continued to have major problems with his control, as he walked 18 batters in just under 16 innings.  When he did throw strikes, however, Suiter showed good stuff because batters only hit .200 against him, and he struck out almost a batter per inning.  At 6’3”, Andrew has good size, and I think this lefty could become a successful relief pitcher if he learns better control.  He’ll most likely play in LoA in 2010.

93.  Antonio Castillo, LHP (47.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

5’11”, 180 lbs, 22 years old

4-3, 6.04 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 7.36 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 45

Even though Castillo had an awful season in 2009, I’m not going to give him a break because he was so dominant in 2007 and 2008.  I know those two seasons came while he was in the DSL, but come on, his combined ERA’s during those seasons was 1.41 through 115 innings, and  his combined WHIP was 0.80.  Those are some unbelievable stats, especially for a 5’11” lefty.  Turning back to 2009, Castillo obviously experienced some sort of transformation upon being brought to the U.S. for the Pioneer League.  His 2008 ERA more than quintupled, and his 2008 WHIP more than doubled.  His biggest problem by far was his walk rate, as he walked almost 15% of batters he faced.  Even still, Castillo still showed flashes of brilliance as he actually performed very well during the month of July, which is when he pitched the majority of his innings.  In just over 27 innings during that month, his ERA was a more respectable 3.62, and batters only hit .243 against him.  So it was the other two months (June and August) that really doomed his season.  Overall, Castillo is still pretty young, and was making a pretty big jump from the DSL to the hitter friendly Pioneer League.  Even though he isn’t very big, I think he can be an effective left handed reliever.  Look for him to play in the Midwest League next year in a rebound season.

92.  Pedro Guerrero, SS (62 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/10/06

6’3”, 181 lbs, 21.25 years old, bats right handed

.259 average, 4 HR’s, 29 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 67

Pedro Guerrero (no relation to the former Dodger great) was signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006 and played two seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making his U.S. debut in 2008.  He produced average numbers in the Gulf Coast League in 2008, and had similar numbers in 2009.  While he spent the majority of his time with Ogden at shortstop, at 6’3” he may be better suited for 2^nd or 3^rd base, which have been his secondary positions throughout his career.  His offensive numbers probably won’t support any other position, however, so Guerrero needs to step it up at the plate.  His biggest problems are his walk and strikeout rates.  In 247 plate appearances in 2009, Pedro struck out 65 times, and walked just 9 times for a dismal walk to strikeout ratio of 0.14, which ranks as one of the worst in the Dodgers minor league system.  In addition, Guerrero’s 23 errors ranked in the top 5 among Dodger minor leaguers in 2009.  The good thing about Pedro, however, is that he is still young, and played all of last season as a 20 year old.  So he has plenty of time to improve his game, as well as add muscle to his lanky frame.  I wouldn’t be surprised if Guerrero spent 2010 repeating the Pioneer League given his age, and hopefully he’ll show some more patience and consistency at the plate.

91.  Kyle Smit, RHP (47 innings in LoA, 20.7 innings in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 5^th round

6’3”, 165 lbs, 22.5 years old

1-7, 6.12 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 8.11 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 88

Coming out of high school, Smit was one of the best pitchers in Nevada.  He didn’t really have many college options however (he had committed to Western Nevada Community College), so he was an easy sign for the Dodgers in the 5^th round of the 2006 draft.  Unfortunately, he has not performed well so far as a professional, and has a 5.83 career ERA.   Last year I gave him a break because he was only 21 years old at the time, but after back to back horrible seasons, I’m starting to think that he simply may not have great stuff.  While he still has a lot of projection left in his frame and supposedly already hits 93 on the radar gun, he’s going to have to start producing some better stats if he wants to make any kind of impact with the Dodgers.  Going back to his 2009 season, Smit started the year in LoA, and even though he was struggling to the tune of a 5.36 ERA, the Dodgers actually promoted him to HiA in July.  It was in the California League that Kyle really tanked as he allowed 18 earned runs in 20.2 innings.  Overall, Smit still has time to prove his worth.  He is still young, and he has always posted good strikeout rates.  Also, as mentioned before, he has a good frame and has yet to fill out.  He’ll most likely return to the California League in 2010, and let’s hope that he can somehow find a way to record an ERA under 6.00 for the first time in a few years.

90.  Michael Pericht, C (35 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 16^th round

6’5”, 225 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats right handed

.211 average, 4 HR’s, 19 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

You’ve got to love Michael Pericht’s size, especially for a catcher.  In fact, he is exactly the same size as the Orioles young catching star Matt Wieters.  Unfortunately, he doesn’t possess the same skill set as Wieters yet, but you never know what he may develop into.  In fact, I’ve heard him compared to David Ross with a 20+ homer potential.  Going back to his college days, Pericht played at Saint Joseph’s College in Indiana, and as a Junior he hit .337 with 12 HR’s and had a spectacular 1.046 OPS.  Going into the 2009 draft, he was very excited, and was quoted as saying “Right now, I’m trying to stay as calm as possible. It’s exciting and it’s nerve-wracking. I kind of feel like a duck on the pond right now.”  He was selected by the Dodgers in the 16^th round, signed quickly, and was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League.  Before you look at his .211 average and dismiss Pericht as a prospect, it should be noted that he posted a .345 on base percentage, and his 4 HR’s ranked 2^nd on the team and came in just 109 at bats.  While his strikeout rate was pretty high at 29.5%, I think that as Michael gets older he’ll be able to shorten his swing and make better contact.  If Pericht can find a way to stay behind the plate as he moves up through the system, he may become a very valuable prospect.  If he moves to first base, however, his significance will diminish, although he’d still be worth watching given his size and potential power.  My guess is that he’ll spend 2010 in the Pioneer League and continue to get reps behind the plate.

89.  Elian Herrera, OF (99 games in HiA, 13 games in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 5/14/03

5’11”, 190 lbs, 25 years old, switch hitter

.287 average, 4 HR’s, 37 RBI’s, 43 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 109

After being limited to less than 250 at bats in every season of his six year minor league career, Elian Herrera finally got a full season under his belt in 2009…and he made it count by wreaking havoc on the base paths.  He spent the majority of the season in HiA, and stole 42 bases there in 47 attempts.  Compare that to Trayvon Robinson, who stole 43 bases at Inland Empire and was caught 18 times, and you’ll realize that Herrera is actually the better base stealer of the two players.  However, Elian is two years older than Robinson, so Robinson is obviously the better prospect.  Anyways, besides being very fast, Herrera is a very versatile player as he spent time all over the field in 2009.  He played all three outfield positions, played a lot of 2^nd base, spent time at 3^rd base, and even made an appearance at shortstop.  He also hit for a good average in 2009, and scored 70 runs during the season (ranking in the top 10 among Dodger minor league players).  Unfortunately, the positives for Herrera stop there.  At 25 years old, Elian is fairly old to have not played above A ball.  In addition, he has never shown any power, and only stands at 5’11”.  Nevertheless, 2010 will give Herrera a chance prove that he is a legitimate Dodger prospect.  While he was a minor league free agent after the 2009 season, the Dodgers showed confidence in Elian and re-signed him to a minor league deal.  I’m sure he’ll finally get a chance to play in at least AA, and hopefully he’ll continue to thrive both at the plate and on the base paths. 

88.  Nick Gaudi, RHP (27.3 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 30^th round

6’5”, 215 lbs, 23.5 years old

2-4, 2.96 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 12.84 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Even though he was the Dodgers 30^th round pick, Gaudi is used to going up against big odds to make it in baseball.  He was barely recruited heading into college, and had to walk-on to the Pepperdine baseball team.  After making the team, he didn’t get any playing time in 2005 as a freshman, so decided to redshirt.  So he actually spent 5 years in college, which is another reason why clubs probably stayed away from him.  Anyways, as a sophomore Gaudi started to contribute, and then as a junior he earned Pepperdine’s closer role, led the West Coast Conference with 15 saves, and was named first team All-WCC.  As a senior he again was named first team All-WCC.  He contributes his college success to two things.  First, he mastered a new pitching windup that he developed with the Pepperdine assistant baseball.  Gaudi described the windup as “deceiving”, as he twists and the ball comes from behind his back.  Second, he calls himself “a strike thrower and a pitcher’s pitcher.”  He also says he “can locate his fastball and try to outthink hitters rather than overpower them with raw power or talent.”  Getting into his professional career, it should first be noted that Gaudi was one of the oldest players in the Pioneer League, so his stats should be taken with a grain of salt.  Nevertheless, he was pretty dynamite on the mound.  He had a rough first couple of outings, but after that he was lights out.  His most impressive stat was his strikeout to walk rate, which was an amazing 7.80 and ranked only behind fellow 2009 draftee Stephen Ames in the Dodger minor league system.  Scouts credit his success to the development of a slider and split-finger fastball, and he’ll definitely need that offspeed stuff because his fastball is just average.  2010 will bring a much bigger challenge for Nick as I’m sure the Dodgers will challenge him with at least an assignment to HiA given his age.  I can even see him playing in AA at some point next season if he continues to thrive.

87.  Moises Tamarez, RHP (31.3 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’3”, 195 lbs, 17 years old

1-0, 4.31 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 2.87 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Moises Tamarez is by far the youngest player in the Dodgers minor league system.  He didn’t turn 16 until March of 2009, so he must not have signed with the Dodgers until after that date.  Usually when players sign when they are that young, they spend most of their time at the training facility and barely get into any games, if any at all.  Tamarez, however, didn’t waste any time and pitched in his first professional game right when the DSL season started.  He went on to make 13 appearances from June to August, and even made three starts.  Not only did he pitch quite a bit as a 16 year old, but he also posted pretty good numbers (besides his unbelievably low strikeout rate).  In addition, Tamarez already has the perfect pitchers body, and is only going to get bigger as he matures.  Moises will be just 17 during the 2010 season, so I’m sure he’ll return to the DSL for at least one more year.  Since he is getting so much experience at such a young age, he really has the potential to be a legitimate Dodger prospect in a year or two.

86.  Clay Calfee, 1B (17 games in Pioneer League, 16 games in Arizona League, 11 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 14^th round

6’6”, 220 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats left handed

.268 average, 5 HR’s, 27 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 69

Clay Calfee was drafted out of Angelo State in Texas in 2008.  Clay left Angelo State as their all time leader in home runs (28), RBI’s (171), and hits (239).  In addition, during his final season at Angelo State, he hit an amazing .404 with 13 HR’s.  After being drafted, he made his professional debut in the Pioneer League.  While he struggled with a .232 average, he did manage to hit 8 HR’s and drive in 35.  In 2009 the Dodgers decided to transition Calfee from left field to first base, and throughout the season he actually played at three different levels.  He started the season in the Arizona Rookie League, and after posting mediocre stats he was promoted to LoA in late July.  During his 11 games in the Midwest League, Clay looked very lost and was never able to get things going.  He only got 5 hits in 40 at bats and was quickly demoted to the Pioneer League where he finished the season.  The good news is that he turned things around with the Ogden Raptors by recording a .354 average and 3 HR’s in 17 games.  Overall, Calfee is a big guy with a lot of power, but is very prone to the strikeout.  He has a career strikeout rate of 33%, which is even worse than fellow Dodger minor leaguer Kyle Russell.  Calfee is also almost 24 years old, which is fairly old for a player who only has 11 games of experience beyond rookie ball.  While I’d like to think that Clay has a future with the Dodgers because of his power potential, his age and lack of experience really limit him.  I’m sure he’ll start with a full season club in 2010 and hopefully he’ll contribute early and move up quickly through the system.

85.  Ji-Mo Lee, RHP (3 innings in Pioneer League, 0 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 5/24/09

6’1”, 188 lbs, 23.25 years old

0-0, 18.00 ERA, 4.33 WHIP, 3.00 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The Dodgers signed Ji-Mo Lee out of Korea in May of 2009.  He was originally drafted by a Korean baseball team in 2005, but was then required to serve two years of military duty.  He played for the Korean team in 2008, but was released after posting a 9.64 ERA.  While he performed poorly in 2008, after being signed by the Dodgers, Logan White said “Ji-Mo has a feel for two types of pitches that are already at a Major League level and he should develop into a good pitcher.”  In addition, Byung-Hwan An, the Dodgers’ scouting supervisor in Korea said “I have been watching him since high school and always liked his fastball and aggressiveness on the mound.  He is a very talented pitcher with a high ceiling. It is great that we can give him a chance to play in the States, which has been his dream.”  Even though he signed in May, Lee didn’t appear in a minor league game until the very end of August.  He appeared in 4 games total, and he basically had no success.  Nevertheless, based on the information provided, it seems like the Dodgers consider Lee a legitimate prospect.  He is 23 years old and apparently has two really good pitches, so I’m sure that he’ll be playing in either LoA or HiA during the 2010 season. 

84.  Bryant Hernandez, SS (44 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 9^th round

5’8”, 170 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.276 average, 2 HR’s, 16 RBI’s, 8 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Bryant Hernandez is not very big at all, but he has some pop and is a good offensive player.  In 2009 as a junior at the University of Oklahoma, Hernandez batted .351, hit 12 HR’s, and tied future Dodger teammate J.T. Wise for the team lead with 62 RBI’s.  He was also a finalist for the Brooks Wallace Award, presented to the nation’s top shortstop.  Speaking of Wise, the Dodgers actually noticed Hernandez when they were scouting Wise during the 2009 college season.  After the draft, Logan White said that Hernandez “is a kid that had good numbers, could hit in the middle of the night, could play short or second and he’s a sure-handed fielder with some pop in his bat. We could also turn him into a catcher down the road, if needed. He’s a grinder and knows how to play the game.”  The part about turning him into a catcher is interesting, so we’ll have to see if that develops down the road.  Also, while White mentioned his good defense, in college Hernandez seemed to make the difficult plays, but struggled with the routine grounders, leading to team high 21 errors.  Unfortunately that trend followed Bryant into professional ball, as Hernandez made 17 more errors in just 44 games.  In addition, Bryant’s offense abilities took a hit once he turned pro, although you can’t really complain too much about a .276 for a 21 year old in his first professional season.  The Dodgers will probably want to be fairly aggressive with Hernandez in 2010 given his experience at a big time college program, so he’ll probably spend next season in LoA.  In the Midwest League, hopefully he can put together a more complete season offensively and defensively to put his name on the Dodgers prospect radar. 

83.  Edwin Contreras, RHP (75.3 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 11/28/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 21.5 years old

5-1, 4.06 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 5.73 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 53

Signed out of Mexico in late 2006, Edwin Contreras made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and did very well.  Because he was still just 19 to start the 2008 season, the Dodgers returned Contreras to the GCL where he improved upon the previous year.  He had a perfect 5-0 record, posted a 2.30 ERA and 1.02 WHIP, and allowed only a .219 batting average.  With two rookie league seasons under his belt before the 2009 season, I thought Contreras was ready for LoA, but the Dodgers instead placed Edwin in the Pioneer League.  While playing with the Ogden Raptors, Contreras got off to a hot start with a 2.27 ERA through July, and for the season ranked among the league leaders in games started and innings pitched.  However, while he had a respectable FIP of 4.19 for the season, his 1.50 WHIP and 5.73 K/9 scare me.  His career K/9 of 6.2 isn’t much better, which tells me that Contreras is somewhat hittable and has probably been getting pretty lucky throughout his short career.  The good news is that at just 21 years old, Contreras has plenty of time to improve his pitches and put some muscle on his 165 pound frame.  Nevertheless, 2010 will be a big year in Edwin’s career as it will probably be his first year in a full season league, so it will be interesting to see how he responds.

82.  Bolivar Medina, LHP (46.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2007

6’2”, 175 lbs, 21.75 years old

3-2, 2.89 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 8.10 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Prior to the 2007 season, the Dodgers signed a group of young Dominican players.  According to Logan White in a 2007 interview, the two most impressive players in that group were Pedro Baez (one of the Dodgers top prospects) and Bolivar Medina.  So that right there tells you that Medina has some potential.  After posting a 2.75 ERA through 36 innings in the Dominican Summer League in 2007, Bolivar must have injured himself in some way because he missed the entire 2008 season.  It is for that reason that I didn’t include him in my rankings last season, because I thought that he had been released or something since he didn’t show up in any 2008 games.  Whatever the case, Medina made his return in 2009, and was placed in the Arizona Rookie League where he performed exceptionally well.  His 2.89 ERA ranked 5^th in the League for qualifying pitchers, and his 1.20 WHIP ranked 10^th.  His stats also ranked favorably among the Dodger minor league pitching leaders, especially his 3.23 strikeout to walk ratio and his .235 batting average against.  Besides his impressive numbers, Media also had good size for a pitcher at 6’2”.  Overall, I think this lefty has some potential to make an impact with the Dodgers if he can stay healthy.  As he is still pretty young, he just needs more experience, which he’ll probably get in Lo-A next season.

81.  David Pfeiffer, LHP (48 innings in HiA, 4 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 14^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 24.5 years old

3-3, 3.29 ERA, 1.21 WHIP, 6.92 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 76

David Pfeiffer was born in Vero Beach, FL, so he was destined to one day be a Dodger.  After signing with the team in 2003, however, he didn’t show much potential as a prospect until the 2008 offseason when he played for the Waikiki BeachBoys in the Hawaii Winter League.  It was there that he finally broke out by posting a 1.59 ERA, a 0.65 WHIP, and an amazing .127 batting average against in 17 innings.  Pfeiffer carried his success into the 2009 season where he performed very well in HiA despite playing in the hitter friendly California League.  In 48 innings he had a 3.33 FIP and only allowed one home run.  He also had an especially good August, and was named the Dodgers Pride Award Winner for the month because he earned two saves and allowed just one run in 14.2 innings (0.61 ERA) in 11 August games.  David will be just 24 years old when the 2010 season starts, but with six years of minor league experience and parts of three seasons spent in HiA, it is definitely time for a promotion to AA.  Therefore, he’ll most likely spend the 2010 season in Chattanooga, and if he continues to improve, he has the potential to one day possibly help the Dodgers as a lefty reliever out of the bullpen. 

80.  Nick Buss, CF (110 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 8^th round

6’0”, 180 lbs, 23.25 years old, bats left handed

.260 average, 10 HR’s, 63 RBI’s, 14 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 27

2008 was the second time that Nick Buss was drafted by the Dodgers.  After failing to sign him as a 35^th round pick in 2006, the Dodgers finally got their man in the 8^th round two years later.  During the two years between being drafted by the Dodgers, Buss spent time as the starting center fielder for the USC Trojans.  While his stats at USC weren’t amazing, he did post a solid .415 OBP in 2008 and placed 2^nd on the team with 8 HR’s.  He also played in the Alaskan Baseball League in the summer of 2007, and was named the League’s top prospect by Baseball America after hitting .369 and stealing 29 bases.  Since being drafted, however, Nick “Chili” Buss has been pretty average, and I’ll admit that I ranked Buss much too high last year.  I based my prior year ranking on his defensive skills and his ability to get on base, but both of those skills seemed less impressive in 2009.  His .298 on base percentage in 2009 was pretty bad, and I also read that his throwing arm is average at best.  In addition, Buss struggles mightily against left handed pitchers, and he hit just .165 against them in 2009.  Really when I look at him more closely, his only assets are his above average speed and his ability to make contact (he has a career strikeout percentage of just 15.4%).  Nevertheless Buss will probably move up to HiA in 2010, and maybe he’ll be able to rejuvenate his career in the friendly confines of the California League.  He’s just 23 years old so he’s still young enough to have a big season and upgrade his prospect status.

79.  Eduardo Perez, 1B (90 games in AA, 38 games in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/4/02

6’1”, 175 lbs, 25.5 years old, switch hitter

.305 average, 14 HR’s, 69 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 110

Last year, I said that Eduardo Perez would have to “tear it up next year in order get any recognition in this Dodgers system”.  Well Perez did just that.  He killed the California League for the first month and a half of the 2009 season by hitting .353 with a .981 OPS through 150 at bats.  That earned him a promotion to AA, where Perez finally faced players that were closer to his own age.  While his hot streak dropped off a bit in Chattanooga, Perez did hit .281 with 11 HR’s against the tougher competition.  In addition, when you look at his combined stats for the season, he ranked among the Dodger minor league leaders in average, RBI’s, doubles, and hits.  His overall performance earned Perez another season with the Dodgers, as he was resigned to a minor league contract during this past offseason.  Despite his good performance, I’m worried that Perez will not be able to produce enough offensively to support his position of first base.  He’s also not very big, so I question his ability to produce at the big league level.  Best case scenario for Perez is that he ends up as a bench player on a major league team.  I don’t really think the Dodgers are a team that he’ll ever end up playing for (I think a team like the Nationals or Pirates are more likely destination), but with another good season in 2010, you never know.  He’ll probably start in AA again next season, but he could move up to AAA at some point in 2010. 

78.  Greg Miller, LHP (11.7 innings in HiA, 5.3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2002, 1^st round

6’6”, 215 lbs, 25.25 years old

0-1, 6.35 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.94 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 35

There honestly isn’t anything left to say about Greg Miller, so I’ll just summarize his career in a few short sentences.  He was once a phantom… a can’t miss prospect who was going to be the next great Dodger starter (just look at his 2003 minor league stats).  Then injury hit.  Then loss of control.  Then loss of confidence.  And things spiraled out of control from there.  He was removed from the 40 man roster this past Spring, and after peaking in AAA in previous years, the Dodgers tried to reinvent Miller back in HiA with a new arm angle.  They hoped that working with Charlie Hough would turn things around.  But things didn’t change for Greg, and while he held opposing batters to a .179 average in the California League, he still managed to record a 9.26 ERA before injury struck once again in late June.  Miller tried to work himself back into pitching shape before the end of the season by rehabbing in the Arizona Rookie League, but the season ended before he got a change to return to real action.  And in reality, that could be the last we see of Miller.  He is currently a minor league free agent and could very well sign with another club prior to the 2010 season.  If he’s healthy, I hope the Dodgers do resign Miller to give him one last chance because the potential is still there, and I would hate to see him sign with someone else and then succeed.  If he does return, I think another lesson with Charlie Hough would be good for him.

77.  Robert Boothe, RHP (56.3 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 12/5/07

6’2”, 190 lbs, 24 years old

2-3, 4.95 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 12.46 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 82

Robert Boothe was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent after the 2007 season.  He is half Japanese, attended Asia University, doesn’t speak much English, and was actually eligible for the Japanese draft before signing with the Dodgers.  At the time of his signing, Logan White said that Boothe has “a nice delivery, good arm action, and a sound mix of breaking pitches which gives him the ability to be a future Major Leaguer.”  After a rough debut season, Boothe turned things around in the Midwest League in 2009.  I know his ERA wasn’t great and he struggled with his control, but in my opinion he had a very good season.  He posted an excellent FIP of 2.65, so the fact is that Boothe was getting a little unlucky during this season.  He also allowed just two home runs in 56 innings.  His most impressive stat, however, was his strikeout rate.  Boothe led all Dodger minor leaguers with his 12.46 K/9, and through the month of June his K/9 actually stood at a remarkable 14.05.  His ability to strike batters out demonstrates that he has some nasty stuff on the mound.  He’s been described as a power arm who can throw into the mid 90’s and has closer potential.  The one negative about Boothe is his age.  He’s already 24 years old, so he’ll need to move quickly through the system while continuing to improve.  A promotion to AA isn’t out the question for the start of 2010, but he’ll have to really impress in Spring Training to end up there.  If all goes well over the next few years, Boothe has the upside to become a big league middle reliever at some point in his career.

76.  Thomas Giles, RF (82 games in AA, 16 games in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 8^th round

6’0”, 190 lbs, 26.5 years old, bats left handed

.276 average, 15 HR’s, 48 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 41

Thomas Giles had a great season in 2008.  He led all Dodger minor leaguers in HR’s and RBI’s while playing 126 games in the California League.  Despite his excellent season and the fact that he was already 25 years old, the Dodgers still placed Giles back in HiA at the beginning of the 2009 season.  Deciding that he needed to prove them wrong, Giles got off to a hot start, and through 16 games with Inland Empire he was hitting .344 with 4 HR’s and an OPS of .983.  Seeing that Thomas was clearly not being challenged in HiA, he was finally promoted to AA in May.  The problem was that Chattanooga has a crowded outfield, so for the remainder of the season Giles had to occasionally rotate out of the starting lineup.  Even still, Giles was able to mash 11 more HR’s and finished the season with a combined slugging percentage of .523, which ranked in the top 10 for Dodger minor leaguers (min 175 AB’s).  Physically Giles is not very big, so he has to rely on his baseball knowledge and his sweet left handed swing to generate his power.  He has a good college background as he was drafted out of the University of Miami.  Despite several good qualities, Giles has two big factors working against him.  First, at 26 years old, Giles is already older than several Dodgers already on the major league roster, so time is not on his side.  Second, he strikes out too much, and during his time in AA Giles struck out in 27% of his plate appearances.  Overall Giles is a solid player, but he will probably never get the opportunity to play in the big leagues.  He’ll most likely head back to AA next season, and hopefully he’ll continue to show the Dodgers that he has good power and deserves the opportunity to play in AAA at some point during 2010.

75.  Justin Sellers, SS (116 games in AA in 2009)

Acquired via trade with Cubs in April 2009 for Cash

5’10”, 160 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.280 average, 2 HR’s, 33 RBI’s, 10 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I’m still not 100% sure how the Dodgers acquired Sellers, although I read somewhere that he was traded to the Dodgers by the Cubs for cash last April.  Originally selected by Oakland in the 6^th round of the 2005 draft, he was traded to the Cubs in February of 2009 for Michael Wuertz.  At the time of the trade, Cubs fans were pretty excited to get Sellers because he was ranked in Baseball America’s top 30 from 2006 through 2008, peaking at #9 in the 2006 version of the book.  That’s why I’m still a little confused why the Cubs would give up Sellers to the Dodgers for an undisclosed amount of cash.  Anyways, in regards to Sellers baseball abilities, he is the son of former big league pitcher Jeff Sellers, so he has the bloodlines to compete at the major league level.  In addition, before he was drafted, some scouts thought that Sellers would have been a late first round pick if he had been just a few inches taller.  Known for his strong defense up the middle, Justin’s bat has always been in question as he has very little power and is prone to hitting weak pop ups.  However, he has always been projected to hit for a decent average, and showed some of that skill while batting .280 with the Lookouts this past season.  Sellers is still relatively young for his level of competition, and the Dodgers decided to challenge him by sending him to the Arizona Fall League this offseason.  While he struggled there in limited playing time, the fact that he was sent to Arizona shows that the Dodgers have some confidence in his ability.  After back to back mediocre seasons in AA, the Dodgers have to decide whether Sellers is ready to handle AAA in 2010.  I’m guessing that part of that decision will be based upon how the major league roster shakes out (such as where Hu ends up playing).  Overall, Sellers seems to be a player in the mold of Juan Castro, and if he can continue to play solid defense and put up average offensive numbers, he may one day make it to the big leagues as a backup infielder.

74.  Preston Mattingly, LF (115 games in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 1^st round

6’3”, 205 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.238 average, 8 HR’s, 36 RBI’s, 24 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 52

I wrote this last year, but it’s worth mentioning again.  Coming out of high school, Preston Mattingly wasn’t projected as a 1^st round pick.  He was supposed to go within the first 10 rounds, but being picked 31st overall was almost out of the question.  The Dodgers, however, felt otherwise, and decided to spend their supplemental first round pick on the son of the Yankee legend.  Keep in mind this pick was made before Don Mattingly was even part of the Dodger organization.  So far, that pick has looked like a major mistake as players like Joba Chamberlin, Chris Tillman, and Brett Anderson were all still available at that time that Mattingly was selected.  Since we can’t go back and change the past, however, we might as well look to the future for Preston.  Despite poor stats during his two seasons in LoA, the Dodgers moved Mattingly to HiA in 2009 hoping that a change of scenery would jumpstart his offense.  The Dodgers also changed Preston’s position going into 2009, moving him from 2^nd base to left field.  Unfortunately, the promotion didn’t help as Mattingly failed to show much improvement with Inland Empire.  Even though the majority of his offensive numbers did progress slightly when compared to 2008, that can probably be attributed to the fact that the California League is much more hitter friendly when compared to the Midwest League.  In addition, Mattingly’s strikeout rate continued to be a big problem.  He ranked 3^rd in the California League with 150 strikeouts, and he struck out in almost 30% of his plate appearances.  The one bright spot it may seem are his stolen base totals, but even that is tainted by the fact that he was caught 13 times.  Scouts say that he has a hard time recognizing pitches, and that he also has a tendency to get out on his front foot and committed too soon.  Despite all these shortcomings, I haven’t completely given up hope on Mattingly.  He obviously has great bloodlines, and is still just 22 years old.  To rebound, he needs to look to another Dodger minor leaguer with a major league father, Scott Van Slyke.  Van Slyke struggled in his first season at HiA in 2008, but then completely broke out with a huge season when he returned there in 2009.  So you never know what can happen.  Overall, while Mattingly is a long shot to play in the majors (especially now that he is a left fielder), I’m still optimistic that he’ll turn things around at some point.

73.  Enlly Morales, 2B (64 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/12/07

5’11”, 168 lbs, 20.5 years old, bats right handed

.317 average, 3 HR’s, 29 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 91

After a very solid professional debut in 2008, Enlly Morales showed the Dodgers that he is indeed for real with a great sophomore campaign.  His .317 average led the DSL Dodgers and ranked 5^th in the entire Dodgers minor league system (minimum of 175 at bats).  Even more impressive was his .406 on base percentage, which stemmed from his amazing ability to make contact.  Morales struck out in just 8% of his plate appearances, which led all Dodger minor leaguers.  To add to his 2009 resume, Enlly ranked 3^rd in the entire Dominican Summer League with 19 doubles.  Needless to say, Morales had a great season, and will no doubt be promoted to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2010.  At 20 years old, he should be old enough to handle the transition to a new country, and hopefully he’ll continue to be an offensive force once he arrives.  Finally, at 5’11”, Enlly is actually the perfect size for a second baseman so I’m not worried about his lack of height, but I would expect him to fill out his 168 pound frame as he gets older. 

72.  Elisaul Pimentel, RHP (59 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 12/12/06

6’2”, 170 lbs, 21.75 years old

4-4, 4.73 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 7.32 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 58

Elisaul Pimentel has moved quickly through the Dodgers system since being signed as an 18 year old in 2006.  He made his professional debut in 2007 in the Dominican Summer and had a mediocre season, yet the Dodgers promoted him to the Gulf Coast League at the beginning of 2008.  The move paid off as Pimentel put together a very solid season during his time in the GCL, and was even promoted to the Pioneer League toward the end of the 2008 season.  As expected Elisaul returned to the Pioneer League in 2009, and while his numbers weren’t great, they were still somewhat respectable.  Although he was very hittable (as demonstrated by his .300 batting average against), he allowed very few walks and actually had a FIP of 3.47.  In addition, his strikeout to walk ratio ranked 8^th among all Dodger minor league pitchers (minimum of 45 innings pitched).  Unfortunately I don’t know anything about his velocity or what types of pitches he throws, but the fact that he has been able to hold his own as a 21 year old tells me that he has some decent stuff.  While the Great Lakes pitching staff will be fairly crowded in 2010, I think there is room for Pimentel to earn a spot somewhere on the Loons pitching staff if he has a good spring training.  

71.  Paul Koss, RHP (18 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 11^th round

6’4”, 215 lbs, 24.75 years old

0-0, 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 9.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 56

Paul Koss is a former closer at USC who had a great career for the Trojans.  He had 36 career saves, and posted a 2.79 ERA during his senior season.  Koss started his professional career in the Pioneer League, and then moved up to Hi-A in 2008 where finished the season with 14 saves and a 3.50 ERA.  In my analysis last year, I predicted that Koss would play in AA in 2009, just his second full professional season.  Well Koss did end up playing in Chattanooga, but unfortunately it was only for 18 innings because he got injured not once, but twice during the 2009 season.  After pitching 6 games in April with excellent results, Paul sat out all of May with some sort of an injury.  Then after returning for 9 games in June, Koss ended up missing the rest of the season.  I was unable to find out what Koss’ injury was, but hopefully it wasn’t too serious because I think Koss has a lot of potential.  He has great size for a pitcher, and already has the mentality of a closer because he’s been quoted as saying that he loves pressure situations.  He also has a nasty slider that he uses as his out pitch, and has put up good numbers over the past two seasons (including a .169 batting average against in 2009).  With 2009 basically being a lost season for Koss, I’m guessing he’ll return to AA in 2010 for another year.  Even though I think Koss fits more into a middle relief role at the big league level, being the Lookouts closer will give him valuable experience in pressure situations. 

70.  Fredy Quintero, RHP (32.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 180 lbs, 22.25 years old

0-2, 1.93 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, 8.82 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 111

Like they did with Javier Solano, the Dodgers purchased Quintero’s rights from the Mexican League’s Monterrey Sultans before the 2008 season for $250,000.  He started his career in the Gulf Coast League and posted a 4.03 ERA in 29 innings, which was pretty solid for a 20 year old in his first pro season.  This earned Quintero a spot on the Ogden Raptors in the Pioneer League where he improved dramatically.  His 1.93 ERA ranked as best on the team and his batting average against was just .246.  In addition, Fredy had good strikeout numbers and showed pretty good control.  According to Baseball America, at the time of his signing Quintero had an 89-92 mph fastball and a hard slider, so I’m assuming that he’s only gotten better as he’s matured.  He has a good frame at 6’3”, so he can probably had a mph or two to his velocity.  Heading into the 2010 season, Quintero will be 22 years old so he’ll most likely start in LoA.   Another good season will firmly place his name on the Dodgers prospect radar.

69.  Jaime Ortiz, 1B (56 games in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 7^th round

6’1”, 220 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats left handed

.245 average, 5 HR’s, 24 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 21

Jaime Ortiz was one of the biggest disappointments for me last season, and I admit that my evaluation of him last year was way off.  After he hit 13 HR’s in the Midwest League in 2008, I predicted that Ortiz would hit 20 out in the California League in 2009 to go along with a .280 average.  As it turns out, the only thing that I correctly predicted was the league that he played in.  To be honest, I’m not exactly sure why Ortiz never really got going offensively, but my best guess is that he simply never got into a rhythm during the season because he had to share his first base duties with Steven Caseres throughout the entire season and didn’t really get consistent playing time.  Still that’s no excuse for Ortiz, especially since he was playing in the hitter friendly California League.  The good news is that Jaime is still just 21 years old and already has a lot of professional experience.  Drafted out of Puerto Rico as a 17 year old, Ortiz has made a steady progression through the Dodgers system.  So far in his four year professional career, he has been promoted after each season (going from the GCL to the Pioneer League to LoA to HiA).  I’m pretty sure that trend will stop heading into 2010 as there is no way that Ortiz will move up to AA.  In fact, even if Caseres does get promoted (which he probably will), Ortiz will probably still end up splitting time at 1^st base again next season in California League because the Dodgers have quite a few solid first base prospects.  Overall, while I still think that Jaime has a lot of potential, he is going to have to show us something next year because his career .240 batting average isn’t going to impress anyone. 

68.  Eric Krebs, RHP (25 innings in HiA, 16.2 innings with other organization in 2009)

Acquired via trade with Pirates in April 2009 for Delwyn Young

6’3”, 210 lbs, 24.75 years old

0-2, 3.24 ERA, 1.64 WHIP, 11.16 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Eric Krebs was originally a 16^th round pick in the 2005 draft by the Pirates out of a small community college in Texas.  After 4 mediocre seasons with the Pirates, Eric was sent to the Dodgers as part of the Delwyn Young trade.  Krebs has a lot of upside, but he also has some problems on the mound, with his biggest issue being his command.  During his 2009 season split between AA (with the Pirates) and HiA (with the Dodgers), Krebs walked more than a batter per inning.  That led to an inflated WHIP, as well as a FIP of 4.24 during his time with the Dodgers.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided that Krebs was worth a roster spot in the AFL.  They based their decision on Krebs’ potential as he has a fastball that can hit 96 miles per hour.  In the AFL, Krebs faired very well in most aspects of his game, but unfortunately his lack of control continued.  He walked 11 batters in just under 14 AFL innings, which again caused him to have a very ugly WHIP (1.76) when compared to his ERA (2.63).  The number that really sticks out, however, is his strikeout rates.  In the AFL he posted a K/9 of 12.5, and his career rate stands at just over a strikeout per inning.  So he obviously has something going for him.  His fastball is complimented by a late breaking slider and a changeup that sits in the low 80’s.  Krebs will definitely start in AA next year, and a promotion to AAA at some point isn’t out of the question.  In fact, if he can learn to harness his pitches and limit his walks, he may be able to make it as a reliever at the big league level.  He’ll be almost 25 years old when the 2010 season starts, however, so he’ll have to turn things around quickly.

67.  Carlos De Aza, RHP (27.7 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/24/07

6’3”, 178 lbs, 19.75 years old

4-2, 1.30 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 7.81 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 127

What a difference a year made for Carlos De Aza.  After posting a 6.53 ERA and 2.08 WHIP in 2008, De Aza completely turned things around in 2009 with a 1.30 ERA and a ridiculous .149 batting average against.  Now I know that a lot of people will point the fact that Carlos only pitched 27 innings in 2009 and say that his FIP was 3.86, but come on, the guy was basically unhittable.  He gave up just 4.6 hits per 9 innings for the season, which is ridiculous.  The only negative thing about his is that he has control issues, but even that drastically improved when compared to 2008.  He walked 11.3 batters per 9 innings in 2008 (which is one of the highest walk rates I’ve ever seen), but he brought that number all the way down to 6.5 walks per 9 innings in 2009.  At 6’3” and just 19 years old, De Aza definitely has some potential.  I’m sure he’ll get promoted to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2010 based on his numbers and makeup.  While he’s still got a long ways to go in terms of development, he is an interesting name keep track of as he progresses through the Dodgers system.

66.  Jordan Pratt, RHP (57 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 5^th round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 24.75 years old

3-4, 4.58 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 10.26 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 54

Jordan Pratt had a lot of good things going for him heading into the 2009 season.  He was coming off a decent season in HiA, and an even better winter league.  In the 2008 Hawaii Winter League, he posted an ERA of 2.53 and had an amazing strikeout rate of 14.5 strikeouts per 9 innings.  He also generated some buzz prior to the 2008 Rule 5 draft as his name was thrown around as a potential target for several clubs.  In addition, he was named as the Dodgers 30^th best prospect by Baseball America after the 2008 season, and was predicted to begin 2009 in AA.  So I’m sure he felt some disappointment when he learned that he’d be spending the 2009 season in LoA where he was one of the oldest players on the team.  He didn’t let his disappointment show, however, as he put together a solid season for the Great Lakes Loons.  His ERA and WHIP weren’t great, but his FIP was 3.74 and batters his just .222 against him.  He also struck out over a batter per inning, and was surprisingly effective against lefties.  In regards to his stuff, Pratt has a fastball that can hit 94 MPH, a power curveball with good movement, and a slider.  His biggest problem is his control.  Pratt walked 16.4% of batters he faced in 2009, which was the highest percentage for any Loons pitcher, and for his career he walks almost 7 batters per nine innings.  Basically if he can improve his command, then he pretty much has what it takes to be an effective arm out of the bullpen.  I’m not sure what the future holds for Pratt.  He was a minor league free agent after the 2009 season, but luckily re-signed with the Dodgers this past January.  For the 2010 season, I’m almost certain that he’ll be promoted to AA to face some stiffer competition because at almost 25 years old, 2010 is a make or break season for Jordan.

65.  Gustavo Gomez, RHP (60 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 150 lbs, 18.75 years old

2-3, 2.70 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 9.45 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 113

2009 was Gustavo’s second professional season, and he showed drastic improvement from 2008.  He led the 2009 Dominican Dodgers in strikeouts and innings pitched, and posted a great ERA and FIP (2.63).  Gomez also only walked 19 batters during the season, and his strikeout to walk ratio of 3.32 ranked 6^th in the Dodgers minor league system for 2009.  The best part about Gomez, however, is that he is still just 18 years old, and already has 88 innings of professional experience.  Based on this experience, and the fact that Gustavo had a great 2009 season, I expect Gomez to move up to the Arizona Rookie League in 2010.  While his build needs some more muscle, he should be ready for tougher competition. 

64.  Kyle Orr, 1B (40 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 4^th round

6’5”, 205 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats left handed

.223 average, 3 HR’s, 27 RBI’s

Prior Year Ranking: 42

Since being drafted in 2006, Kyle Orr has done nothing to deserve a top 100 ranking.  He has yet to hit better than .230 in any of his minor league seasons, only has 11 HR’s in 479 career at bats, and has struck out in 30% of his career plate appearance.  Yet I continue to see Orr’s potential and I can’t help but rank him in the top half of Dodger minor league players.  Drafted in the 4^th round of the 2006 draft, the Dodgers were able to sign Orr away from a strong commitment to play at the University of Kentucky for a $435K signing bonus and an additional $100K going toward a college education if he ever chooses to get one.  Upon signing, Orr was said to have a ton of power even though he was just 17 years old at the time.  Unfortunately, that power hasn’t translated into any professional success as mentioned above.  After spending three years in Rookie ball, I think that Orr just needs to be thrown into a full season league like LoA and see what happens from there.  He’s been limited to less than 500 professional at bats even though he was drafted way back in 2006, so I think that has hurt his development.  He’s still just 21 years old, so he has plenty of time to turn things around and use his 6’5” frame to his advantage.  While I don’t think he’ll cut down on his strikeouts anytime soon, I do believe he can turn into a Kyle Russell type and hit 20 HR’s annually at some point in the near future.

63.  Luis Ferreras, RHP (18 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

6’0”, 150 lbs, 20.25 years old

2-1, 2.50 ERA, 1.44 WHIP, 5.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 46

Luis Ferreras has had an interesting journey so far with the Dodgers.  Signed as a 17 year on before the 2007 season, Ferreras put together a remarkable debut season in the Dominican Summer League, allowing just 3 runs in 27 and one third innings for a 0.99 ERA.  Seeing this success, the Dodgers brought Luis to the U.S.A. in 2008 and started him in the Gulf Coast League.  Through 7 games in the GCL, Ferreras again showed dominating stuff as he allowed just 1 run over 12 innings.  That prompted the Dodgers to actually promote the 18 year old Ferreras all the way to AA for a couple of weeks to fill in for some injured players, during which time Luis threw 3 hitless innings.  When the AA bullpen was back to full strength, Ferreras was sent to LoA where he finally showed that he was human by posting 8.53 ERA through 12 innings.  When it was all said and done, Ferreras had a 4.23 ERA in 2008.  So that brings us to 2009.  After playing all over the place in 2008, I thought that Luis would have a little more consistency in 2009 by spending the season with LoA.  The Dodgers, however, decided that the Pioneer League was a better place for Luis, so he spent the year there.  While it might seem like Ferreras was injured at some point during the season because he was limited to 18 innings, when you look at his game log you’ll notice that all of his appearances were spread pretty evenly from June to September.  So basically, the Dodgers just wanted to limit his innings in order to protect his 19 year old arm.  While his ERA with Ogden was pretty good, his WHIP or 1.44 and FIP of 4.31 tell another story.  In addition, Ferreras has a low career K/9 of 6.3, and actually walked more batter than he struck out in 2009.  Nevertheless, since he’ll be just 20 years old when 2010 starts, I’m pretty confident that Luis will continue to grow, mature, and improve over the next few years.  While I have no idea what his velocity is or what his secondary pitches are, I think that Ferreras has the potential to one day be a big league reliever.  My guess is that he’ll spend 2010 in LoA.

62.  Brian Ruggiano, 3B (54 games in Pioneer Rookie League, 7 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 23^rd round

6’0”, 175, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.346 average, 9 HR’s, 39 RBI’s, 22 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 116

Brian was the second Ruggiano drafted by the Dodgers out of Texas A&M in the past few years because they drafted his brother, Justin Ruggiano, in the 25^th round of the 2004 draft.  Justin is no longer with the Dodgers, as he was part of the Mark Hendrickson/Toby Hall trade in 2006, but he has made a name for himself by making it up to the Rays during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  Even though Brian struggled in his debut season, last year I wrote that “based on his brother’s success after being drafted in the 25^th round, I wouldn’t count out Brian as being an impact player just yet, even though he was a 23^rd round pick.”  Well, Brian Ruggiano tried to prove me right and had a huge year for the Dodgers in 2009.  He ranked among the Dodger Minor League Leaders in several categories, including on base percentage (.413), slugging percentage (.547), OPS (.961), average (.346), and stolen bases (22).  He also ranked very favorably among the Pioneer League Leaders, and actually lost the Pioneer League batting title on the last game of the season (he ended up finishing second with his .371 batting average while with Ogden).  He did all this while learning to play 3^rd base, a position that he has never played regularly (he was basically a catcher and outfielder in college, and played 2^nd base last season).  Despite all of his success, there is still the fact that Ruggiano was a 23 year old playing in rookie ball.  He was one of the older hitters on the Raptors, so his accomplishments have to be discounted a little.  At the end of the day, however, it’s not Brian’s fault that he was placed in the Pioneer League, and he did everything in his power to show that he didn’t belong there.  He even stole 22 bases and hit 9 home runs, which were the most surprising numbers to me because he isn’t really known as a power or speed player.  In 2010 Ruggiano will probably get the respect he deserves, and I’m guessing that he’ll play in the California League.  If he can put together another season similar to 2009 in HiA, then he’ll really put his name on the Dodger prospect radar. 

61.  Jan Vazquez, C (25 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 6^th round

5’10”, 165 lbs, 18.75 years old, switch hitter

.216 average, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Jan Vasquez is a young switch hitting catcher who was drafted by the Dodgers in the 6^th round of the 2009 draft.  He is from Puerto Rico and was taken Puerto Rico Baseball Academy High School.  Prior to the draft Vazquez ran a 6.6-second 60-yard dash, which is great for a catcher.  Also, scouting reports suggest that he has a plus arm behind the plate, and also has some experience as a middle infielder.  According to Logan White, “This kid is a real athlete. He shifts, blocks, has perfect size for a catcher.  If we don’t need him behind the plate, he could play second base because he can really hit from both sides of the plate.”  After signing with the Dodgers, Vazquez was assigned to the Arizona Rookie League where he played just enough to get his feet wet.  He only appeared in 25 games as he split time with Michael Pericht and Pedro Tavarez, and while he struggled to the tune of a .216 average, he did show life at the end of the season and finished the year by hitting .333 in the month of August.  At just 18 years old, Vazquez is still learning the game and developing as a player.  Despite being just 5’10” and 165 pounds, his body shows potential to add muscle as he matures.  In 2010, I expect Vazquez to repeat the Arizona Rookie League, but this time I’m sure that he’ll get more at bats.  In fact he’ll probably be the primary catcher for the club to get him ready for a full season league in 2011.

60.  Beyker Fructuoso, RHP (28.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/9/07

6’3”, 195 lbs, 20 years old

1-5, 6.28 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 9.10 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 26

While I may have been a little off in my ranking of Fructuoso last season, I haven’t given up hope on this young Dominican player.  He’s got a ton of potential and simply hit a speed bump in his young career.  Signed as a 17 year old in the summer of 2007, Beyker spent his first professional season in the Gulf Coast League and went on to have a very successful debut.  As an 18 year old he posted a 2.37 ERA, allowed just a .229 batting average against, and struck out 37 batters in 38 innings.  In 2009, Fructuoso was placed in the Arizona Rookie League and played the entire season as a 19 year old, so he was still one of the youngest players league.  It’s no excuse for his 6.28 ERA, but I will give him a little bit of a break because he showed good control, struck out more than a batter per inning, and was victimized by the long ball (he gave up a team 8 HR’s despite pitching just over 28 innings).  Despite his sophomore slump, it’s easy to see why I am so excited about Beyker as a player.  He has already shown flashes of brilliance, and has a great pitcher’s frame at 6’3”.  I have no idea how hard he throws, but judging by his stats and his build my guess is that he’ll be able to one day sit in the low to mid 90’s (if he’s not there already).  With 66 professional innings under his belt, Fructuoso is ready to move up to at least the Pioneer League in 2010.  While he’s been under the radar so far, he’s definitely someone to keep your eye on.

59.  Jaime Pedroza, 2B (136 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 9^th round

5’8”, 167 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.260 average, 15 HR’s, 78 RBI’s, 36 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 19

In 2007, Pedroza was drafted out of UC Riverside in the 9^th round after leading the Highlanders to a NCAA tournament berth during his junior year.  In his professional debut, he dominated the Pioneer Rookie League with a .360 average, a .413 on base percentage, 8 HR’s, and 40 RBI’s.  That earned him a promotion to Hi-A at the end of the 2007 season, and he returned there in 2008 where he had a great season with the 66ers.  He hit .290, showed off his power with 9 HR’s, and also added a new element to his game as he stole 25 bases.  So most people would have assumed that Pedroza would have either stayed in HiA or been promoted to AA.  However, the Dodgers sent Jaime to LoA in 2009.  My guess as to why the Dodgers sent him to the Midwest League was because they promised the Loons that they would field a good team in 2009, and Pedroza was one piece of the puzzle.  The moved paid off for the Dodgers because Pedroza had an all around solid season and was one of the players that led the Loons to the playoffs for the first time in 2009.  While his average wasn’t great, he ranked second on the team with 15 HR’s and 36 SB’s, and also led all Dodger minor leaguers with 100 runs scored.  In addition, Pedroza was money in the Midwest League playoffs and hit two game changing home runs during the Loons playoff run.  In terms of his overall prospect status, Pedroza’s ranking has dropped since last year, but he is still a pretty good player.  Although he is just 5’8”, he is the perfect size for a middle infielder and has more offensive force than most players at that position.  The problem is that he isn’t very good defensively as he made 27 errors in 2009; second most in the Dodgers minor league system.  In addition, his strikeouts scare me as he struck out in 26.6% of his plate appearances in 2009.  According to someone who covered the Loons during the 2009 season, “this is an important off-season for Pedroza…the Dodgers have to decide whether to push him up to Double A or cut him.”  I can’t imagine that he’ll be cut due to his offensive performance, so my guess is that the Dodgers do in fact give him a chance in AA in 2010 to see how he responds.  In addition, he’ll be reunited with his brother Sergio who originally drafted by the Dodgers in 2005 was traded to Tampa Bay for Julio Lugo, and was re-signed by the Dodgers this past off-season.  Hopefully Jaime will have another good season in 2010 and prove that he is a legitimate Dodger prospect. 

58.  Francisco Felix, RHP (55.3 innings in AA, 21.3 innings in AAA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 2/19/03

5’11”, 191 lbs, 26.75 years old

4-2, 3.05 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 9.16 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 62

After spending seven minor league seasons with the Dodgers, Francisco Felix will finally get the opportunity to spend some time in the Dodgers big league camp.  You see Felix was re-signed by the Dodgers after the 2009 season and was surprisingly invited to the major league spring training as a non roster player.  While his odds of actually making the 25 man roster out of spring training are slim to none, I’m sure it will be a good experience for Francisco.  In addition, it will give him a chance to pitch in front of big league coaches and hopefully show them that he deserves to be an option in the major league bullpen if injuries should occur.  Management should actually already be familiar with Felix due to his success last season.  He recorded a 2.93 ERA in the first half of the season at AA, then upon his promotion to Albuquerque he continued his success with a FIP of 2.54 through 21 innings.  After the season, Felix returned home to Mexico to play in the Mexican Winter League and appeared in 33 games more games, accumulating a 2.40 ERA and a .228 batting average against.  Overall, Felix has put up some pretty good numbers over the past year.  Despite being just 5’11”, he obviously has good stuff and can definitely be a relief option for the Dodgers in the future if he continues to succeed. 

57.  Josh Wall, RHP (111.3 innings in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 2^nd round

6’6”, 190 lbs, 23 years old

5-8, 5.98 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 6.22 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 49

Since being drafted in 2005, Josh Wall has not pitched like a 2^nd round pick.  Though he signed for $500,000, Wall has a career ERA of 5.46, a career WHIP of 1.60, and a career K/9 of just 6.5 K/9 through 5 professional seasons.  Things are getting any better either, because he has spent the last two seasons in HiA and has actually performed worse than his career averages.  Part of his struggles can be blamed on the fact that the California League is never kind to pitchers, and part of it can be blamed on the fact that he is still adjusting to his 6’6” frame, but at the end of the day he still needs to do a better job of executing.  The thing is, he has the raw talent to be really good.  While his velocity has fluctuated over the years, Wall has hit 96 mph in the past and generally sits in the low 90’s.  He also has a pretty good curveball and a solid changeup.  He just needs to learn to put everything together while on the mound.  The good thing about Wall is that he just turned 23 years old, so he still has time to turn things around.  While some people might disagree, I really think that Wall should move up to AA in 2010 to put him in a new environment.  He obviously hasn’t had a good experience in the California League, so maybe a promotion to Chattanooga will change his luck.  Plus, as much as I hate to say it, it’s not like Charlie Hough has been able to do anything for him over the past two years.  Overall, I haven’t given up on Josh Wall just yet, and I still think he has it in him to put together a solid season in the near future. 

56.  Nick Akins, LF (32 games in Arizona League, 27 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 19^th round

6’1”, 180 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats right handed

.300 average, 11 HR’s, 50 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Nick Akins is only 22 years old, yet has already had an interesting baseball career.  It started in high school when he transferred from Los Angeles High School to El Camino Real High during his junior season, which required him to take a two hour bus ride each way.  Because Los Angeles High School wasn’t in the best neighborhood, Nick’s dad thought that getting Nick to a better school would help him in life.  Well, to make a long story short there was an ugly fight involving Nick and his father during his junior year at El Camino Real which led to his expulsion from the team.  Even though the fight wasn’t started by Nick, the administrators didn’t care.  Nick transferred back to Los Angeles High School for his senior year, but wasn’t allowed to play baseball despite his best appeals.  He ended up playing in weekend adult league and the Dodgers actually drafted him in the 13^th round of the 2006 draft.  Nick didn’t sign, however, and played ball at Riverside Community College for two seasons, winning the JUCO state championship in the process.  After the 2008 season Akins transferred to the local NAIA college Vanguard, and after hitting .314 with 13 home runs, 35 runs batted in and a .633 slugging average over 47 games he was again was drafted by the Dodgers, this time in the 19^th round.  He ended up signing with the Dodgers and was placed in the Arizona Rookie League where he absolutely dominated.  In just 120 at bats, Akins hit 7 HR’s and had an outstanding 1.055 OPS.  He was rewarded for his efforts by being named a post season All Star for the League.  In the middle of August he was promoted to the Pioneer League and while his stats dropped off a little, he still continued to show good power potential.  Despite all these good qualities, Akins does have a few drawbacks to his game.  First, he is pretty much limited to left field, which hurts his value on the field.  Second, while Akins can mash fastballs, he has a lot of trouble with off-speed pitches, which is something that will most likely be exploited as he moves up in the minors.  Finally, so far in his minor league career Nick has posted a poor walk to strikeout ratio, demonstrating that he strikes out too much.  Nevertheless, I see Akins as a legitimate Dodger prospect who has a lot of potential.  While he’ll probably never become a big league regular, I can see Akins as a solid big league backup someday.  He’ll definitely spend 2010 in either LoA or HiA.

55.  Chris Jacobs, 1B (42 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 17^th round

6’5”, 260 lbs, 21.25 years old, bats right handed

.277 average, 4 HR’s, 17 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 24

When you look at the 6’5” and 260 pound Chris Jacobs, you see an athlete.  Growing up, there was no doubt that he would play a professional sport, it was just a matter of him deciding which one he would play.  Football was an obvious option, but Chris made the decision early during his high school career to put all his time and energy into baseball.  Even though wasn’t drafted until the 17^th round in 2007, he feels that he made the right decision by choosing baseball.  Jacobs spent his first two professional seasons in the Gulf Coast League and posted mediocre stats.  He moved up to the Pioneer League in 2009, and while his overall stats point to another average year, he actually showed improvement over his first two professional seasons.  His slugging percentage rose by 68 points, and his OPS increased to a respectable .810.  However, his 4 home runs are a disappointing total and show that he hasn’t come close to tapping into his power potential, which is what the Dodgers were looking for when they drafted him.  In addition, he struck out in 28.7% of his 2009 plate appearances, which is not a good sign because that percentage was substantially worse than his 2008 percentage of 20.4%.  Despite these disappointing figures and the fact that Jacobs has spent three seasons in rookie leagues without much success, I’m still optimistic about his future.   He is still just 21 years old and obviously has huge power potential.  He also has not yet been given the opportunity to play a full season, so in 2010 it will be interesting to see what he can do with 400 or 500 at bats.  I’m guessing he’ll play in LoA and while he’ll probably still have to split time with other young first basemen, I’m sure he’ll get plenty of time at DH.

54.  Justin Miller, RHP (115 innings in LoA, 34.3 innings in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 6^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 22.5 years old

5-14, 5.48 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 4.82 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 48

Even though Justin Miller was considered to be one of the best community college pitchers available in the 2007 draft, he fell to the 6^th round where the Dodgers gladly scooped him up.  What probably scared most teams away was the fact that Miller actually spent more time in right field than on the mound during his final college season, as he developed a tender elbow.  Nevertheless, he was hitting 94 on the radar gun before his injury, and at 6’3”, the Dodgers felt like he had a very projectable frame.  After being drafted, Miller was assigned to the Gulf Coast League where he ended the season by pitching 7 innings of scoreless relief in the GCL playoffs.  That success allowed Miller to start the 2008 season in LoA where he played all year end posted a 3.99 ERA despite a 4-11 record.  In 2009, Miller returned to LoA and even though he didn’t quite find the same success as in 2008, he was promoted to HiA in August.  Unfortunately, Miller wasn’t up to the challenge as he posted an 8.13 ERA in the California League and somehow managed to be the losing pitcher in each of his 7 starts.  He also posted a career low by striking out just 4.8 batters per 9 innings.  Luckily, Miller doesn’t need to strikeout a whole lot of batters because he is a sinkerball pitcher, but I would still like to see a rate higher than what he had in 2009.  According to Baseball America, Miller currently hits 92 mph and has a good slider, but they see him more as a bullpen arm than a starting pitcher.  I’m not sure I agree with that assessment because sinkerball pitchers are generally more useful in the rotation, especially if they don’t strike a lot of guys out.  However, Miller is going to have to step up his game when he returns to HiA next season if he wants any kind of shot with the Dodgers because there are plenty of young arms in the Dodgers system that are ahead of him at this point.

53.  Steven Ames, RHP (30 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 17^th round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 22 years old

1-1, 2.10 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 14.10 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Steven Ames had an unbelievable debut season, especially when you consider that he was a 17^th round pick.  Even though he only pitched 30 innings in 2009, his numbers were off the charts.  His 14.10 K/9 was ridiculous, and he only walked 6 batters all season.  In addition, batters only hit .192 against him, and his FIP was an incredible 1.53.  The best part about Ames, however, is that he did all this as a 21 year old.  This type of performance would be expected from a college player who was 22 or 23 years old, but as a 21 year old I am every impressed.  Going back to his college days, Ames played for three years at Gonzaga and posted an ERA under 2.00 in his first two seasons.  In 2009 with the Bulldogs he struggled a little bit and posted a 3.91 ERA through 96 innings, but the Dodgers realized his potential and drafted him in the 17^th round of the 2009 draft.  Luckily he signed with the Dodgers, and as mentioned above, he thrived in the Pioneer League.  While he was mostly a starting pitcher in college, the Dodgers used Ames exclusively as a reliever and I’m guessing that’s where he’ll stay as he continues his professional career.  While I’m not very familiar with Ames pitching arsenal, according to Baseball America he has been able to hit 94 mph on the radar gun.  In addition, I’ve read that he has three good pitches and has a good feel for pitching.  Based on his 2009 performance, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers promoted Ames to Hi-A in 2010.  He is certainly ready for the challenge of the California League, and has the stuff to succeed there.  The long term projection for Ames is a middle reliever in a big league bullpen, although he’ll have to continue to dominate to reach big leagues as a 17^th round pick. 

52.  Russell Mitchell, 1B (131 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 15^th round

6’1”, 182 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.241 average, 13 HR’s, 63 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 32

By now, most people know that Russell Mitchell is a grinder who is a player in the mold of Kevin Millar.  He can play all over the field and in 2009 he spent significant amounts of time at 3B, 2B, 1B, and in the outfield.  Over the past seven years, he has steadily progressed through the Dodgers minor league system and even though his career batting average and on base percentage aren’t great, he does have 85 career HR’s and 412 RBI’s.  After a mediocre season in Chattanooga, the Dodgers sent Mitchell to the AFL where he really blossomed.  He hit .319 and had 5 HR’s and 25 RBI’s in less than 100 at bats.  He was also named to the AFL All-Prospect team and even won the league’s Sportsmanship Award.  After winning the award, Mitchell said “This is a big honor. Words cannot express how much it means to me.  It’s nice to know the coaches think so highly of you, and that they feel you represent someone who was a great man.”  Based on his AFL performance, the Dodgers re-signed Mitchell to a minor league contract this off-season (he was a minor league free agent after the 2009 season), and he recently participated in the Dodgers January minor league mini camp.  In addition, he was given a surprise invitation to the Dodgers major league spring training.  While he has no chance to make the big league club out of spring training, it will be a good opportunity for Mitchell to play in front of the big league coaches and with superior talent.  He’ll most likely spend 2010 as a utility player in AAA and at 25 years old, he will have to do something really special to ever make it to the show. 

51.  Matthew Sartor, RHP (71.7 innings in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/24/07

6’6”, 250 lbs, 25.5 years old

4-6, 4.27 ERA, 1.30 WHP, 9.54 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 33

Matthew Sartor started his college career at North Central College, but ended up transferring to the University of Texas at Arlington.  During his two seasons with the University of Texas at Arlington, Sartor was used sparingly and he went undrafted after posting a combined 7.91 ERA in just 31 innings.  After the 2007 college season, however, Sartor was not ready to give up baseball so he joined an independent league.  The move paid off as the Dodgers signed Sartor shortly thereafter and was placed in the Pioneer League.  I’m not sure if Sartor showed better stuff in the independent league or if the Dodgers signed him purely due to his size and projection, but either way the signing has looked great based on his professional success.  Since he was already 23 at the time of his signing, he made his professional debut in the Pioneer League posted great numbers.  He struck out 25 batters in just 18 innings, picked up 2 saves, and only allowed a .161 batting average.  2008 was split between LoA and HiA, and Sartor again thrived with a combined 3.12 ERA and a strikeout rate of 10.7.  As predicted, Matt played in AA in 2009 he got off to a very hot start.  Through the month of June, Sartor lead all Dodger minor leaguers with a 0.94 WHIP (minimum 30 innings) and had a FIP of 2.53.  He was also selected to the Southern League midseason All Star team.  Unfortunately the 2^nd half of the season was not kind to Sartor has he had an ERA of 6.29 after the All Star game, but even still Matthew had an overall successful season.  He ended the year with a respectable 3.57 FIP and batters only hit .236 against him.  He also had great strikeout numbers and fanned over a batter per inning.  He’s a massive player, and while I’m not exactly sure about how hard he throws, I’m assuming that it’s at least in the low 90’s.  Because of his age, 2010 is an important year for Sartor to demonstrate that the second half of 2009 was a fluke.  At 25 and a half years old he is definitely old enough to handle AAA, and as I mentioned last year he is a wildcard to one day make the Dodgers major league roster.     

50.  Tae-Hyeok Nam, 1B/3B (2 games in Pioneer League, 1 game in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 6/16/09

6’0”, 209 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.250 average, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

When the Dodgers signed Nam in June of 2009, he became the first Korean high school player they had ever signed.  He was scouted throughout his high school career by Byung-Hwan An, the Dodgers’ scouting supervisor in Korea, where he hit 22 home runs and had 43 RBIs in 65 games to go along with a .314 average.  After the signing, Logan White said that Nam had “good power and well above average speed.”  White also stated that “Nam is strong physically.  With the help of our player development staff, I’m confident that he will become a fine player.”  The signing seemed to be very exciting for Nam as well as he said “I grew up watching Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers are my favorite team.  I am very excited to be a Dodger and I can’t wait to play in a Dodger uniform.”  After his signing in June, I kept waiting to see Nam’s name appear in a minor league game.  By the time mid August came, I gave up hope for 2009 and just figured that Tae-Hyeok would start his professional career in 2010.  Then, in the very last game of the season for the Arizona Dodgers, Nam made his professional debut and went 0 for 3.  Because the Pioneer League season lasts longer than the Arizona League, Nam then moved up to the Ogden Raptors and played in two more games, picking up a couple of hits in the process.  Nam won’t even be 19 years old until the 2010 season starts, so the Dodgers will continue to take it easy with him.  He’ll probably return to the Pioneer League, and the most interesting question I have is whether Nam will play 1^st base or 3^rd base in the future.  He is listed as a first baseman on the minor league baseball website, but in his only on field appearance in 2009 he played 3^rd base.  He’s obviously more valuable as a 3^rd baseman, so hopefully his glove is good enough to play there.  We will find out more next season when we get a longer look at him. 

49.  Daigoro Rondon, RHP (20.3 innings in Pioneer League, 13 innings in HiA, 4 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/9/04

6’2”, 163 lbs, 23.25 years old

4-6, 4.82 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 9.40 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 106

Daigoro Rondon was signed by the Dodgers as a 17 year old out of the Dominican Republic.  After a shaky debut in 2004, Rondon had great seasons in the DSL in 2005 and 2006.  He was promoted to the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and continued to shine with a 2.77 ERA.  In 2008, however, Rondon finally found out what it was like to face tougher competition.  He played most of the year in LoA and ended the season with a 6.42 ERA.  Despite his 2008 struggles, the Dodgers pushed Rondon to HiA at the start of the 2009 season, but the results were disastrous.  Through 13 innings, Daigoro had a 7.62 ERA and a WHIP of almost 2.00.  So the Dodgers sent Rondon back to extended spring training in May and he worked there until the Pioneer League started at the end of June.  Rondon played well with the Ogden Raptors (2.50 FIP) and earned a promotion to LoA for the final week of the season, where he pitched 4 scoreless innings and made the Loons playoff roster.  In terms of Rondon’s stuff, the one thing that nobody will ever question is Rondon’s fastball.  In the 2010 edition of the Baseball America Prospect Handbook, they say that he tops out at 95 and sits around 92-93.  BA also says that his secondary pitches are a work in progress, which is why he is strictly a reliever.  Another important thing to point out is that Daigoro has been said to have a poor attitude and a less than ideal work ethic.  So obviously that’s a little disappointing to hear.  Overall, while I’m not as high on him as Baseball America is (they have him ranked as the Dodgers #27 prospect), I do think Rondon has the potential to be a serviceable big league middle reliever one day.  He’ll probably return to HiA in 2010 with a chance to make it up to AA if he has early success with the 66ers.

48.  Jeremy Wise, C (39 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 5^th round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.338 average, 8 HR’s, 23 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

When Wise was drafted, it seemed like there were two schools of thought.  Some loved the pick, especially after watching him tear up the Pioneer League.  Others thought it was a waste of a pick because Wise was already 23 years old when he was drafted and doesn’t have much upside.  I’m definitely part of the latter group and am not a big fan of Wise.  While I’m not disputing that he was a great college player and had an outstanding professional debut, you have to put everything into context.  He was the oldest position player on the Ogden Raptors and had four years of college experience at a major program.  Therefore, I would expect him to do well in his first professional season and that is why I’m not ranking him somewhere in my top 30.  Even with all those negatives, however, I do still think that Wise is a top 50 player in the Dodgers minor league system.  The fact that he is a catcher does increase his value, as do his college awards (2009 Big 12 player of the year, 2009 Finalist for Johnny Bench Award, and 2009 semifinalist for Golden Spikes Award).  He is also a fine defensive player and has a good arm.  According to Logan White, “he reminds you of AJ Ellis as a defender and the kid is really a good hitter.  He stays inside the baseball, he hits to all fields and he’s got good power.  I think he will develop into a power hitting catcher at the major league level.  He plays hard and he is a gamer.”  In addition, Wise did give the Dodgers some depth at the catching position, which is something they lacked after the trade of Carlos Santana and the move of Kenley Jansen to pitcher.  Given his age, I can see Wise playing in HiA in 2010 with the potential to move up to AA if need be.  While I don’t think he’ll continue his offensive pace, he should be able to hold his own against more advanced pitching.  My guess is that he’ll be a major league backup catcher at best, but only time will truly tell his story.

47.  Yimi Garcia, RHP (54 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers in 2009

6’1”, 175 lbs, 19.5 years old

3-2, 1.67 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, 8.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I really don’t know much about Yimi Garcia, so I’m basing his relatively good ranking on his stats and a gut feeling.  Signed by the Dodgers before the 2009 season, Garcia put together the most impressive pitching season of all Dodger minor leaguers.  He led Dodger pitchers (with a minimum of 45 innings pitched) in WHIP, ranked 2^nd in ERA and batting average against (.202), and had the 5^th best strikeout to walk ratio (3.40).  He was also named as the Dodgers Pride Award winner for the DSL for the months of June and July.  Of course he did all this while playing in the Dominican Summer League, which is the lowest level of professional baseball, but even still he played almost the entire season as an 18 year old and had no previous experience.  In addition, while he’s only 6’1”, he does have a solid pitching frame and definitely has room for growth.  I know nothing about his velocity or his pitching repertoire, but I’m sure that we’ll begin to get some scouting reports on him soon if he has another stellar season.  The Dodgers have an interesting decision to make with Garcia in 2010.  While he did falter a little bit during the final month of the DSL season (he had a mere pedestrian 4.50 ERA in his final 8 innings of the season) and is still just 19 years old, he did get quite a few innings under his belt and should be ready for the slightly more challenging Arizona Rookie League.  He has nothing left to prove in the DSL so I think the right decision would be to bring him over to the U.S. 

46.  Jon Michael Redding, RHP (133 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 5^th round

6’1”, 195 lbs, 22.25 years old

16-3, 4.60 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 6.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 37

The Dodgers made Jon Michael Redding a surprise 5^th round in the 2008 draft.  He played college ball Florida Community College, and during his college 2008 season Redding went 8-5 with a 2.02 ERA and a .222 batting average against.  He was also a workhorse as he pitched 5 complete games, and struck out almost a batter per innings.  He began his professional career in the Pioneer Rookie League, but was limited to just 31 innings in his professional debut due to his heavy college workload.  That brings us to 2009, which was an interesting year for Redding because it was filled with mixed results.  The good news is that Redding led the Midwest League in wins with 16, proved to be very durable by logging 133 innings, was a midseason All Star for the Loons, and had a respectable FIP of 3.70.  The bad news, however, is that Redding was awful when pitching on the road (6.34 ERA in 71 innings), allowed an overall .281 batting average against, and saw his strikeout rate drop from 10.3 K’s per 9 in 2008 to just 6.5 in 2009.  So what do we make of Redding after his inconsistent season?  Well I personally still like his long term potential, but I’m not as high on him as I once was.  He still possesses a low 90’s fastball, which is complimented by a good slider and a hard curveball, but the fact that he seems to be so hittable concerns me.  Also, his 16 wins mean nothing to me since they are mostly a function of luck (he went 7-2 on the road this season despite the 6.34 road ERA I mentioned earlier).  Before the 2009 season, Baseball America said that Redding has the ceiling of a #3 starter in a big league rotation, but at this point my guess is that he’ll be a #4 or #5 starter at best.  Redding is still just 22 years old, so he’s got time to improve his game, although having a better year in 2010 is going to be difficult since he’ll probably be playing in the hitter friendly California League.

45.  Gorman Erickson, C (55 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 15^th round

6’3”, 205 lbs, 22 years old, switch hitter

.305 average, 5 HR’s, 36 RBI’s

Prior Year Ranking: 103

Gorman Erickson is a switch hitting catcher who was drafted in the 15^th round of the 2006 draft and finally signed with the Dodgers in May of 2007 as a draft and follow player.  Better known as Griff, he didn’t do much of anything in his first two professional seasons, nor did he get much playing time.  In 2009, however, Erickson made huge strides offensively and hit very well from both sides of the plate.  He finished the season with a .378 on base percentage, a .860 OPS, and a .305 batting average (which ranked 10^th among Dodger minor leagues with a minimum of 175 at bats).  In addition, Erickson only struck out in 16% of his plate appearances, and was named to the Pioneer League post season all star team.  According to Baseball America, Griff is also a solid defensive catcher who has a “fair amount of power.”  Since Carlos Santana has been traded and Kenley Jansen is now a pitcher, there are not many catching prospects ahead of Erickson on the prospect depth chart.  2010 will bring a significant challenge to Erickson since he will most likely play in LoA, yet has never played more than 55 games in a season.  He’ll have to adjust to catching a full season, and hopefully he’ll be able to do so without losing much offensive ability. 

44.  Matthew Magill, RHP (72 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 31^st round

6’3”, 175 lbs, 20.25 years old

6-3, 4.00 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 6.88 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 78

Matt Magill was picked late in the 2008 draft due to his strong college commitment to Cal Poly.  The Dodgers were able to sign him by early July, however, and he paid immediate dividends by having a good debut in the Gulf Coast League.  In 2009 Magill moved up to the Pioneer League and had another successful season.  He proved to be very durable and ranked among the Pioneer League Leaders in several categories including wins, WHIP, ERA, and innings pitched.  His most impressive stat, however, was that he allowed just a .224 batting average against.  After the season, Magill was invited back the Arizona to take part in instructional ball.  He also did an interview a Venture County local paper where he talked about how he enjoyed being a starting pitcher “because you know when you are pitching instead of sitting in the bullpen waiting until they call on you.  Sometimes relievers don’t pitch for seven or eight days, but starting you know you are going to pitch every fifth day.”  He also said that “I used to be really jerky and all over the place with my mechanics, but pitching coach Chuck has helped make it smoother this year. It looks better and feels better and I am able to throw more strikes and keep my walks down.”  At 6’3”, Magill has a very projectable frame that is ideal for a pitcher.  In high school he only hit around 90 mph, but scouts projected that he’d throw a little harder when he fills out.  He also has a great slider, which is currently his best pitch.  2010 will most likely bring an assignment to LoA where he’ll probably be one of the 5 starting pitchers for the Loons.  Even though he is just 20 years old, Magill is moving quickly through the system and hopefully he’ll continue to put up good numbers as he faces tougher competition.

43.  Steven Caseres, 1B (113 games in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 9^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 23 years old, bats left handed

.260 average, 15 HR’s, 55 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 61

Steven Caseres was selected by the Dodgers in the 9^th round of the 2008 drafted, and so far he has proven to be a very solid pick.  Even though he hasn’t posted any eye popping numbers since turning pro, he has shown that he does have a lot of power, which is something the Dodgers seem to lack in their minor league system.  Back in college at James Madison University, he had a great 2008 season where he hit .342 with 21 HR’s and 70 RBI’s.  He also finished his college career in the top 10 of James Madison’s career home run list with 32 long balls, despite playing just two seasons.  Steven made his professional debut in the Pioneer League and hit relatively well.  Because of his previous success and the fact that he was already 22 years old, the Dodgers skipped Caseres up to HiA in 2009.  After a mediocre April and an average May, Caseres really broke out during the month of June.  He batted .418 with six homers and 15 RBI in 21 June games, and was named as the Dodgers HiA Pride award winner.  Unfortunately, things went downhill after June and Caseres hit just .232 after the all star break with just 4 HR’s over his final 181 at bats.  In addition, Caseres failed to hit left handed pitchers throughout the entire season, batting just .155 against them in 103 at bats.  When it was all said and done, Caseres ended the 2009 season with a .260 average, but he also had 15 HR’s in just 113 games, so the power is obviously there.  However, at 6’4”, another thing Steven has to worry about is his strikeout numbers as he struck out in 25.2% of his plate appearance in 2009.  Ideally, Caseres would return to HiA in 2010 to work on his weaknesses in a more hitter friendly environment, but the Dodgers seem to have a log jam of young first basemen in the lower minors.  Therefore, he’ll probably spend 2010 in AA, so hopefully he is up to the challenge. 

42.  Roberto Feliciano, LHP (24 innings in Arizona League, 6.7 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 24^th round

6’0”, 214 lbs, 19.5 years old

1-2, 1.76 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 9.39 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 50

Even after Roberto Feliciano posted solid numbers in 2008, most people didn’t pay much attention to him due to his size and the fact he was drafted in the 24th round.  However, this teenager out of Puerto Rico continued to shine in the Arizona and Midwest leagues and showed that 2008 was not a fluke by putting up even better numbers in 2009.  He was absolutely lights out in the Arizona League as demonstrated by his 1.50 ERA, 1.83 FIP, and .195 batting average against.  He was named as a post season Arizona League All Star and earned a promotion to LoA in mid August.  He went on to post an ERA of 2.70 during his time with the Loons, although his FIP during that time was 4.01, so he was actually hit pretty hard.  That isn’t something to be concerned with, however, because he was limited to less than 7 innings in LoA, so the sample size is too small.  A stocky lefty, Feliciano is best suited for the bullpen and will ascend through the Dodgers system quickly as long as he continues to put up good numbers.  He strikes guys out, has good control, and is still very young.  He should return to LoA in 2010 as a 19 year old, and will hopefully be up to the challenge of taking on a bigger workload.  As I mentioned last year, I expect that he will continue to grow into a legitimate prospect.

41.  James Adkins, LHP (138.7 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 1^st round

6’6”, 230 lbs, 24.25 years old

6-10, 4.48 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 5.26 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 18

For a supplemental first round pick, James Adkins has definitely struggled.  However, he put together a fairly decent season in 2009 while playing in AA, and even though his stats were not overpowering by any means, I still think he has potential.  He’s a big kid and comes from an athletic family, so Logan White must have seen something in Adkins that caused him to draft James 39^th overall in the 2007 draft.  In college at Tennessee, Adkins left the school as their all time strikeout leader with 380 K’s, and as a junior in 2007, he went 7-7 with a 2.80 ERA and 133 strikeouts in 122 innings.  So while his strikeout rates as a professional have been pretty bad so far, the ability is there.  Going back to his 2009 season with the Lookouts, Adkins continued to struggle with his control as he walked almost as many batters as he struck out.  That caused him to have an inflated ERA and WHIP.  Adkins was also surprisingly ineffective against left handed hitters as five of the eight HR’s he allowed during 2009 were to lefties.  In terms of his stuff, James has a good slider, but his fastball generally only sits at around 89 to 90 mph.  The one good thing about Adkins is that he has proven to be durable by pitching a lot of innings each year, but I don’t think that will help him at the next level as it is unlikely he’ll ever make it as a starter in the big leagues.  He’ll be 24 next year, and while I still think that Adkins has a chance to make the big leagues, he’s going to have to improve dramatically and reinvent his game, most likely as a bullpen arm.

40.  Timothy Sexton, RHP (157 innings in HiA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 25^th round

6’6”, 185 lbs, 22.75 years old

8-14, 3.96 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 5.73 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 57

Coming out of Miami Dade Community College, Timothy Sexton was projected as a third to fifth round pick in the 2007 draft, but many teams stayed away from him when he reportedly asked for a $500,000 signing bonus.  The Dodgers took a chance on him in the 25^th round, however, and were able to sign him for $123K.  Because of his college experience, the Dodgers sent him directly to Lo-A where he had a very successful debut.  In 2008, the Dodgers moved him up to Hi-A, but the results were not quite as good.  He struggled through 26 starts, posting an ERA of over 6 and allowing a .317 batting average against.  That brings us to 2009, where Sexton returned to the California League and had a horrendous win/loss record (due to the fact that he was charged with a team high 23 unearned runs), but actually had an overall solid season.  The 6’6″ 22 year old had a sub 4 ERA (FIP of 4.04), was named as a California League mid season All Star, and proved to be very durable as he led all Dodger minor leaguers with 157 innings pitched.  He paid a price for pitching so many innings, however, because Sexton tired down the stretch.  Through the month of July, Sexton had thrown 120 innings and had a superb ERA of 3.15.  In the months of August and September, however, Sexton’s ERA was 6.57.  In terms of his pitching repertoire, Sexton reportedly sits around 91 mph with his fastball and throws four different pitches, but he mainly relies on his sinker and good control.  Speaking of his control, Sexton only walked 34 batters over the entire season, which calculated out to him walking just 5% of the batters he faced.  Unfortunately, he also strikes out very few batters as demonstrated by his low K/9.  In addition, allows too many home runs for my liking, although part of that could be a function of pitching in the California League.  After spending two seasons in HiA, I’m sure the Dodgers will push Sexton to AA in 2010.  I think that he is ready for the challenge of tougher competition, although I’m still undecided about his long term future.  Hopefully he’ll put together another solid season and prove that he deserves consideration as a legitimate Dodger prospect. 

39.  Mario Songco, LF (36 games in Pioneer League, 33 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 4^th round

6’0”, 190 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats right handed

.235 average, 10 HR’s, 45 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

When I look at Mario Songco, I don’t see a power hitter.  In fact, I don’t even see a baseball player.  But man can this guy hit.  He played his college ball locally at Loyola Marymount and in 2009 he led the Lions with a .360 average, 15 home runs, and 63 RBI’s in just 59 games. He also posted a stunning OPS of 1.159.  According to scouting reports “he uses a distinctive stance, starting deep in the box, standing tall with his bat held high.  He lifts his front right leg straight up and then drops it straight down before lashing at the ball with a quick bat.  Scouts are not that excited about his new leg kick but agree he has power to all fields.”  Selected by the Dodgers in the 4^th round, Songco signed quickly for $225,000 and continued his torrid hitting in the Pioneer League, whacking 7 home runs in his first 19 games.  That earned him a promotion to LoA, but Mario was finally overmatched as he hit just .150 in 120 at bats.  He was demoted back to Ogden at the end of August and finished the season there on a cold streak, ending the season with a combined .235 average.  In addition, Songco struggled throughout the season with strikeouts, and had a poor walk to strikeout ratio.  In terms of his defense, Songco has a weak arm and very little range, so he is limited to left field.  He also has no speed to speak up.  Nevertheless, at just 21 years old, Songco will hopefully use his experience from 2009 and apply that when he takes a second crack at the Midwest League in 2010.  Overall, he seems to have power to make it to the big leagues as a reserve/pinch hitter type.

38.  Alfredo Silverio, LF (132 games in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 11/13/03

6’1”, 185 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.284 average, 13 HR’s, 61 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 28

Alfredo Silverio has been with the Dodgers for a long time already.  Signed as a 17 year old out of Dominican Republic in 2003, Silverio has already spent 6 seasons in the Dodgers organization.  After spending his first three professional seasons in the DSL, Silverio was sent to the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and put his name on Dodger prospect radar by hitting .373 in 51 games with 6 HR’s and 46 RBI’s.  That stellar season earned him a promotion to Lo-A in 2008, and while his numbers dropped a little, he still had a very solid season in the Midwest League.  Silverio repeated LoA in 2009 and improved in virtually all aspects of his game.  While his overall numbers weren’t amazing, his .284 average and 13 home runs are pretty good for a 22 year old in the pitcher friendly Midwest league.  In addition, Silverio is a very athletic player and has the look of a ball player.  He has decent arm strength from the outfield, and while he is best suited for left field, he does have the ability to play all three outfield positions.  As I mentioned last year, his biggest downfall is his lack of plate discipline.  In 2008, he walked only 7 times in 376 at bats.  He improved somewhat in 2009 but he still only walked in 5% of his plate appearances, which was a team low for the Loons.  In 2010, I can see Silverio potentially having a big season if he plays in HiA.  Or because he has already spent two seasons in class A, the Dodgers may challenge him with an assignment to AA.  Either way, things seem to be looking up for Silverio as he tries to make his way to the major leagues.

37.  Jeff Hunt, 3B (18 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 15^th round

6’2”, 190 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.172 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s, 2 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I’m a big fan of Jeff Hunt, and was very excited when I found out the Dodgers were able to sign him.  He turned down a scholarship to Ohio University when the Dodgers offered Hunt $125,000 and up to $114,000 in education money if he enrolls in school within two years of retiring from professional baseball.  After signing, Hunt said “It was a tough decision.  I think I made the right decision.  I made the decision that I want and I’m happy.”  Hunt also explained his decision by saying “In college, you don’t get to play every day.  You’re limited on how much you can practice and work with a coach.  In pro, you play and practice every day.  Everything is just baseball.  I don’t have anything else to worry about like homework, papers or exams.”  What makes Hunt the most valuable in my option is that he is a legitimate power hitter and plays 3rd base.  As the Dodgers minor league system is fairly weak in regards to the hot corner, Hunt is a great addition to the organization.  According to scouting reports, Hunt plays solid defense and “uses his long arms to his advantage from the left side, displaying legitimate power potential.”  He is also a former hockey player, and got a lot of good experience by playing with the Canadian Junior National Baseball Team for a few years before being drafted.  While his professional debut was pretty ugly, he was playing as an 18 year old and is adjusting to professional ball.  In addition, he wasn’t given much of a chance in the Arizona League as he signed late and was limited to just 64 at bats.  He’s a wildcard right now, especially in terms of power, but could surprise a lot of people in the future.  The Dodgers will probably take their time with him, so he’ll probably play in the Pioneer League next season.

36.  Bladimir Franco, 3B (60 games in Dominican Summer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/6/07

6’1”, 172 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.282 average, 9 HR’s, 32 RBI’s, 7 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 30

I had Franco ranked #30 last year after he hit .169, so there is no way I could drop him too far in my ranking after he had a such a solid year as a 18 year.  His 9 HR’s ranked 4^th in the Dominican Summer League, and he posted an OBP of .401.  He also led the Dominican Dodgers by walking in 15.1% of his plate appearances, and even stole 7 bases.  Despite all this success, however, Bladimir does still have a long way to go in terms of his baseball development.  His defense has proven to be his biggest liability as he made 24 errors in 55 games during the 2009 season at third base.  The Dodgers are going to give him every opportunity to stay at third base, however, since that boosts his value as a prospect.  Other potential positions include 1^st base and left field.   In addition, Franco has trouble making contact at times as demonstrated by the fact that he struck out in 29.1% of his plate appearances.  I’m pretty sure that this is due to his youth, inexperience, and his pursuit of home runs.  At 6’1” and about 175 lbs, his size and position remind me of fellow Dominican Pedro Baez, who was signed just one year before Franco.  When the 2010 season starts, Bladimir will be just 19 years old I’m sure that he will be moved to a US based Rookie league.  I’m guessing that he will make big strides in 2010 and will finally earn the recognition he deserves since he’ll be playing against tougher opposition. 

35.  Rubby De La Rosa, RHP (16.3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’1”, 170 lbs, 21 years old

0-1, 6.06 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 12.12 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 51

Rubby De La Rosa was signed out of the Dominican Republic on the first day of international signing period in 2007, and only pitched 6 innings during the 2007 season.  In 2008, De La Rosa pitched a full season in the Dominican Summer League, and put up some amazing numbers.  In his 12 starts, he had a 1.71 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and allowed only a .197 batting average against.  In addition, he did not allow any home runs, and struck out 51 batters in 47 innings.  His stellar season prompted the Dodgers to bring De La Rosa to Camelback Ranch for spring training in 2009, and while there he continued to earn rave reviews.  Keith Law stopped by the Dodgers camp last March and claimed that Rubby had great stuff, staying that “De la Rosa sat at 91-95 mph with a solid changeup from 84-86 that he turns over hard.  His breaking ball was a slow curve in the mid-70s, although the harder he threw it the sharper the break became. He clearly has the arm speed to throw a good breaking ball and the laxity in his wrist to throw a curve, so it might just be a matter of development with better coaches as he moves up.”  When the 2009 season started, De La Rosa found himself in the Arizona League, but after just five appearances he was sent home to the Dominican Republic for “some undisclosed disciplinary issue”.  I haven’t heard any detail behind what happened, but let’s hope that these issues are behind him and don’t resurface in 2010.  While it’s hard to get much insight from a season that lasted just 16 innings, I will say that he was reportedly hitting 98 mph before he got sent home, and actually had a very good FIP of 2.89.  Combine that with his strikeout rate of 12.1 K’s per 9 innings and you’ve got yourself a legitimate prospect.  Like most players, he does need to work on is his control, but I’m sure that will come with more experience.  De La Rosa just turned 21, and hopefully the Dodgers feel that he’s ready for LoA in 2010 to get the full season experience he needs after a shortened 2009.

34.  Brian Cavazos-Galvez, LF (71 games in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 12^th round

6’0”, 215 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.322 average, 18 HR’s, 63 RBI’s, 17 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Brian Cavazos-Galvez truly had an amazing offensive year in 2009.  Despite playing a short season league, Galvez ranked among the Dodger minor league leaders in home runs, doubles, batting average, slugging percentage, and even stolen bases.  He also straight up killed the Pioneer League, earning league MVP honors and leading the league in runs, hits, doubles, HR’s, and total bases (while ranking second in RBI’s and slugging percentage).  Now that I got that out of the way, there are a few things that need to be said about his 2009 performance.  First, Galvez was playing in the Pioneer League, which is one of the most hitter friendly leagues in all of the minors.  Second, at 22 years old, Brian was one of the older players in the league and had more experience than most of his colleagues since he played four years of college baseball.  However, even if these factors diminish his performance a bit, those are some pretty impressive numbers.  It is at this point in the write-up that I should probably mention that Galvez was born to be a Dodger.  His father, who he now doesn’t speak to, played briefly for the Dodgers in 1986 and actually conceived Brian while he was playing AAA ball in Albuquerque for the Dodger affiliate then called the Dukes.  While there is a lot more to the story, I’ll let you read up on the subject at Baseball America if you feel so inclined.  Anyways, Brian ended up staying in New Mexico and even played his college ball there before being drafted by the Dodgers this past June.  Going back to Galvez’s baseball abilities, he played all three outfield positions for the Raptors, although most scouts feel that he’ll end up in left field as he gets promoted though the system.  Another interesting stat about Galvez is that while he doesn’t strike out much (he K’d in just 13.3% of plate appearances), he doesn’t walk a whole lot either.  Brian managed just 10 walks in 323 plate appearances, which calculates out to one of the lowest walk rates I’ve ever seen for a full time player.  Overall, Galvez obviously has a lot of potential, but I’m not quite ranking him in my top 30 yet because I still have some questions about his raw ability, his defense, and his ability to adapt to tougher competition.  There is no way that he’ll be able to keep up the same offensive pace in 2010 against more advanced pitching, so it will be interesting to see how things turn out for him next year.  He’ll definitely play in a full season league, but I’m just not sure if it will be in LoA or HiA.

33.  Geison Aguasviva, LHP (62.7 innings in LoA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 12/15/05

6’2”, 166 lbs, 22.5 years old

4-2, 1.58 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 6.61 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 40

2009 was a great year for Geison Aguasviva.  His 1.58 ERA led all Dodger minor leaguers with a minimum of 50 IP, and his pitching played a big role in the Great Lakes Loons success.  He was also absolutely dominate against left handed hitters, and filled in as both a starter and reliever throughout the season.  In addition, opposing batters hit just .236 against him, and through almost 63 innings he allowed just one home run.  The best part about Aguasviva, however, is that this isn’t the first season in which he has had a great deal of success.  Back in the DSL in 2007, through 66 innings Geison posted an ERA of 1.50 and a WHIP of just 0.84.  So really at this point we can consider him a legitimate prospect.  As a tall, skinny player, Aguasviva still has plenty of projection left in his frame.  He currently pitches in the low 90’s, but the Dodgers expect that to jump even higher once he adds muscle.  His best pitch, however, is his changeup which projects as a plus pitch.  While Aguasviva’s strikeout rate was just 6.6 K’s per 9 innings in 2009, he has a career K/9 rate of 8.0, so I’m not too concerned about his lack of strikeouts in 2009.  While there is some debate whether he’ll end up as a starter or reliever, my guess is that he’ll probably stay in the bullpen for this whole career.  In 2010, Aguasviva will be 22 years old and I’m thinking he’ll play in HiA.  If he can continue to succeed, I think he’ll make the loss of Victor Garate a lot whole easier for Dodger fans as he has the potential to someday be a lefty reliever at the big league level.

32.  Carlos Frias, RHP (61 innings in Arizona League, 7.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/3/07

6’4”, 170 lbs, 20.25 years old

5-6, 4.19 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 9.57 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 71

Last year I wrote that “I had high hopes for Frias, and I can see him one day being a legitimate Dodger prospect.”  That day came quicker than I imagined.  Carlos Frias was signed out the Dominican Republic as a 17 year old before the 2007 season.  After a posting a 1.81 ERA in his professional debut in the DSL, he was promoted to the Gulf Coast League for the 2008 season.  Even though he was one of the youngest players in the GCL and was playing in the USA for the first time, Frias held his own in a limited role and posted a 3.82 ERA.  In 2009 the Dodgers decided to keep Carlos in Rookie ball, but wanted to get him more innings.  So they basically made him a full time starter, and even though his ERA increase to 4.19, his overall numbers improved (as did his prospect status).  In the Arizona League, Frias finished 5^th in strikeouts with 67 strikeouts, with calculated out to almost 10 strikeouts per 9 innings.  In addition, his FIP was a sparkling 2.59.  His success earned him a late season promotion to the Pioneer League where he made two appearances and continued to thrive.  In regards to his stuff, I relied on Baseball America and found that he “has a live fastball that he can get up to 96 mph but usually works in the 92-93 range.  His changeup is a plus pitch that batters miss a lot, although he sometimes throws it too hard.  The key for Frias will be developing better command of his breaking ball.”  In addition, Dodger pitching instructor George Culver said that Frias is “a young kid with a very good arm who still doesn’t have the nuances of the game.”  Overall, Carlos sounds like very promising player.  From what I can tell, the main statistical flaw for Frias is his walk rate as he issues far too many free passes, but that is something that I’m sure will improve as he gets older gets more accustomed to his 6’4” frame.  The Dodgers will have to make a decision with Frias at the start of the 2010 season.  I can see him either staying in extended spring training and joining Ogden in June, or being placed in LoA to start the season.  Either way, Carlos is definitely someone to keep an eye on because he has a great pitchers’ body, and is just now tapping into his potential.

31.  Brent Leach, LHP (18.7 innings in AAA, 13 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 6^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 27.25 years old

2-1, 4.26 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 10.52 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 17

Brent Leach seems to be the forgotten man in terms of all the Dodger prospect talk – and rightly so because he used up all of his rookie eligibility last year.  Even the 2010 Baseball America handbook claimed that Leach had “graduated to the majors”, even though BA usually ranks all prospects with less than 50 innings pitched or 130 at bats, regardless of service time.  Despite Baseball America’s mistake, he still qualifies as a prospect under my qualifications, so I included him within my ranking.  Leach had an up and down year in 2009.  He had an ERA of 0.69 though 13 AA innings (although his FIP over that same period was 3.43), and based on that success he was called up the majors in May.  He made his major league debut on 5/6/09 and pitched a scoreless inning against the Nationals.  The very next day he was called upon again, but this time he wasn’t as lucky as he allowed two runs without getting an out.  Over the next two months, Leach did very well for himself allowing just 4 runs in 17.3 innings.  But unfortunately his success was fleeting as he had a meltdown in mid-July, allowing 7 runs over his final seven appearances (which in total lasted only two innings) before getting sent back to the minors.  After returning to the minors, Leach continued to struggle and finished the season with a 6.75 ERA (5.40 FIP) in Albuquerque.  His biggest problem was his control as he walked 16 batters in just under 18 innings in AAA, which doesn’t bode well for his long term success.  Leach is obviously still on the Dodgers 40 man roster, but I don’t think there is a spot for him on the big league roster in the upcoming year.  The Dodgers pitching roster is already pretty much set for 2010, and unless there are injuries to Kuo, Sherrill, and/or Elbert, Leach will remain in the minors until rosters expand in September.  Nevertheless, I believe that Leach will provide the Dodgers with at least a few good innings over the next few years, so his presence is important within the Dodgers minor league system.  At 27 years old, Leach is well into his prime and if nothing else will provide the younger Dodger minor league players with veteran leadership. 

30.  Jamie Hoffmann, RF (68 games in AAA, 29 games in AA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 9/2/03

6’3”, 235 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.291 average, 10 HR’s, 64 RBI’s, 15 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 29

I realize that Jamie Hoffmann is no longer with the Dodgers because he was selected by the Yankees in the Rule 5 draft, but because I put together my ranking early in the offseason, I’ve included him.  Plus, there is a very good chance that Hoffmann will be returned to the Dodgers before the end of the 2010 season because the Yankees already have four other outfielders who are ahead of Hoffmann on the depth chart.  Whether he returns or is gone forever, I see Hoffmann’s ceiling as a major league backup so he barely warrants a top 30 ranking.  The ex-hockey player is a great defensive outfielder and has a knack for getting on base, but he doesn’t really have that plus offensive tool that would allow him to be a major league regular.  His power is mediocre at best, and while he did steal 15 bases in 2009, he was also caught 11 times.  Even if Hoffmann does return to the Dodgers, he definitely wouldn’t have a spot on the team in 2010 unless injuries diminish the Dodgers outfield depth.  However, there is an opportunity for him to claim a spot on the Dodgers bench in the future after Manny leaves (given that Hoffmann does in fact return to the Dodgers).  No matter what happens, 2010 should be an interesting year for Jamie because at the very least, he’ll get exposed to the crazy New York media during spring training.

29.  Cole St. Clair, LHP (36.3 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 7^th round

6’5”, 225 lbs, 23.5 years old

4-1, 2.48 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, 11.15 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 20

Cole St. Clair has a very impressive high school and college resume, and it’s amazing that he fell all the way to the 7^th round of the 2008 draft.  I mentioned many of his amazing stats last year, but it is worth noting a few of them again: (1) he went 11-1 with a 1.16 ERA as a high school senior; (2) as a college sophomore, in 74 innings he went 7-2 with a 1.82 ERA, struck out 100 batters, and allowed only a .151 batting average; (3) in the summer of 2006 he played for Team USA and posted a 0.69 ERA in 26 innings and struck out 43; (4) during his junior season in college he recorded a 1.91 ERA and picked up 9 saves; (5) finally as a college senior he went 10-3 with a 3.03 ERA.  After he was drafted, Logan White called St. Clair the “sleeper” of the draft and predicted that he would move quickly through the system.  While the 23 year old has only moved up to LoA so far, St. Clair has posted very good stats since turning pro.  In 2009 with the Loons, Cole picked up 15 saves, had a FIP of 2.87, recorded 11.15 strikeouts per 9 innings, and allowed a .226 batting average against.  He also ended the regular season with 14 dominate shutout innings.  In addition, St. Claire is still regaining his velocity after suffering injuries in college, but has learned how be crafty in the meantime until his velocity returns (if it ever does).  He currently tops out at around 90 mph, but has great pitch placement and solid secondary pitches.  Overall, I’ve gone back and forth on St. Clair’s potential, but my final conclusion is that he has a good chance of becoming a successful middle reliever or set-up man in the big leagues.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he was promoted to AA in 2010 to face tougher competition and give the Dodgers a better look at him

28.  Scott Van Slyke, RF (132 games in HiA, 3 games in AAA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 14^th round

6’5”, 195 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats right handed

.293 average, 23 HR’s, 100 RBI’s, 10 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 123

Scott Van Slyke had a huge year in 2009, but I’m still not sold on his overall potential and therefore I’m not as high on him as some other people are.  Van Slyke is 6’5” and is the son of former major leaguer Andy Van Slyke, so he definitely has the size and bloodlines to succeed in baseball.  However, in his five years as a professional, he has only had one good season and it was in the hitters’ paradise called the California League.  Don’t get me wrong, his 23 home runs and 100 RBI’s were very impressive, as were his 42 doubles, which led all Dodger minor leaguers.  In addition, his outfield arm is very strong and so is his overall defense.  But before we get too excited about Van Slyke, I think we need to see how he performs against tougher competition.  He spent the last week of the 2009 season in AAA and only had 1 hit in 6 at bats, and then played in the Mexican Winter League after the season and had a rather unimpressive 32 at bats.  So next year will be his true test as he will be a 23/24 year old playing most likely in AA.  As much as I would like for Van Slyke to succeed, I see his 2009 season as a fluke rather than a sign of things to come, so he’ll have to prove me wrong with his performance next season.

27.  Brandon Martinez, RHP (21 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 7^th round

6’4”, 150 lbs, 19.25 years old

0-4, 9.86 ERA, 2.33 WHIP, 9.86 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Besides Garrett Gould, Brandon Martinez was the 2009 draftee that I was most excited about.  He is still extremely young and has so much room to grow, and that is why I feel that his ceiling is so high.  Drafted out of Fowler High School (near Fresno), Martinez had dominate stats his senior season as he struck out 85 batters in 45 innings and allowed a .124 batting average against.  While most scouts say that Brandon sits around 90 mph, it has been reported that he hit 94 mph in high school.  After the draft, Logan White said “This kid is skinny as rail but I’ll tell you he has an outstanding delivery, throws hard and has a fine breaking ball. We’ll have to put a little weight on him. He could turn into a really fine pitcher over time.”  Upon signing with the Dodgers, Martinez was sent to the Arizona Rookie League and struggled mightily.  However, I wouldn’t read too much into those stats because he was simply adjusting to professional hitters and more importantly did show flashes of dominance with this strikeout rate.  I’m guessing that the Dodgers will take it slow with Martinez and send him to the Pioneer League in 2010.  Finally, there is one other interesting thing about Brandon Martinez: he is the subject of a book written by his father called “Born to Play.”   Since I’m not the first to report this, I will simply quote that this book “details Brandon Martinez’s unique life — his daily existence, his struggles against discrimination due to Tourette Syndrome (a neurological disorder characterized by motor and vocal tics), and more important, it examines a father’s persistent fight for his son’s academic and athletic life. Here, the author reveals how the disorder of his son, the discrimination and bad politics almost prevented him from achieving his boyhood dream.”  While I have not read this book it seems very interesting and I am tempted to read it as some point this spring. 

26.  Travis Schlichting, RHP (13.7 innings in AA, 12.7 innings in AAA, 3 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 10/6/07

6’4”, 215 lbs, 25.25 years old

2-0, 0.92 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, 7.06 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 38

Travis Schlichting has already had a long and complicated baseball career.  Originally selected as a 3^rd baseman in the 4^th round of the 2003 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Schlichting never really succeeded with his bat.  He was traded to the Angels after the 2005 season, and during 2006 he played both in the field and on the mound.  While he threw 8 scoreless innings for the Angles during that 2006 season, they released him, and he would up playing with an independent league for all of 2007.  The Dodgers decided to take a chance on him in October of 2007, and after an extended stay in Spring Training at the beginning of 2008, he debuted at AA for the Dodgers and pitched very well throughout the entire season.  He logged 60 innings, had respectable stats, and earned a surprise spot on the Dodgers 40 man roster in November of 2008.  Heading into in 2009, Schlichting was looking forward to his first major league training camp.  But unfortunately he was one of the first players to get hurt and was sent back to minor league camp before ever getting into a game.  He returned to the mound in May, and after 13 impressive innings in AA he was called up to the Dodgers.  He made his major league debut on 6/7/09 in Texas and allowed one run in 1.2 innings.  He pitched in just one more game before getting sent down to Albuquerque in mid June.  Schlichting continued to dominate the minors in AAA before again being shut down, this time due to a back injury.  Because of roster limitations, Schlichting was eventually placed on the 60 day DL to create another spot on the 40 man roster.  Even though he did finish up the season by making a few more rehab appearances in the Arizona Rookie League, he was kept on the 60 day DL until the season ended.  While he did get to make up for some lost time in the Arizona Fall League, he still ended pitching just 47 innings in 2009.  Watching him online during a few AFL games, I saw that Schlichting’s fastball topped out at 93 mph and was usually at around 91 mph.  I also noticed that he threw several curveballs, sinkers, cutters, and changeups, all in 82 to 90 mph range.  So, the question now is where does the 25 year old Schlichting fit into the Dodgers 2010 plans?  While he seems to be ready for a role in a major league bullpen, the Dodgers simply don’t have room for him heading into the 2010 season.  That means he’ll continue to pitch in AAA, work on his controls (which is his one weakness), and serve as an insurance policy in case the bullpen suffers injuries (which it always does).  Overall, he’s a solid option to have in the minors, and even if he doesn’t see any major league action in 2010, I’m guessing that he’ll provide the Dodgers with several valuable innings over the next few years.

25.  Javy Guerra, RHP (41 innings in LoA, 28.3 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 4^th round

6’1”, 195 lbs, 24.25 years old

6-2, 2.60 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 10.90 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 47

After several mediocre years in the Dodgers system, Javy Guerra made big strides in 2009.  Drafted back in 2004, Guerra had a solid debut in the Gulf Coast League but was then sidelined for portions of the 2005 and 2006 season due to Tommy John surgery.  He returned to full time action in 2007 and was used as a starter, but the results were disastrous as he had a 6.27 ERA in the HiA.  2008 saw the beginning of Guerra’s conversion to reliever, and he showed a lot of improvement in the California League and then later in the Hawaii Winter League.  At the start of the 2009 season, Javy was “demoted” to LoA, but was handed the closer’s role with the idea that success would lead to a big promotion.  As it turns out Guerra exceeded expectations in the Midwest League with a 1.54 ERA and .161 batting average against through 41 innings, and showed much better control, which was something that had plagued him throughout his professional career.  That earned Guerra the promotion he was looking for as he was sent to AA at the end of June.  While he didn’t quite have the same success against the tougher competition in Chattanooga, Javy did enough to earn himself a spot on the Arizona Fall League roster.  Through 10 AFL innings, Guerra only allowed one run, but his control issues returned as he walked 9 batters during that span.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers added Guerra to their 40 man rosters this past November to protect him in the Rule 5 draft.  The Dodgers have always been intrigued by his velocity as he has been able to consistently throw fastballs in the mid 90’s.  His heater is complimented by a sharp slider, which sat between 87 and 89 mph during the AFL games that I watched online.  During the AFL Rising Stars game, the announcers describe him as having a big arm, a fastball with sink, and an “electric slider.”  Guerra will most likely return to AA at the start of the 2010 season, and depending on his results he may get promoted to AAA at some point.  Overall, while I don’t expect Guerra to ever be an elite major league player, I do think that he will be able to become a solid middle reliever at the big league level as soon as this year (similar to how Brent Leach broke into the MLB in 2009 and provided some solid innings).

24.  Lucas May, C (68 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 8^th round

5’11”, 195 lbs, 25.25 years old, bats right handed

.306 average, 6 HR’s, 32 RBI’s, 3 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 25

The key to Lucas May’s success is his ability to play catcher.  You see may people feel that May is already close to major league ready with his bat, but that is only if he is able to also play catcher at the big league level.  His offensive abilities are not outstanding by any stretch of the imagination, but they are considered solid for a catcher.  Basically, May does not have the bat to play outfield or first base, but as a catcher he would at least be an adequate hitter at the very least.  The good news is that his defensive ability is improving, as noted by DeJon Watson in a recent offseason interview.  Also, I mentioned this story last year, but it is worth repeating again.  Early in 2009, I had the opportunity to talk to former player and former Dodger scout Mitch Webster about the Dodger minor league system.  After talking about the obvious players, I asked him which players he thought had potential yet were a little under the radar.  One of the players he mentioned was Lucas May.  When I asked if he thought that he could one day back up Russell Martin, Mitch replied by saying that he thought May would be good enough to one day be a starting catcher in the major leagues.  So there you have it, from the professional himself.  In regards to May’s season in 2009, it was cut short by a wrist injury which limited him to just 68 games in AA.  May made the most of his time, however, and ended the season with solid stats.  After the minor league regular season ended, May went on to participate in the Baseball World Cup and the Arizona Fall League, and performed very well in both.  In the World Cup he showed a lot of power in limited plate appearances and was one of the heroes for Team USA in the championship game.  In the AFL he had an OPS of over 1.000 through 40 at bats.  Lucas will most likely spend the majority of the 2010 season in AAA, but I can almost guarantee that he will be a September call up.  I can guarantee this because believe it or not, 2010 is Lucas May’s last option year (he was added to the 40 man roster in November of 2007).  Therefore, I’m sure the Dodgers will want to get a look at him at the big league level prior to the spring of 2011, which is when they will have a decision to make whether to keep him on the 25 man roster or place him on waivers.

23.  Jerry Sands, RF (41 games in Pioneer League, 32 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 25^th round

6’4”, 210 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.315 average, 19 HR’s, 58 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 81

Sands was the Dodgers 25^th round pick in 2008 out of Catawba College in North Carolina, a NCAA division II school.  During his 3 years at Catawba, Sands had a .381 career batting average and hit 61 home runs.  His power numbers continued during his debut season with the Dodgers as he hit 10 HR’s in 46 games, which placed him second in HR’s in the GCL.  In my write-up last year, I said “if he has another power outburst in 2009, the Dodgers will be looking at late round gem.”  Well Sands definitely had another power outburst in 2009, smacking 19 home runs and recording an OPS of 1.019 (which ranked 2^nd in the entire Dodgers minor league system for players with at least 175 AB’s).  Sands started the season in LoA, but struggled so badly that he was sent back to extended spring training in May.  After working on his game, Sands resurfaced in the Pioneer League and was absolutely brilliant.  He placed 4^th in the league with 14 HR’s despite having just 163 at bats (the three players that ranked ahead of Sands in HR’s had at least 287 at bats), and his 1.114 OPS would have ranked first in the league had he qualified with enough plate appearance.  Jerry was promoted back up to the Midwest League in August and this time found much more success, hitting .287 and adding 5 more home runs to his season total.  A multidimensional player, Sands makes relatively good contact for a power hitter (he struck out in 19.5% of plate appearances in 2009) and hits the ball to all fields.  He also has decent speed and can play all three outfield positions along with first base.  However, his most likely destination is right field because of his strong arm and below average range.  Overall, Sands is a very intriguing prospect with a very high ceiling.  With 29 home runs in 119 games over the past two years, that projects out to almost 40 HR’s over a 162 game schedule.  I’m not saying that Sands is ever going to hit 40 HR’s in the big leagues, but I think that if he continues to improve, he has the chance to be a solid MLB regular.  That’s pretty good for a former 25th round pick.  2010 should see Sands return to LoA to start the season, but by the end of the year he may find himself in AA.

22.  Danny Danielson, RHP (61.3 innings in Arizona in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 7^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 21.25 years old

5-2, 3.08 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 11.30 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 75

Danny Danielson is a big kid out of Alabama who was the Dodgers 7^th round pick in 2007.  While he was brought along very slowly in his first two professional seasons, Danielson showed up to spring training 30 pounds lighter in 2009 and was ready to work.  The extra training paid off because Danielson had a phenomenal year in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009.  While his stats don’t look overly amazing at first glance, when you take a closer look at his numbers you will realize what a remarkable year he had.  His FIP was 2.48, and he had an outstanding strikeout rate of 11.30 K’s per 9 innings.  What was most impressive, however, was his strikeout to walk ratio which was 6.42 for the season and led all Dodger minor leaguers by a wide margin.  When you do the math, that calculates out to just 12 walks in over 61 innings.  In terms of his pitches, reports out of the Arizona League were that his fastball was sitting at around 89 mph, but he has reached 93 mph in the past and I think that he is more likely to sit in the low 90’s in the future given his big frame.  He also has an average curveball and is working on a slider.  His best pitch, though, is his changeup, which has been described as outstanding.  Still just 21 years old, Danielson will most likely move to Lo-A for the 2010 season and get some more experience.  While he doesn’t have the pedigree to be a #1 starter, I can see Danielson as a solid #4 starter at the big league level in the future.

21.  Xavier Paul, OF (31 games in AAA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 4^th round

5’9”, 205 lbs, 25 years old, bats left handed

.328 average, 2 HR’s, 16 RBI’s, 8 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 15

The one thing I didn’t realize about Xavier Paul was how short he was.  I swear that he used to be listed at a taller height because last year in my ranking, I had him at 6’0”.  Anyways, that is beside the point.  The real tragedy is that Paul blew a perfect opportunity last year to prove that he could be the Dodgers 4^th outfielder in 2010.  When Manny went down for steroids, Paul was called up and got off to a hot start, getting three hits in his first five professional at bats, one of those hits being a home run.  But then a random staph infection sent Paul to the disabled list, and right when he was almost recovered from that, an ankle injury kept him out for the rest of the season.  Injuries aside, the one thing that has always impressed me about Paul is his ability to hit the ball extremely hard.  I’ve seen Paul play in AAA and during spring training, and the ball just sounds different off of his bat.  He has a solid build, and while he’ll never hit a ton of home runs, he is a line drive machine.  He also plays solid defense, and has the ability to play all three outfield positions given his above average range and his strong, accurate arm.  That being said, I don’t think he has the talent to ever become a major league regular, but I do think he’ll serve as a solid backup outfielder for the Dodgers at some point in the future.  While there is definitely not a spot for Xavier on the 25 man roster as of now, you never know what injuries are going to happen so Paul may end up spending some time with the Dodgers in 2010.  If the Dodgers do remain healthy, he’ll spend the season in AAA as an insurance policy.  After 2010, however, the Dodgers will have a decision to make because Paul will be out of options at that point.  So in the spring of 2011, let’s hope this circumstance doesn’t turn into another Delwyn Young situation where the Dodgers end up trading him for almost nothing just because Paul is out of options.

20.  Blake Smith, OF (30 games in Pioneer League, 6 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 2^nd round

6’2”, 220 lbs, 22.25 years old, bats left handed

.214 average, 1 HR, 14 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

I will probably take some heat for ranking Blake Smith this high.  He had an awful season in 2009, showing no power and striking out in 32.2% of his plate appearances.  But really this ranking is based purely on athleticism.  I’ve heard from many sources that Smith is a super athletic guy, so I really feel that he will provide the Dodgers with value at some point down the road.  Even if he doesn’t pan out as a position player, I am confident that Smith can return to the mound and become a useful reliever at the big league level.  In addition, if he does stay as an outfielder, he’s got a great arm so he should be able to be a solid right fielder.   In terms of his hitting abilities, Blake has a sweet lefty swing, which lead to .319 average and 10 HR’s during his junior season at Cal.  He also apparently put on a power display during his workout at Dodger stadium prior to the draft.  According to Logan White, “He was highly touted as a hitter and a pitcher.  Just like Loney, he has a really nice left-handed swing and he’s a power guy with incredible raw power. When he worked out, he almost hit one out of Dodger Stadium — way up in the seats. Obviously he can throw and if we can work with him to utilize that raw power, he’ll be a front-line corner outfielder.”  In addition, Baseball America ranked Smith as the Dodgers best power hitter of the 2009 draft, and thinks he has 25 HR potential in the major leagues.  At the end of the day, I really think that Smith just needs some time to adjust to professional pitching.  Despite his struggles, I’m sure the Dodgers won’t be shy about sending him to LoA in 2010, and even though the Midwest League is known as a pitcher’s league, I think we’ll see a jump in his stats next year.

19.  Austin Gallagher, 1B/3B (60 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 3^rd round

6’5”, 210 lbs, 21.25 years old, bats left handed

.257 average, 3 HR’s, 30 RBI’s, 1 SB

Prior Year Ranking: 7

When the Dodgers selected Austin Gallagher in the 3^rd round of the 2007 draft, some scouts doubted his ability at the plate.  They thought that he should attend college instead because he wasn’t ready for professional pitching.  Well in his first two professional seasons, Gallagher proved his doubters wrong by hitting .284 in the Pioneer League in 2007 and .293 in a surprise season in the California League in 2008 (where he was the second youngest player in the league).  So heading into 2009, it looked as if Gallagher would either spend another season in HiA or possibly play in AA.  In spring training, however, Gallagher injured his throwing shoulder so the Dodgers didn’t want to push him too hard.  Therefore, they assigned him to LoA and also limited him to first base.  While Gallagher must have been disappointed with his demotion to the Midwest League, at the end of the day it was the right decision to keep him at the lower level because Austin was never fully healthy in 2009.  He struggled his way through 60 games and was shut down for the season in early July when he decided to have surgery in his nagging shoulder injury.  Despite the poor stats and the injury riddled year, I’m not giving up on Gallagher at all.  He is expected to be fully recovered for the 2010 season, and even though he missed most of 2009, he really isn’t behind in terms of experience because he is still just 21 year old.  He has outstanding bat speed and makes good contact, and even though he has yet to hit a lot of home runs, he is a line drive machine and has tremendous power potential for the future.  The biggest question surrounding Gallagher is what position he’ll end up playing.  As mentioned, the shoulder injury limited him to 1^st base in 2009, but the Dodgers expect to give him another opportunity to play the hot corner in 2010.  He if can somehow find a way to stay at 3^rd base despite his size and questionable footwork, that will be a huge plus for him as he moves up through the ranks.  However, even if he does get stuck at 1st base, I think he’ll be able to hold his own at that position offensively as he matures.  I think Gallagher will play in HiA in 2010 and hopefully he’ll have a better season than last year.

18.  Brett Wallach, RHP (31 innings in Pioneer league in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 3^rd round

6’2”, 180 lbs, 21.25 years old

0-1, 5.23 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 11.03 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

By now, I’m sure that everyone knows that Brett Wallach is the son former Dodger player and current Dodger AAA manager Tim Wallach, and is also the brother of fellow Dodger minor leaguer Matt Wallach.  So Brett obviously has a very athletic background.  However, it wasn’t his name that caused the Dodgers to pick him because after the draft, Logan White said “To be honest, if his name was Jones or Jenkins, we’d still be excited to get him.  Having his father and his brother in the organization had no effect at all on us drafting him.  This kid is lean and lanky and has excellent arm action and an excellent delivery on the mound.”  Drafted out of Orange Coast Community College, Wallach led his team to the California Junior College state title in 2009.  Along the way, he had a 2.23 ERA and 102 strikeouts in 96.2 innings.  When he wasn’t pitching, he also served as the team’s first baseman/shortstop and had a .352 average with 46 RBI’s.  Because of his hitting skills, Logan White also mentioned “He’s a good hitter too, and Tom Lasorda thinks he should be a position player, but Wallach loves to pitch. He’s got a Hershiser-type sinker and a hard slider, changes speeds well and good mound presence. This kid is going to move very quickly.”  Wallach signed with the Dodgers relatively quickly, and was sent to the Pioneer League in July.  Though he made 12 starts for the Raptors, he was generally limited to only two or three innings per appearance because of his heavy college workload.  For the season, Wallach had a 5.23 ERA and allowed 4 home runs, but his FIP was a respectable 4.17 and he struck out an impressive 11 batters per 9 innings.  He has four workable pitches, including a very strong changeup, and the sinker and slider mentioned above.  His fastball usually sits around 91 mph, but he can hit 94 mph on occasion.  A very athletic player, Wallach hasn’t really been able to focus on pitching full time until 2009, so he really needs to get some innings under his belt.  He’ll definitely pitch in a full season league in 2010, with LoA as his most likely destination.  He has the potential to be a #3 starter in the big leagues some day, so hopefully he continues to improve and develop next season.

17.  Tony Delmonico, C (100 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 6^th round

6’0”, 194 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.285 average, 9 HR’s, 43 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 13

Tony Delmonico had a very solid year in 2009, and it is only due to the emergence of other Dodger prospects that caused him to drop in my rankings.  As expected, Delmonico made the transition to catcher in the Midwest League, but unfortunately he injured his hand during the season and didn’t get to spend as much time behind the plate as he would have liked.  Nevertheless, he improved drastically throughout the year in terms of his defensive catching abilities, and ended up throwing out 26% of would be base-stealers.  Dodger management has already indicated that he will continue to play catcher in 2010 as they feel that is the best position for him going forward.  According to various reports, despite his lack of playing time he was all around best catcher in the Midwest League, a statement complimented by the fact that he was both a mid season and post season all star.  In a season where he was supposed to concentrate on his defense, Delmonico continued to demonstrate strong offensive abilities with 9 HR’s and a .285 average.  He was also led the Loons with a .383 on base percentage and even stole 5 bases.  In 2010, I expect Tony to move up to HiA and share the catching duties there with Jeremy Wise.  If he continues to show improvement behind the plate, he is a legitimate candidate to one day take over for Russell Martin because of his strong offensive abilities.

16.  Kenley Jansen, RHP (11.7 games in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 11/17/04

6’5”, 245 lbs, 22.5 years old

0-0, 4.63 ERA, 2.14 WHIP, 14.66 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 36

A year ago, I was pretty high on Kenley Jansen as a catching prospect, ranking him 36^th and documenting the potential similarities between him and former Dodger minor leaguer Carlos Santana.  So I was obviously disappointed when Jansen was hitting just .200 through 115 at bats at the end of June.  At that point I pretty much wrote him off as a prospect and was prepared to drop him in my rankings to somewhere in the 60 – 70 range.  But then something amazing happened as Jansen found new life on the pitching mound.  He started throwing fastballs in the mid 90’s and was striking batters out at an amazing rate.  He ended up pitching just under 12 innings with the 66ers and had a remarkable 19 strikeouts.  He also showed how raw he was by walking11 batters and posting an ugly WHIP of 2.14, but the potential was obviously there.  He was sent to the Arizona Fall League after the season to get some additional work in, and while he was there he again recorded ugly stats, but also continued to receive rave reviews due to his velocity.  After the season, Jansen was featured in a video for the 66ers that included a few useful pieces of information.  First, Jansen said that his fastball tops out at 98 mph and sits at around 96 mph.  Second, he said that he also has a curveball, slider, and changeup (accordingly to Baseball America, his slider the potential to be a good pitch).  Finally, DeJon Watson was interviewed in the video and said that Jansen is about 6’5” and 245 lbs, which differs from his listed height and weight of 6’2” and 220.  So Kenley really does have great size for a pitcher.  Added to the 40 man roster his past November, Jansen is in a great position to one day make Dodgers major league bullpen.  However, since he is just 22 years old and has very little pitching experience, the Dodgers will take their time with Jansen.  He’ll probably start the 2010 season back in the California League to get some addition work with Charlie Hough, but I’m sure that he’ll make it up to AA at some point during the season to face some more advanced competition.

15.  Travyon Robinson, CF (117 games in HiA, 19 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 10^th round

5’10”, 175 lbs, 22.5 years old, switch hitter

.300 average, 17 HR’s, 64 RBI’s, 47 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 44

Los Angeles native Trayvon Robinson improved his prospect status significantly in 2009.  He showed the rare combination of speed and power by more than doubling his stolen base total and more than quadrupling his HR total from 2008.  He did all this while hitting .300 and posting a .866 OPS, both career highs.  While most of the damage was done in the hitter friendly California League, Robinson did spend the last three weeks of the 2009 season in AA and held his own while he was there.  After the season, Robinson spent time in the prestigious Arizona Fall League and was added to the Dodgers 40 man roster in November.  Even though Robinson’s newfound power was unexpected, in my opinion his breakout season wasn’t too much of a surprise because I had always considered him to be a legitimate Dodger prospect.  I had ranked him within my top 50 last season and knew that he had the potential to be an exciting player.  However, I’m not as high on Robinson as some people are, and for that reason I ranked him outside of my top 10.  While I think that he is a good player and has big league potential, I don’t believe that his power is for real as I can’t see him hitting more than 10 HR’s at the big league level.  In addition, I’m not sure if his other tools are strong enough to allow him to be a major league regular.  One indicator is that his 47 stolen bases in 2009 were tainted by the fact that he was caught 20 times.  The good news for Trayvon, however, is that will get to spend at least a portion of spring training in the Dodgers big league camp because he is on the 40 man roster.  As for the 2010 season, I’m sure that he’ll return to AA for another opportunity to prove himself in the Southern League.  Another solid season might give him the opportunity to play for a spot on the 25 man roster in 2011.

14.  Kyle Russell, RF (133 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 3^rd round

6’5”, 195 lbs, 23.75 years old, bats left handed

.272 average, 26 HR’s, 102 RBI’s, 20 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 14

Kyle Russell had an outstanding season in 2009.  He led the Midwest League in HR’s, RBI’s, and slugging %, and was named as the league’s co-MVP with teammate Dee Gordon.  He also showed off his surprising speed by stealing 20 bases in 22 attempts.  I realize that a lot of people have discounted his accomplishments in 2009 because he struck out 180 times (32% of his plate appearances) and was a little old for the Midwest League at 23 years old.  But for me, I’m not too bothered by those two things, and I’ll tell you why.  In regards to his strikeouts, I don’t really care how many times a guy strikes out as long as he is producing.  Sure it’s a little concerning that he struck out so much at such a low level of the minors, but I really don’t expect his K rate to increase as he moves up.  I’m predicting it will stay at about 30% for his career, which isn’t such a bad thing as long as he continues to hit with power.  In regards to his age, there really isn’t much Russell can do about which level the Dodgers place him in, so he took the assignment with a good attitude and did his best.  Also, the other option for Russell would have been for him to play in the California League, which is actually a lot easier of a league to hit in.  So I’m actually more impressed that he put up those numbers in the Midwest League.  The other thing to mention is that Russell is not just good offensive player, but is also a very solid defensive outfielder.  He has enough range to play center field, but because he has a very strong arm he has spent most of his minor league career in right field.  In terms of his future potential, Russell has the ability to be a fringe major league regular if he can continue to improve his game.  Even if he doesn’t end up as a starter, at the very least he can be a solid lefty pinch hitter off of the bench as Russell does very well against right handed pitchers (included a .978 OPS against right handed pitchers in 2009).  Russell is clearly ready for AA in 2010, but he may be forced to start the season in HiA because the Chattanooga outfield is already pretty set (Lambo, Robinson, and Van Slyke).  No matter where he plays, expect him to hit a lot of home runs and strike out quite a bit.

13.  Ivan DeJesus, SS (4 games in Arizona Rookie League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 2^nd round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 22.75 years old, bats right handed

.200 average, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s, 0 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 5

This past offseason, I’ve heard some people say that Ivan DeJesus shouldn’t drop in prospect rankings just because he was injured, especially since the injury was a freak broken leg that wasn’t his fault.  Personally I disagree.  I’m obviously going to rank a 21 year old coming off a season where he hit .324 in AA more favorably than a 22 year old who is coming off a broken leg.  In addition, while he has been able to resume full baseball activity, there are always going to be short term and long effects from a compound fracture.  For the short term, he proclaimed that he still isn’t even 100% healed heading into spring training, so that is going to limit him some.  For the long term, I really don’t think he is ever going to fully regain his speed (which was already marginal at best) or his defensive range at shortstop.  I also think that he may lose a little bit of aggressiveness since he’s going to have to be a little more cautious while running the bases.  All of these signs (along with the emergence of Dee Gordon) point to DeJesus moving to 2^nd base in the near future.  The problem with that is that I don’t believe DeJesus quite has the offensive ability to play second base at the major league level.  Sure he hit .324 in AA, but at the major league level I see his ceiling as being a player who hits .270 with around 5-10 HR’s annually.  That’s just not very exciting.  Even with all that being said, DeJesus won’t even turn 23 until May of 2010, so he still has plenty of time to heal, catch up in his development, and prove me wrong.  He was added to the Dodgers 40 man rosters in November, so management is confident that he rebound from his injury.  Despite missing a year, he’ll still be one of the younger players in AAA, which is his likely destination for the 2010 season.  While with the Isotopes, DeJesus will probably play both middle infield positions.  Another thing to point out is that Ivan’s father was a major league shortstop for 15 seasons, so Ivan has a great baseball background which has lead to him being a very intelligent player.  Overall, I’m obviously not as high on DeJesus as some people are, but if he can return to his previous form and demonstrate that he is 100% healed, then I have no problem changing my mind about him.  I’m hoping that he has a healthy and very productive 2010 season.

12.  Pedro Baez, 3B (79 games in HiA in 2009)

Signed by Dodgers 1/22/07

6’2”, 195 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.286 average, 10 HR’s, 61 RBI’s, 5 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 11

Pedro Baez was signed out of the Dominican Republic for $200K before the 2007 season.  And actually he was the last “big” international signing the Dodgers have had, which is a little sad.  Anyways, I’m a little higher on Baez than most, and that is due to his youth, raw power potential, and ability to play 3rd base.  While his defense right now is still a little raw, he has the tools to be an above average third baseman if he can improve his footwork.  His arm is outstanding, and he has been clocked as high as 94 mph on throws across the infield.  In fact, now that Josh Bell is gone, it appears that he is the heir apparent to take over third base once Casey Blake’s contract expires.  In terms of his 2009 season, Baez was doing quite well until a knee injury ended his season in mid July.  He hit a respectable .286, and his 61 RBI’s ranked fourth on the team even though he missed a month and a half of the season.  He was also selected to play in the 2009 Futures Game, which is a big compliment because it features some of the game’s best prospects.  Another interesting thing about Baez is that even though he is right handed, he hit .300 against right handed pitchers and .247 against left handed pitchers.  The best part about Baez, however, is his power.  As mentioned above, he has great raw power and absolutely kills fastballs.  While he has trouble with offspeed pitchers, I think that his pitch recognition will come with maturity.  Even though he is coming off of an injury, I think he is young enough to rebound fully in 2010.  Baseball America says that he will start the 2010 season in AA, although I think he might be better served spending a little more time in the California League.  Overall I see him as a player with 30 HR potential at the big league level, but whether or not he reaches that potential is the question.

11.  Allen Webster, RHP (47.7 innings in Arizona League, 21 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 18^th round

6’2”, 165 lbs, 20 years old

4-1, 2.36 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 10.09 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 100

I want to start off with a story that I told last year, only I want to go into a little more detail.  So in January of 2009, I was at a Kings Hockey game and happened to sit right behind Ned Coletti.  Once I realized it was Ned, I looked around and realized that I was actually sitting right in the middle of the section that included almost all of the Dodgers front office and scouts.  Now I didn’t really want to bother anyone, plus I didn’t really know who most of the people were.  However, when I saw Mitch Webster sitting by himself, I couldn’t help but go over and talk to him.  I started out by introducing myself, and then we got to talking about the minor league system.  One of my first questions was “so how is your son Carl doing?  I saw that he had a nice year in the GCL in 2009.”  Webster burst out laughing said Carl Webster isn’t my son…in fact I think Carl Webster is black!”  I was a little embarrassed because I really had thought that Carl was his son and that’s why the Dodgers picked him, but at the same time it was really funny.  It also goes to show that the Dodger scouts tend to concentrate on their specific areas and don’t even know about all minor league players because Mitch was obviously wrong about Webster being black.  Anyways, a lot has changed for Carl Webster since I first talked about him.  First, he clarified that he wanted to go by his middle name Allen.  Most importantly, however, is the fact that he jumped up the prospect ladder in 2009 with an outstanding showing in the Arizona League.  Through almost 50 innings he had a 2.08 ERA, a FIP of 2.03, and a batting average against of just .197.  He also had a great WHIP and struck out more than a batter per inning.  Webster earned a promotion to the Pioneer League in late August and pitched 21 more impressive innings, posting another good FIP 2.39 during his stay in Ogden.  I’m not going to say that I predicted anything, but in my write-up last year I did say “When he does gain some muscle, I expect his K’s per 9 to increase dramatically.  I would keep an eye on Webster, and I predict that in a few years, we will be talking about what a steal he was as an 18^th round pick.”  While Webster is still listed at 165, I’m sure that he has gained some weight since he was drafted, which I’m sure has lead to his dominance.  In terms of his stuff, Webster works in the low 90’s but frequently reaches 95 mph.  Like most pitchers he also has a breaking ball and a changeup, and while they both are considered plus pitches at times, they both can also use some work as he advances through the system.  From the looks of things, Webster will spend the 2010 season in LoA.  I’m sure he’ll have no problem securing a spot in the Loons rotation, and it will be good for him to pitch in a full season league.  Baseball America seems to think that Webster has the potential to be a #2 starter at the big league level, and while those seem to be pretty lofty expectations, it shows that they must be seeing something in him that they like.  Realistically I think he’ll be more of a #3 or #4 starter, but only time will tell.

10.  Jonathan Garcia, RF (41 games in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 8^th round

5’11”, 175 lbs, 18.25 years old, bats right handed

.304 average, 3 HR’s, 21 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

The Dodgers drafted Jonathan Garcia out of Puerto Rico in the 8^th round of the 2009 draft.  After the draft, Logan White said “He’s a little raw right now but if he can utilize his talents we will have a pretty good player.”  Little did Logan know that Garcia would utilize his talents quicker than anyone expected.  Playing the entire 2009 season as a 17 year old, not only did Jonathan hold his own against older competition, but exceeded everyone’s expectations.  He hit .304 for the season, posted a .500 slugging percentage, and had an OPS of .862.  He also ranked fourth in the Arizona League with 16 doubles and even stole 4 bases without getting caught.  According to Baseball America, Garcia has outstanding raw power and is a smart hitter.  He can hit the ball to all fields, and as he grows and matures he will surely hit more home runs.  In fact, I expect Garcia to grow at least an inch or two over the next few years, and I see his ceiling a player who can hit 25 to 30 home runs annually.  In terms of his defense, Garcia is really good.  Even though he made 5 errors during his short 2009 season, I heard he has a hose for an arm and has great outfield instincts.  While he has the ability to play center field, he is probably best suited as a right fielder.  Because he is so young, I initially expected Garcia to play in the Pioneer League in 2010.  However Baseball America said that he is ready for the jump to LoA.  So I guess we’ll have to wait and see where he ends up.  No matter where he plays, the one thing that’s for sure is that he is a legitimate prospect who will be watched closely by Dodger management over the next few years.  I can see him potentially being a similar player to Raul Mondesi, but with less speed.

9.  Aaron Miller, LHP (30.3 innings in LoA, 5.7 innings in Arizona League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 1^st round

6’3”, 200 lbs, 22.5 years old

3-1, 2.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 12.00 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

When the Dodgers drafted Miller in the first round, I was both surprised and disappointed.  There were still many quality players available when Miller was picked, and honestly at the time I would have rather had players such as Tyler Skaggs, Brooks Pounders, or Kyle Heckathorn.  But after seeing Miller’s professional debut, it seems that Logan White made the right selection, who said after the draft “when we look back, we’re going to say what a great deal we got with that sandwich pick.”  After initially struggling in the Arizona Rookie League, Miller dominated upon his promotion to the Midwest League.  Not only did succeed during his 7 regular season starts, but Miller also completely shut down the opposition during his 2 playoff starts for the Loons, allowing just one run and three hits in 12 innings.  Obviously impressed, the Dodgers sent Miller to the Arizona Fall League where he made three brief appearances before getting shut down for the season.  Besides his immediate success, two pluses for Miller are that he is still learning to pitch (so has the potential to get better), and the fact that he has a very fresh arm (since he didn’t pitch many college innings).  In terms of his stuff, Miller has a fastball that can occasional hit 95, although he usually sits between 91 and 92 mph.  He also has a hard slider, and is currently working on his changeup.  Even though Aaron has all these good things going for him, I still have some concerns.  I’m afraid that he won’t be able to match his success in 2010, but instead will struggle with the larger workload and tougher competition.  I’m also worried that he’ll never be able to master a third pitch, which will prohibit him from being a starter in the big leagues.  Nevertheless, I’m confident that Miller will have at the very least a relatively successful major league career.  Even if ends up in the bullpen, he has the stuff to be a very good reliever or setup man, potentially in the mold of Kuo or Sherrill.  He’ll most likely start in the California League in 2010, and I’m almost positive that he’ll make his way up to AA at some point during the season.

8.  Josh Lindblom, RHP (57.3 innings in AA, 39 innings in AAA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 2^nd round

6’5”, 240 lbs, 22.75 years old

6-5, 3.83 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 7.66 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 6

Josh Lindblom has been on the fast track to the major leagues since the day he was drafted by the Dodgers.  He started his professional career in LoA, and made it all the way up to AA by the end of the 2008 season.  Then in March of 2009, less than 10 months after being drafted, Lindblom was in the Dodgers major league spring training and was actually in the mix to be the Dodgers 5^th starter for the 2009 season.  While he didn’t end up making the team, he got a lot of publicity and became a household name among Dodger prospect junkies.  Back in the minors, Lindblom split 2009 between AA and AAA and posted solid results.  While his overall stats declined from 2008, his FIP was a respectable 3.50 and he posted a very strong walk rate.  In addition, he held opposing batters to a .245 batting average. The one thing that concerns me, however, is the fact that Lindblom’s strikeout rate dropped from 9.79 K’s per 9 in 2008 to 7.66 K’s per 9 in 2009.  The decrease is obviously due to the fact that he was facing more advanced competition in 2009, but even still I generally expect a strikeout rate of at least 8.0 from top pitching prospects.  At 6’5” and 240 lbs, Lindblom is a big kid.  He has two great pitches, a 95 mph fastball and a hard curve, and is still in the process of adding a third pitch.  For 2010, even though Lindblom is in big league camp and has impressed so far, I don’t believe he’ll make the opening day roster because the Dodgers have too many other options who are already on the 40 man roster.  In addition, because he seems to have a bright future with the team and will probably stick with the team once he is brought up to the show, the Dodgers will probably want to delay his major league debut until at least June to prevent him from potentially becoming a “super two”.  In regards to his future, I think Lindblom is best suited for the bullpen.  He was a closer at Purdue and has always had trouble with his stamina as a starter.  In addition, his two pitches mentioned above are both plus pitches when he doesn’t have to worry about going deep into games.  Therefore, I believe that he has the potential to become a top tier setup man or solid closer at the big league level. 

7.  Nathan Eovaldi, RHP (96.3 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 11^th round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 20 years old

3-5, 3.27 ERA, 1.41 WHIP, 6.63 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 12

I have to admit; Nathan Eovaldi is my favorite Dodger prospect, and that is one of the reasons why I’ve ranked him higher than most other Dodger prospect lists.  Even though I have never seen him pitch in person, I just love the fact that he throws straight heat, is still so young, and has a very projectable frame.  In addition, during the 2009 season he still probably wasn’t even fully recovered from his 2007 Tommy John surgery, so I only expect him to get better.  Now I realize that most people will look at Eovaldi’s stats and immediately point to his low strikeout rate.  I know that I would if I didn’t know anything else about him because strikeouts usually say a lot about how dominate a pitcher can be.  But unlike my concerns with Lindblom, I’m really not too worried about Eovaldi’s strikeout rate because he is still so young and has so many years to improve.  Heck, he was only 19 years old during the entire 2009 season, and only had 8 innings of professional experience prior to that, so I’m sure he is still getting used to the minor leagues.  Another thing I want to point out about Eovaldi is the fact that from June forward, he was absolutely spectacular.  His ERA through his final 62 innings of the season was 1.60, and he only allowed 1 home run during that time period.  He also tacked on another scoreless inning during the Midwest League playoffs in which he struck out the side. In terms of his pitches, Eovaldi sits in the mid 90’s, and hit 98 mph last season.  Some scouts project that he may be able to hit 100 mph if the Dodgers decide to use him out of the bullpen.  He also has a solid curveball, but it is inconsistent.  I’ve heard mixed reports about him using a slider.  Some say he stopped using it because it led to his TJ surgery.  However, in listening to Loons games during the year, I’ve heard the announcers say he has a slider in the high 80’s, and that it is a very good pitch.  In addition, he is developing a changeup.  Overall, whether Nathan ends up as a starter or in the bullpen, I’m expecting big things out of him.  I’m guessing the Dodgers will continue to use him as a starter because that is where he is most valuable, but I can also see him as a solid closer one day.  I’m hoping that Eovaldi plays in Inland Empire next season so I can get a chance to watch my favorite Dodger prospect live.

6.  Scott Elbert, LHP (62.3 innings in AA, 33.7 innings in AAA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 1^st round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 24.5 years old

4-4, 3.84 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 11.72 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 4

Scott Elbert was a first round draft pick back in 2004.  At the time, he was fresh out of high school and was actually better known for his performance as a running back as he ran for 2,449 yards and scored 36 touchdowns as a junior.  Six years later, Elbert is 24 years old and is now entering his prime.  He is coming off a solid season in which he made 19 appearances out of the Dodgers bullpen and was named the Dodgers minor league pitcher of the year.  His 11.72 strikeouts per 9 innings while in the minors ranked 3^rd among all Dodgers minor leaguers, and while his minor league ERA was 3.84, his combined minor league FIP was a sparkling 3.14.  He can consistently pitch at 93-94 mph, and his sharp slider is a very strong pitch.  The one thing he needs to work on is his control, which seems to get away from him when he gets excited or is in a pressure situation.  Heading into the 2010 season, Elbert tried to work his way onto the Dodgers opening day roster, but he was recently sent back down to minor league camp.  In my opinion, while he has struggled thus far this spring, he was the Dodgers best option as their #5 starter because he has the most upside of all the candidates and is already on the 40 man roster.  However, it also makes sense to keep him down in the minors for a while longer since other players fighting for the 5^th spot in the rotation are out of options.  In terms of his long term projection, while some like him as a reliever, I see Elbert strictly as a starter because his raw stuff is just too good to waste in the bullpen.  Overall, while he doesn’t seem to have the upside that he once did, Elbert does appear to be maturing into a very strong pitcher.  Even if he does end up spending some of the 2010 season in the minors, I believe Elbert will provide the Dodgers will many solid innings for years to come.

5.  Garrett Gould, RHP (2.7 innings in Pioneer League in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2009, 2^nd round

6’4”, 190 lbs, 18.5 years old

0-1, 10.12 ERA, 2.25 WHIP, 13.50 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: N/A

Garrett Gould is by far my favorite pick of the 2009 draft.  When I heard that we selected Gould in the 2^nd round with the 65^th overall pick, I was ecstatic.  I had thought that he would go at the very latest in the supplemental first round, so it has a huge plus that he was still available to us that late.  However, even after we drafted Gould I knew it wasn’t a given that he would sign because he had strong commitment to Wichita State.  After the draft, he said “It’s always been my dream to play at Wichita State…Especially knowing what coach (Brent) Kemnitz does with his pitchers.”  I addition, the Dodgers aren’t know for giving bonuses higher than the recommended amount.  Luckily, everything fell into place right at the signing deadline and the Dodgers signed Gould to $900K signing bonus, which was actually about $10K more than they gave to their top pick Aaron Miller.  Because he signed so late, Gould only made three appearances in the Pioneer League.  Even though he got hit hard, the important thing is that he got his feet wet.  In addition, he showed some dominance in his three outings by recording half of his outs via the strikeout.  In terms of his stuff, Gould throws in the low 90’s, but I expect his velocity to increase as he gets older (he won’t even turn 19 until this upcoming July) and grows into his projectable frame.  He also is learning how to throw a changeup, but it is still a work in progress.  My favorite thing about Gould, however, is his curveball.  Scouts describe it as a plus pitch, and many thought that he had the best high school curveball in the entire 2009 draft.  While I’ve only seen limited footage of Gould, I picture his curveball as a right handed version Kershaw’s.  I believe his overall potential is a #1 or #2 starter at the big league level.  He is a very athletic player (he was a quarterback in football and a forward in basketball) and has a ton of talent.  In 2010, I believe the Dodgers will challenge Gould with an assignment to LoA.  Even though the Loons rotation will be crowded, I think he’ll be used similarly to how Nathan Eovaldi was used during 2009.  I look forward to following him throughout next season and I really think he’ll be a unanimous top 5 Dodger prospect by this time next year.

4.  Andrew Lambo, LF (130 games in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 4^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats left handed

.256 average, 11 HR’s, 61 RBI’s, 4 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 2

I really like Andrew Lambo.  At 6’3” and 190 lbs, Lambo has an advanced feel for hitting and has a smooth left-handed stroke.  Despite his “down” year and the fact that a lot of people jumped off of his bandwagon, I still think that Lambo is an excellent player with a ton of potential.  In my mind, he is in a great position to take over left field for the Dodgers in 2012 (the Dodgers will have to find a short term solution for 2011), and will eventually hit.300 with around 25 HR’s at the big league level.  To support these predictions, I will point to a few signs that demonstrate Lambo’s future success.  First, Lambo seems to have a good head on his shoulders, and in watching a few of his interviews he already appears to have the personality of a big league player.  Sure he had some trouble in high school, but I really think he grew from that experience and has turned into a strong leader.  Second, at 21 years old Lambo is still very young, yet has been playing against much older competition throughout his professional career.  This experience should prepare him for the future, and should also give him the edge next year in AA when he finally catches up to the other players in terms of age.  Third, even though Lambo only had 11 HR’s in 2009, he had 39 doubles, which tied for the second most in the entire Dodgers minor league system.  As most people know, doubles for a young player generally turn into HR’s when that player matures and gets older.  So that is why I expect him to have a decent amount of power in the big leagues.   Finally, Lambo was sent to the Arizona Fall League after the season, and did very well against some of the minor league’s best pitching prospects.  Through 77 at bats, Lambo hit .325 and had an .846 OPS.  So I don’t sound biased, I should point out that there are a few things that Lambo is not great at.  He is not a fast runner, which limits him defensively to left field or first base.  While some scouts think he’ll eventually end up at 1^st base, I’m confident that he is good enough to stay in left field.  In addition, Lambo needs to work on his patience at the plate as he walked in less than 8% of his plate appearances in 2009.  Overall, as I’ve already mentioned, I expect big things from Lambo in a few years.  I also expect him to thrive in AA during the upcoming season, which will bring his prospect status back up to where it was a year ago. 

3.  Ethan Martin, RHP (100 innings in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 1^st round

6’2”, 195 lbs, 20.75 years old

6-8, 3.87 ERA, 1.46 WHIP, 10.80 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 3

The Dodgers 1^st round pick in the 2008 draft, Ethan Martin injured his knee in a fielding drill before he as ever able to make a start.  Even though the injury wasn’t too serious, it worried a lot of people because the Dodgers had just invested a lot of money into the young player.  Luckily he made full recovery by the beginning of the 2009 season, and was placed in LoA where he pitched an even 100 innings and did very well.  While his record and ERA were just mediocre, his FIP of 3.45 was very good and his strikeout rate of 10.8 K’s per 9 innings was outstanding.  In addition, opposing batters only hit .232 against him.  The one thing that he had trouble with was his control as he walked 5.5 batters per 9 innings, which led to his inflated WHIP.  Going back to high school credentials, Martin was named as the Baseball America High School Player of the Year in 2008 because he was an amazing two way player.  His overall pitching stats as a senior were 11-1 with a 0.99 ERA and 141 K’s in 79 innings, but he was also a great power hitting 3^rd baseman.  He ended up being the first high school pitcher selected in the 2008 draft, which says a lot about how much the Dodgers thought of his arm.  On the mound, Martin has a very strong fastball that has good movement and can reach all the way up to 97 mph.  His curveball is also a plus pitch, but he needs to control it better.  Overall, I believe that Martin has the ability to be a #2 starter at the big league level, and I am very confident that he’ll reach his full potential.  He is just 20 years old, and his path will probably lead him to Hi-A in 2010 with a promotion to AA late in the season.  He’ll then probably split 2011 between AA and AAA, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he was ready for the major leagues in some capacity in 2012.

2.  Chris Withrow, RHP (86.3 innings in HiA, 27.3 innings in AA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 1^st round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 21 years old

8-8, 4.51 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 10.37 K/9

Prior Year Ranking: 8

Heading into 2009, Chris Withrow had only pitched 13 professional innings over a two year period.  This was mostly due to various injuries, including a deep cut to his hand and a case of “tired arm”.  While nobody had completely written him off, this caused some people to wonder if he was bound to be a 1^st round bust.  However, Withrow really turned things around last season, getting some much needed experience in the process.  He played most of the 2009 season in the hitters’ paradise known as the California League, but Withrow held his own while he was there and really showed why he as a first round pick.  While his ERA and WHIP in HiA were just mediocre, his FIP was 2.96 and he almost struck out 11 batters per inning.  His success while with the 66ers earned Withrow a promotion to AA in August, and he finished the season there.  Even though he wasn’t quite as dominant with the Lookouts (3.68 FIP, 8.6 K/9), he still had a very fine showing for a 20 year old playing against older competition.  Coming out of high school, Withrow was considered and excellent athlete.  As a high school senior, he consistently hit 92-94 mph on the radar gun and had a very promising curveball.  Since turning pro, however, Withrow has actually been clocked as high as 99 mph. He also is developing a changeup, has a very clean delivery, and is the perfect size for a pitcher at 6’3”.  The one thing he wants to work on his control, as said after the season “I would like to find my command a little bit—of course, everybody would—but that’s just going to come with more time on the mound. It’s all just a big process right now.”  In my opinion, Withrow projects as a #1 or solid #2 starter.  Even though I believe a few pitchers in the Dodgers system have higher ceilings than Withrow, Chris ranks as the Dodgers second best prospect because I feel he is more likely to reach his full potential than those other pitchers (as demonstrated by this spring training debut where he struck out the side).  2010 will be a big season for Withrow as he’ll return to AA.  If he has another solid season, he could be on track to break into the big leagues by 2011.

1.  Dee Gordon, SS (131 games in LoA in 2009)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 4^th round

5’11”, 150 lbs, 21.75 years old, bats left handed

.301 average, 3 HR’s 35 RBI’s, 73 SB’s

Prior Year Ranking: 9

When the Dodgers selected Dee Gordon in the 4^th round of the 2008 draft, most people were very surprised.  He had been academically ineligible to play at the Community College he was attending, so there were very few scouting reports on him.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided to take a chance on the son of major league veteran Tom “Flash” Gordon because they love players who have major league bloodlines.  Jump forward one and a half years and Gordon has shot up the prospect charts and is basically the Dodgers unanimous number one prospect.  He was the Midwest League MVP and was named the Dodger minor league player of the year.  As there have already been many discussions and scouting reports on Dee Gordon, I really won’t spend too much time describing him as a player.  However, I will mention a few things about Gordon that caused me to rank him #1 on my personal list.  First, Gordon is still growing as a baseball player as it appears that he is not yet close to reaching his full potential.  His on field instincts are still being refined as a shortstop, as a hitter, and as a base runner, so it will be very exciting to see what kind of player he turns out to be once he gets more experience.  Second, Gordon plays the premium position of shortstop, and is expected to stick there throughout his professional career.  While many players start out at shortstop, most move off the position as they move up through the minors.  Gordon, however, is projected to be a premium defender once he gets more experience because he has amazing range and a strong arm.  I’m not too worried about the 34 errors he made in 2009 because he just needs more experience at the position.  Finally, Gordon has the one tool that you can’t teach: speed.  He is exceptionally fast, and even though his base stealing skills need some improvement (he was caught 25 times in 2009), he has the type of game changing speed that will allow him to get tons of infield hits each season (a la Ichiro) and be a distraction to opposing pitchers on the base paths.  The one thing I’m not sure about is Gordon’s power potential.  Most scouts seem to think that he’ll develop some pop once he gains so weight, but after watching Gordon in some videos on Dodgers.com, I just don’t see him ever hitting more than a couple home runs a year.  He won’t need that power, however, because as mentioned he has plenty of other tools.  Hopefully he’ll play locally with the 66ers in 2010 so I can get a chance to watch him in person prior to him taking over as the Dodgers starting shortstop in 2012.

200.  Christian Lara, SS (106 games in HiA in 2008)

Acquired via trade with Red Sox in April 2008 for Eric Hull

5’11, 150 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.256 average, 1 HR, 43 RBI

Originally signed by the Red Sox as an international free agent by Boston in 2002, Lara hasn’t done much in the minors offensively.  He plays good defense, but will never be able to do anything with the bat.  As a 23 year old in HiA, Lara hit .256 with one home run and 100 K’s.  Needless to say he has no real shot of making it to the majors, and that is why he is last one this list.

199.  Juan Cedano, LHP (32 IP w/Dodgers LoA, 61 IP w/other teams in 2008)

Signed August 2008

6’1”, 165 lbs, 25 years old

3-6, 4.27 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 4.69 K/9

Don’t know much about this guy, but apparently we signed him in August of this year to basically fill out our LoA roster.  Probably won’t be with the Dodgers next year as he as jumped around this season, had a mediocre ERA, and was a 25 year old in LoA.  Also, his K/9 was awful.

198.  Danny Muegge, RHP (65.3 inngs in AA in 2008)

Acquired via trade with D-backs in 2005 for Shawn Green

6’5”, 180 lbs, 27.5 years old

0-5, 4.82 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 4.82 K/9

He was part of the Shawn Green trade that happened forever ago, and missed all of last season with an injury.  Pitched in AA in 2006, so hasn’t really been able to move up.  Is already 27 years old, and hasn’t had very impressive numbers this year.  His 4.82 K/9 shows that his stuff isn’t very overpowering, so I don’t see him going anywhere.

197.  Brandon Taylor, 3B (52 games in LoA in 2008)

Signed July 2008

6’1”, 200 lbs, 26 years old, bats right handed

.221 average, 5 HR’s, 25 RBI’s

I believe we signed this guy out of an independent league this year, and since he was drafted by the Cubs in the 17^th round of 2005, he has gone back and forth between pitcher and hitter.  He doesn’t seem to have a future as either, however, because he is a 26 year old in LoA who hit .221.  He also probably won’t be with the Dodgers next year.

196.  Joseph Jones, RHP (82 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 18^th round

6’5”, 210 lbs, 26 years old

3-3, 5.60 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 3.40 K/9

Jones was drafted in 2006, but is already almost 26 years old.  His 3.40 K/9 was the worst in the Dodgers minor league system in 2008, and he allowed a .302 batting average against.  While he has a good pitcher’s frame, he’s too old to make any impact in the Dodgers system.

195.  Parker Dalton, 2B (83 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 24^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.231 average, 2 HR’s, 22 RBI

Dalton is another player who is too old for the level at which he is playing.  A 25 year old playing at LoA isn’t very impressive, and neither is his .231 batting average.  He doesn’t have any power, and while he was drafted just last year, he hasn’t given the Dodgers any reason to promote him.

194.  Carlos Arias, 1B (5 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 200 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.222 average, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s

Arias played in the Dodgers Dominican Summer League in 2008, but he only played in 5 games, all in July.  I’m not sure why he played so few games, but it doesn’t really matter because he was a 23 year old playing in a league with mostly 17 to 21 year olds.  We will probably never see his name again, but he had to be included in the list because he played with the Dodgers this year and meets the requirements.

193.  Brian Akin, RHP (41.6 innings in AA, 11.6 innings in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 14^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 27 years old

3-7, 7.43 ERA, 2.36 WHIP, 7.43 K/9

Akin had an awful year in 2008, and this was most evident by his 2.36 WHIP and the fact that opposing batters hit .320 against him.  While Akin made it all the way up to AAA, he is now almost 27 years old, and hasn’t impressed anyone with his stuff.  He’ll probably be back in AA next year, and that might be his last chance.

192.  Rob Zimmermann, RHP (31 IP w/Dodgers LoA, 28 IP w/other teams in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in July 2008

6’5”, 245 lbs, 27 years old

4-5, 4.76 ERA, 1.53 WHIP, 7.42 K/9

Zimmermann was signed mid-season, and was probably just another journeyman used to fill out the roster.  Originally drafted in the 14^th round by Colorado in 2000, he’s now almost 27 years old and in playing in LoA.  Batters hit .300 against him last year, and I don’t expect him to be back with the Dodgers in 2009.

191.  Johancy Guzman, SS (30 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/14/04

5’10”, 155 lbs, 21.5 years old, switch hitter

.192 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s

Guzman played in 30 games and had 52 at bats, but only had 2 RBI’s.  He started his career with the Dodgers Dominican summer league in 2004, but since he’s come to play in the states last year, he’s been awful.  The only good thing about Garcia is that he’s 21 years old, but unless he dramatically turns things around, he’ll be buried in this system.

190.  Joseph Becker, 2B (41 games in LoA, 30 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/11/07

5’11, 175 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.222 average, 0 HR’s, 10 RBI’s

I believe Becker was signed by the Dodgers as a non drafted free agent before the 2007 season.  He actually had a pretty solid season in 2007, but took a big step back this year.  It’s pretty tough to collect only 10 RBI’s in 71 games, but the light hitting Becker was able to accomplish that feat this year.  He’s already 23 years old, and doesn’t have great speed.  Overall, I don’t see Becker making any impact in the Dodgers system.

189.  Josh Walter, RHP (17 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 6/27/08

6’4”, 250 lbs, 23.5 years old

0-0, 10.06 ERA, 2.06 WHIP, 9.53 K/9

Josh Walter was signed as a non drafted free agent this year, and appears to be a roster filler.  He has good makeup at 6’4” and 250 lbs, but is already 23 and half years old, and had very ugly numbers this season.  His only upside is the fact that he can strike batters out.  He’ll probably be back next season for our LoA club, but won’t get too far in this system.

188.  Anthony Tomey, RHP (29 innings in AA Dodgers, 6 innings in LoA Dodgers, 35 innings with other teams in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/13/08

6’4”, 245 lbs, 27 years old

5-6, 4.91 ERA, 1.51 WHIP, 10.72 K/9

Tomey was originally a 30^th round pick of the Tigers in the 2003 draft, but was released during this pas year.  The Dodgers signed him in July, and he started out in LoA, but quickly moved up to AA.  He strikes out a lot of guys, as evinced by his 10.72 K/9, but his other numbers are less impressive.  Plus, he is 27 years old, so I can’t imagine him having any impact with the Dodgers. 

187.  Shan Sullivan, 3B (18 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 32^nd round

6’1”, 210, 22.5 years old, bats right handed

.065 average, 1 HR, 3 RBI’s

Sullivan was drafted out of a little know college called Angelo State in 2008, where he hit an impressive .402 as a senior.  In his pro debut for GCL Dodgers, he hit .065.  Quite a difference.  I’ll give him a little break since he only has 18 professional games under his belt, but at 22 and half years old, he’ll have to really impress next year to get anywhere in Dodgers minor league system.

186.  B.J. LaMura, RHP (52 innings in AAA, 35 innings in AA in 2008)

Acquired via trade with White Sox in 2006 for Sandy Alomar Jr.

6’1”, 200 lbs, 27.5 years old

4-4, 5.87 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 7.52 K/9

LaMura was acquired in that very famous 2006 trade with the White Sox for Sandy Alomar Jr.  Oh wait, that trade had so little impact that 99% of people probably forgot that it happened.  Nevertheless, LaMura played most of last year in AAA, but did little to impress.  He’s 27 and half years old, so the Dodgers will probably have to re-sign him to a minor league contract if they want to keep him.  If they do resign him, he might start next year in AAA, but will probably be used to simply fill a roster spot.

185.  Dwayne Pollok, RPH (101 innings in AAA in 2008)

Acquired via trade with White Sox in 2007 for Tomas Perez

6’3”, 195 lbs, almost 27.5 years old

10-5, 4.70 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 5.38 K/9

If you thought being traded for Sandy Alomar Jr. was pretty funny, then being traded for Tomas Perez must be hilarious.  I had totally forgotten that the Dodgers had Tomas Perez at one point.  That guy was so irrelevant.  Anyways, Pollok is very similar to LaMura (#186) in that he’s 27 and a half, and had an average season last year in AAA.  His fate will also be very similar to LaMura’s, so we’ll have to wait and see if he’s with the Dodgers next year.

184.  Albie Goulder, 1B (34 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 15^th round

6’2”, 205 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats left handed

.229 average, 1 HR, 6 RBI’s

Goulder was drafted this year out of Louisiana Tech in the 15^th round, where he led his team with 14 home runs.  Another guy who has barely started his professional career, I’m sure he was adjusting to his new surrounds throughout the season.  His numbers were not very impressive, and he was a 22 year old playing in a rookie league, so like Sullivan (#187), he’ll have to really turn it on in 2009.

183.  Pedro Tavarez, C (58 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 198 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.220 average, 1 HR, 27 RBI’s

This year was Tavarez’s second season in the Dominican Summer League, and his numbers actually got worse.  After hitting .247 with 3 HR’s last year, he was only able to manage a .220 average and 1 HR in 2008.  He’s still fairly young, and while he’s a little undersized, his body type fits his position.  I don’t see him going anywhere, but he’s still young enough to possibly break out next year.

182.  Zachary Hammes, RHP (59 innings in AA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2002, 2^nd round

6’6”, 240 lbs, 24.5 years old

2-5, 5.31 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 6.83 K/9

The Dodgers had high hopes for Hammes back in the day when they drafted him in the 2^nd round way back in 2002.  He’s never really panned out, however, posting ERA’s over 5 in each of the past 2 years.  The Dodgers still had hope for him after last season, sending him to the Arizona Fall League, but he continued to struggle and had a 6.43 ERA.  At 6’6” he has the size, and at 24 and a half he’s still young enough to turn things around, so next year will really make or break Zachary Hammes’s career.

181.  Garett Green, 3B (37 games in GCL Rookie League, 1 game in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 30^th round

5’11”, 190 lbs, 23.5 years old

.242 average, 1 HR, 14 RBI’s

Green is another Dodger prospect who was drafted in a late round this year.  Coming out of San Diego State, Green signed quickly and played 37 games for the GCL Dodgers.  His stats were just average, but apparently the Dodgers felt he was good enough to promote him to AAA for the final day of 2008.  While he has no chance to play there on a regular basis next year, he’ll probably move up to LoA because he is already 23 and half years old.

180.  Shane Justis, 2B (117 games in AA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 21^st round

5’10”, 175 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.266 average, 2 HR’s 37 RBI’s

The Dodgers never expected much out of Justis when they drafted him in the 21^st round of 2005, but from 2005 through 2007, he had posted some pretty respectable numbers.   In 2008, however, he was promoted to AA, and he finally appeared overmatched.  While he was one of the older players in the league, he was only able to hit 2 HR’s with a .266 average.  Also, he is undersized, so he has probably already reached his potential.  He’ll probably stick around for another year or two, but there isn’t really anywhere for him to go.

179.  Gabriel Casanova, 2B (30 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 37^th round

6’1”, 190 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.240 average, 1 HR, 5 RBI’s

It’s always tough to prove yourself when you are a 37^th round pick, and Gabriel Casanova is demonstrating how difficult that can be.  As a 24 year old in a rookie league, Casanova had unimpressive numbers, and didn’t really show much potential.  His only upside comes from his athletic build, but that will only get him so far.

178.  Amauri Guzman, RHP (14 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/24/04

6’3”, 200 lbs, 22 years old

1-0, 9.64 ERA, 2.50 WHIP, 8.36 K/9

Amauri Guzman was actually an outfield in the Dodgers system for the past three years, before being converted to a pitcher for the 2008 season.  In fact, he played in the GCL last year where he hit a respectable .310.  I’m not sure why he was converted to a pitcher, unless they felt his size was better suited for the mound, but whatever the reason, the results were probably not what management had hoped.  It’s true he only pitched 14 innings this year, so he’s still probably just getting the hang of things, but as a 22 year old who is still in the Dominican Summer League, he’ll have to improve in a hurry.

177.  Yennifree Hanson, RHP (22 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 180 lbs, 21.5 years old

2-1, 5.24 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 5.64 K/9

2008 was Hanson’s first season with the Dodgers, but that doesn’t hide the fact that his numbers were below average.  He did have 3 saves for the Dominican Dodgers and didn’t allow a home run, but he walked too many batters.  He is also still fairly young, so hopefully he’ll get the opportunity to improve next year.

176.  Ryan Arp, C (13 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 45^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.278 average, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI

Arp was the Dodgers very last draft pick in the 2008 draft, and he ended up signing with the team because he had already graduated from Upper Iowa University.  It’s actually surprising that he was even drafted at all because he only hit .208 during his senior year.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers took a chance on him because he plays good defense, which can be tough to find in a catcher.  In short, Arp has no chance to make it to the majors, but may help out a few young pitchers along the way by playing solid defense behind the plate.

175.  Irvit Mendez, RHP (0 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 206 lbs, 18.5 years old

0-0, infinite ERA & WHIP, N/A K/9

I know absolutely nothing about Irvit Mendez, except for the fact that he pitched in exactly one Dominican Summer League game this season, walked 5 batters, allowed 4 earned runs, and failed to get an out.  Why he only pitched in one game I will never know, but I do like his potential as an 18 year old with a solid build.  I’m assuming we’ll see more of Mendez next year, and hopefully he’ll get some better results.

174.  Jean Eusebio, C (15 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/12/07

6’1”, 195 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.138 average, 0 HR’s, 1 RBI

Jean Eusebio only played 15 games in 2008 and had disappointing numbers, but we shouldn’t write him off just yet.  He is only 19 years old and has an ideal catcher’s body, so his best days are still to come.  He’ll probably repeat in the Dominican Summer League in 2009, and I’m looking for him to put up much better numbers next year. 

173.  Lyndon Poole, CF (20 games in GCL, 17 games in Pioneer League, 1 game at AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/5/06

6’1”, 190 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.198 average, 2 HR’s, 8 RBI’s

Poole was signed as a non-drafted free agent in July of 2006, but has struggled to find his swing since turning pro.  He has hit .238, .205, and .198 since his signing, and has only hit 2 total home runs.  Nevertheless, Poole still has a chance to do something in the Dodgers system as he an athletic build, has some speed (4 SB’s without being caught) and is still only 22 years old.  He should start the year in Lo-A ball next year where he’ll get a chance to prove himself.

172.  Jhan Lopez, RHP (14 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 2/9/07

6’2”, 180 lbs, 22 years old

1-1, 8.79 ERA, 2.16 WHIP, 10.68 K/9

Jhan Lopez followed up an ugly 2007 (7.88 ERA) with an even worse 2008.  His 2.16 WHIP ranked as one of the worst in the Dodgers system, and Lopez is already 22 years old.  On the plus side, however, Jhan struck out more than a batter per inning for the second consecutive year, and still only has less than 30 professional innings under his belt.  Next year will make or break Lopez, and hopefully he’ll be able to make it out of the DSL.

171.  Marlon Arias, LHP (68 innings in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/11/03

6’3”, 155 lbs, 24 years old

7-3, 5.03 ERA, 1.66 WHIP, 6.49 K/9

Marlon Arias is probably best known for the no-hitter he threw in 2007 while in Hi-A.  While he’s never been a dominate pitcher, he’s shown flashes of brilliance throughout his minor league career (as demonstrated by that no-hitter).  Signed at the beginning of 2003 out the Dominican Republic, he dominated the Dominican Summer League in 2003 and 2004 before coming to the U.S. in 2005.  From 2005 through 2008 he’s consistently had an ERA in the 5’s, which isn’t great, but isn’t awful either.  Overall, he still has some work to do, but has already made it up to AA at 24 years old, and should be there again next year.

170.  Jake New, LF (35 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 36^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats left handed

.236 average, 0 HR’s, 8 RBI’s

Jake New was drafted out of Tennessee Tech where he hit .354 as a senior.  He struggled to adjust to wood bats in his pro ball debut, however, as he hit just .236 in the GCL.  A left handed hitter without much pop, New doesn’t project to get very far in the Dodgers’ system.  He does have some speed, however, and will get another chance to prove himself next year, possibly in Lo-A.

169.  Esteban Lopez, C (43 games in HiA, 3 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 25^th round

6’1”, 210 lbs, 24 years old, bats right handed

.243 average, 1 HR, 13 RBI’s

Lopez is just another catcher in the Dodgers system, and spent most of last season at Hi-A.  He was drafted out of the University of Hawaii in 2006, and has done little to impress since his debut.  He has consistently hit for a low average, and at 24 years old, hasn’t shown any power.  Nevertheless, he does have a great build for a catcher, and will probably get another chance next year to prove himself in Hi-A.

168.  Joris Bert, CF (28 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 19^th round

5’10”, 165 lbs, 21 years old, bats left handed

.250 average, 0 HR’s, 6 RBI’s

Bert was the first French player ever drafted in the MLB.  So far, however, that has been his biggest accomplishment.  One of the smaller players on this list, Bert was supposed to be a speedy outfielder.  He was caught in 4 of his 7 stolen base attempts, though, which doesn’t bode well for his overall ability.  At 21, he still has a chance to improve his game, but he is still a long-shot to make an impact in the Dodgers minor league system.

167.  Cal Stanke, RHP (23 innings in Pioneer Rookie League, 15 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 15^th round

5’10”, 175 lbs, 23.5 years old

4-2, 5.50 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 7.41 K/9

Stanke was drafted out of the Division III school Wisconsin-Oshkosh in 2007 where he posted a 1.32 ERA as a senior.   That success hasn’t translated to a prosperous professional career, however, as Stanke has recorded ERA’s around 5.50 over the past two seasons, which have mostly been in the Pioneer Rookie League.  Another under-sized player at 5’10”, Stanke probably doesn’t have much of a future, but there still is some potential in this 15^th round pick if he is able to move up to a higher level in 2009.

166.  Andrick Villalobos, C (25 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/18/03

6’0”, 165 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.229 average, 0 HR’s, 3 RBI’s

Villalobos has been with the Dodgers since 2003, and finally made his U.S. debut in 2008.  Unfortunately, his stats were not at all impressive in the Gulf Coast League, and he is already 22 years old.  That being said, he is able to play a solid catcher (only 1 error in 2008), and will hopefully improve his offensive numbers in 2009.

165.  Luis Matos, 3B (2 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 190 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.000 average, 0 HR’s, 0 RBI’s

Luis Matos was signed by the Dodgers in 2008, and played in only 2 games, but still has potential as a 6’0” 3^rd baseman because he is only 19.  I don’t know much else about him as a player, but hopefully he’ll be around in 2009 and will play more than 2 games.

164.  Yosanddy Garcia, LF (25 games in LoA, 1 game in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/7/04

6’0”, 170 lbs, almost 21 years old, bats right handed

.141 average, 1 HR, 2 RBI’s

Yosanddy Garcia finally moved up in the Dodgers minor league system in 2008 after spending 3 seasons in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.  He struggled mightily throughout 2008, but is only 21 years old, and does have some power (he had 8 HR’s in 2007 in only 127 at bats).  2009 will have to be a rebound year for Garcia if he wants to make a name for himself in this deep Dodger system, and it is yet to be determined if he will start next year in Lo-A or Hi-A.

163.  Miguel Ramirez, RHP (50 innings in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 8/22/02

5’11”, 180 lbs, 25 years old

2-9, 4.29 ERA, 1.75 WHIP, 8.40 K/9

Ramirez has already been with the Dodgers for a long time, yet has never made it past the level of HiA.  After dominating at LoA for most of 2007, he was sent up for a brief 8 innings of HiA at the end of the 2007 season.  He posted an ERA of over 7 during that time, though, and was banished back to LoA for all of 2008.  He wasn’t able to repeat his great 2007 performance in LoA, however, even though he was one of the oldest players in the league.  His worst stat was his 1.75 WHIP, and at 5’11”, he isn’t going to intimidate anyone.  His only plus is his ability to strike out hitters, but even that is probably only a function of him having so much experience in the lower levels of minor league baseball.

162.  Francisco Lizarraga, SS (51 games in LoA, 16 games in AAA, 13 games in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/02

6’1”, 170 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.206 average, 2 HR’s, 20 RBI’s

Lizarraga is another player who has been with the team since 2002, yet hasn’t really progressed as much as the Dodgers would have liked.  Overall, he had a tough 2008, but was promoted all the way up to AAA for 16 games at one point where he actually hit .310.   At 6’1” he has good size for a shortstop, and is still only 23, so a full season next year at either HiA or AA should be a good test for him to see how he responds.  In addition, he is playing this winter for the Venados de Mazatlan in the Mexican Winter League, so hopefully that will help his game.

161.  Gabriel Gutierrez, C (35 games in AA, 19 games in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2002

5’11”, 175 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats right handed

.233 average, 1 HR, 16 RBI’s

Gutierrez started his professional career as a first baseman, but switched to catcher before the 2004 season.  Since then, he has posted below average numbers, but has been able to work his way all the way up to AA.  Seen as a backup catcher at best, Gutierrez has never had much power.  Also, the fact that he is already 24 and a half years old doesn’t help his chances of making it to the show.  However, if he can turn it around next year, he may have a chance to make it up to AAA.

160.  Steve Smith, RHP (28 games in Pioneer Rookie League, 2 games in GCL in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’2”, 215 lbs, 22 years old

1-0, 5.04 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 6.53 K/9

Steve Smith was signed by the Dodgers during 2008, but didn’t have great success in his first professional season.  He pitched in the Pioneer League, and posted an ERA over 5.00 with about 6.5 strikeouts per 9 innings.  Nevertheless, he has good size for a pitcher at 6’2”, and is still young in his professional career.  He should get a chance to pitch in A ball next year, so we’ll see what he can do then.

159.  Angel Chavez, 3B (117 games in AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in January of 2008

6’1”, 180 lbs, 27 years old, bats right handed

.292 average, 10 HR’s, 68 RBI’s

Chavez actually began the 2008 season on the Dodgers major league roster, but never played in a game before being sent back to the minors.  For the remainder of the 2008 season Chavez played in AAA, and actually had a pretty good year.  At 27 years old, Chavez is basically a journeyman, and it is unknown if he will return to the Dodgers next year.  If he does, he’ll have to return to AAA, and will basically be an insurance policy in an emergency situation.

158.  Jacob McCarter, RHP (14 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 185 lbs, 24 years old

2-0, 4.40 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 10.68 K/9

McCarter was signed by the Dodgers as a minor league free agent in 2008 and pitched out of the bullpen for their Gulf Coast Rookie League team.  Because he was signed mid-season, he only logged 14 innings, and in that time posted average stats.  He is already 24 years old, which doesn’t bode well for his long term potential.  In fact, the only reason that McCarter is ranked at #158 instead of in the 180’s is because his strikeout numbers were pretty impressive, as he was able to strike out over a guy per inning.

157.  Justin Fuller, 2B (55 games in HiA, 16 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 11^th round

6’1”, 175 lbs, 25 years old, bats left handed

.248 average, 0 HR’s, 13 RBI’s

Fuller was drafted in 2006 out of NAIA baseball powerhouse Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho.  Since his pro debut, he has proved to be a light hitting middle infielder with only 1 total HR to his credit over the past 3 years.  He doesn’t have much speed either, as he has never had more than 7 SB’s in a season.  At 25 years old, this left handed hitter is running out of time to impress, and unless he improves his hitting over the off-season, he will probably be out of baseball within the next few years.

156.  Geraldo Martinez, LHP (17 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/23/07

6’0”, 162 lbs, 20.5 years old

0-1, 5.40 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 4.32 K/9

2008 was the first professional season for Geraldo Martinez, and while his overall stats don’t really show it, he had a solid year.  A skinny lefthander, Martinez is only 20 and half years old and is still learning to pitch.  While his ERA was 5.40, the batting average against him for the entire year was only .230.  He also improved throughout the year, and only allowed a 2.45 ERA and a .143 batting average against during the month of August.  He’ll probably repeat next year in the Dominican Summer League, and will hopefully improve enough to make his U.S debut in 2010.

155.  Johan Garcia, 3B (38 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 4/19/05

6’0”, 175 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.242 average, 0 HR’s 13 RBI’s

Johan Garcia repeated in the GCL during 2008 season, but unfortunately the results were worse than in 2007.  After posting a .295 average in the GCL in 2007, his average slipped to .242.  He also didn’t hit a home run either year, so Garcia really has no power potential, which is never good for a third baseman.  However, he does have some speed (7 SB’s without being caught), and is only 22 years old.  He should finally move up to Lo-A next year, so we’ll see what he does there.

154.  Keyter Collado, C (19 games in GCL, 4 games in Pioneer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 5/27/04

5’11”, 178 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.254 average, 0 HR’s, 5 RBI’s

Collado took a step back in 2008 after hitting .314 and .305 in 2006 and 2007 respectively.  One reason for this decline can be attributed to the fact that he only got to play in 23 games, and never really had a chance to get in a groove.  He ended the season in the Pioneer League, and at 22 years old, is still maturing as a player.  Next year he should get a better opportunity to play, but unless he develops some power, this young catcher won’t make it very far.

153.  Given Kutz, RHP (106 innings in LoA, 20 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 18^th round

6’3”, 215 lbs, 24 years old

5-7, 4.14 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 6.93 K/9

Given Kutz probably has the strangest name in the Dodgers minor league system, but unfortunately his stats don’t stand out as much as his name.  Given pitched a lot of innings in 2008, and spent the majority of his time in Lo-A.  His numbers we not bad, but they weren’t great either.  He held hitters to a combined .269 average, but didn’t strike out many.  His biggest advantages are his size and the fact that he is a physical player.  His biggest disadvantage is his age because he will be 24 years old going into 2009, and only has 20 innings of experience above Lo-A.

152.  Alexis Crispin, SS (37 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 172 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.236 average, 1 HR, 10 RBI’s

2008 was the first professional season for Alexis Crispin, and he struggled in his debut.  Nevertheless, he is only 19 years old, and has good size for a shortstop at 6’1”.  I don’t know too much more about Crispin, but hopefully he’ll continue to grow and mature for next season, whether he is back in the Dominican Summer League, or promoted up to the Dodgers new rookie affiliate in Arizona. 

151.  Jose Sanchez, LF (5 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 2/9/07

6’2”, 175 lbs, 18.5 years old, bats right handed

.182 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s

Jose Sanchez is another young player who struggled during 2008, but I really like his potential as an outfielder.  I am basing this on the fact that he has good size at 6’2”, and because he is an 18 year old who already has two years of experience (even though he only played 5 games during 2008, probably because of injury).  If he continues to work hard, and possibly even grow a little, he could have a big year in 2009 and become a legitimate prospect.

150.  Jordan Roberts, LHP (17 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 28^th round

6’1”, 180 lbs, 22.5 years old

1-1, 5.82 ERA, 1.88 WHIP, 9.53 K/9

Drafted in the 28^th round of 2008 out of Embry-Riddle in Florida, Jordan Roberts made his professional debut in the Pioneer Rookie League.  While he had an ugly ERA, WHIP, and batting average against (.333), he is a strong lefthander who will definitely get better next year.  He showed his strength with more than a strikeout per inning.  Also, in looking at his college stats for 2008, he had an ERA of 1.94 in 120 innings with 135 K’s.  While Embry-Riddle isn’t facing very tough competition, those are still some pretty good numbers.  So overall, Roberts is a promising lefty who could turn some heads next year.

149.  Gari Tavarez, RHP (34 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

6’0”, 170 lbs, 21 years old

2-5, 5.03 ERA, 1.62 WHIP, 4.50 K/9

Gari Tavarez absolutely dominated the Dominican Summer League last year as a 19 year old (1.49 ERA, 9.5 K/9), but that success didn’t carry over this year in the U.S.  The difference in success shows us that Tavarez still has a lot of learning to do.  It also shows us the difference in competition between the Dominican Summer League and the GCL.  For someone who just turned 21 years old this month, Tavarez is still in pretty good shape within this Dodgers system.  While he’s a little undersized for a pitcher, he’ll probably get a chance to prove himself in the Pioneer League next year, and hopefully he’ll be able to make some adjustments and return to his 2007 form.

148.  Rafael Aybar, 2B (44 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 4/9/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 18.5 years old, switch hitter

.224 average, 1 HR, 7 RBI’s

Aybar is another young Dominican player in the Dodgers system, and 2008 was his second season as a professional.  While his .224 average this year isn’t very impressive, it is actually an improvement over 2007, when he hit .152 over 38 games.  A second basemen without much size, Aybar does have some speed (16 SB’s over the past two years while being caught only 4 times).  At only 18 and half years old, Aybar has plenty of time to improve, and because he is a switch hitter the Dodgers will give him many opportunities to prove himself.

147.  Brandon Tuten, RHP (18 innings in HiA, 9 innings in Pioneer League, 2 innings in AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/10/07

6’2”, 185 lbs, 23 years old

1-3, 5.83 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 8.90 K/9

Tuten made three stops during 2008, including AAA where he finished up the season.  While his time there wasn’t very memorable, the fact that the Dodgers even brought him up to that level shows they have at least some confidence in him.  Tuten’s stats for 2008 were actually not as bad as they look.  While an overall 2.08 WHIP is very ugly, he did post a 3.44 ERA in the California league, where he spent the majority of the season (18 innings).  His 8.90 K/9 rate also demonstrates his ability to strike players out.  Hopefully he’ll be able to accumulate more innings next season, and at 23, he still has a chance to make a name for himself.

146.  Alexis De La Cruz, C (20 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’10”, 185 lbs, 18 years old, bats right handed

.231 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s

Alexis De La Cruz just turned 18 on October 15^th, so he was only 17 years old during the entire 2008 season.  That being said, this young catcher has a long way to go in his baseball development.  In 26 at bats this season in the Dominican Summer League, De La Cruz had 6 hits, but they were all singles.  I’m not familiar with his development behind the plate, but I’m sure he is extremely raw.  Since young catchers are hard to find, it’ll be interesting to follow his development, but I’m sure it will be a year of two before he does anything significant in the Dodgers system.

145.  Adam Godwin, CF (132 games in AA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 11^th round

5’11”, 170 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.264 average, 2 HR’s, 37 RBI’s

Adam Godwin is one of the fastest Dodger minor leagues, and finished 2008 with 31 stolen bases, (the 3^rd most in the Dodger system).  That is nothing compared to three years ago, however, when he led all Division I college players with 81 stolen bases in 89 attempts.  As fast as Godwin is, his problem is that he doesn’t hit for a high enough average to be effective on the base paths.  In addition, he has no power to speak of.  Nevertheless, he does have some experience because he spent all of last season in AA, and may even make it up to AAA next year a speedy center fielder.

144.  Wilfredo Diaz, LHP (13 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 15^th round

5’11”, 180 lbs, 21.5 years old

0-1, 6.39 ERA, 1.90 WHIP, 10.66 K/9

I was a little perplexed by Wilfredo Diaz this season because he didn’t after the 4^th of July.  I didn’t hear anything about an injury, and then I thought I read somewhere that he had been released.  I don’t why he would have been released, however, because he is still a young player and had more than a strike out per inning for the second straight year.  Of course he did also have a dismal ERA and WHIP, but that was only through 13 innings.  Overall, as an undersized lefty, Diaz has some work to do next season (that is if he even returns).

143.  Melvin Ray, RF (15 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 33^rd round

6’4”, 205 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.162 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s

Melvin Ray was one of the most interesting stories in the Dodgers 2008 draft class.  Shortly after being drafted, Ray claimed to be an ancestor of Jackie Robinson.  Whether he is or not, I don’t really care, but the fact that he even made such a claim moved him up a few spots on my list.  Also, while his stats weren’t great through his first 15 games, he does have the athletic size to one day become a great player.  Any 19 year old who is 6’4” and 205 lbs has a lot of potential in my book.

142.  Alberto Bastardo, LHP (132 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/13/06

6’0”, 160 lbs, 24.5 years old

5-8, 5.19 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 7.45 K/9

Alberto Bastardo is a lefthander with a strange name.  He isn’t very big, is 24 and a half years old, and hasn’t played above Hi-A.  Also, he wasn’t even originally with by the Dodgers, as he was first signed by the Orioles in 2002.  Since joining the Dodgers in 2006, he’s been pretty average, posting ERA’s ranging from 4.53 to 5.19.  He has had some pretty good strike out rates, however.  In addition, he’s currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League with the Caribes de Anzoategui, and so far hasn’t allowed a run in 3 innings.  Bastardo’s biggest advantage is the fact that he is a left hander, but he’s probably better suited as a relief pitcher.  He’ll probably make it up to AA next year, and it should be interesting to see how he does in a more pitcher friendly environment. 

141.  Jesus Rodriguez, RHP (67 innings in AA, 30 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/20/05

6’0”, 180 lbs, 23 years old

7-6, 4.66 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 6.15 K/9

Jesus Rodriquez has posted some solid stats over the past two years while moving fairly quickly in the Dodgers system.  His first big stumbling block came this year in AA, but he is still only 23 and has some time to adjust.  He might be doing that adjusting right now in the Mexican Winter League, as he has already started 4 games for the Yaquis de Obregon.  He does have a 5.85 ERA in that time, but I still have confidence that these extra games are helping him.  He’ll probably return to AA next year, and hopefully he’ll be ready this time.

140.  Brian Mathews, 3B (64 games in LoA, 10 games in HiA, 9 games in GCL in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 45^th round

6’0”, 230 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.203 average, 4 HR’s, 24 RBI’s

Brain Mathews was a very late round pick in 2005, yet is still a very intriguing player.  While his stats last year were not great, he is still only 21 years old, and has the body type to be a solid 3^rd baseman.  In addition, he did have a pretty good year in 2007, hitting .300 in 60 games with 6 home runs.  Mathews jumped around in 2008, playing at 3 different levels, but next year he should get a chance to play more consistently on the same team at Hi-A.  I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a break out year in 2009, but of course, I could be wrong.

139.  Javier Solano, RHP (38 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 177 lbs, 18.5 years old

2-3, 9.47 ERA, 1.95 WHIP, 8.53 K/9

2008 was Solano’s first season in professional baseball, and as far as I can tell, he was signed straight out of Mexico.  He is only 18 and half years old, yet made his debut in the Pioneer Rookie League.  He posted some pretty awful stats, but was able to strike out quite a few opposing hitters.  At only 6’0”, he’ll have to work hard to make an impact in this system, but he is participating in the Mexican Winter League to try and improve his performance.  He’ll probably repeat in the Rookie League next year, and hopefully will have better results.

138.  James Tomlin, LF (108 games in AA)

Signed by Dodgers 10/2/2006

6’0”, 183 lbs, 26 years old, bats right handed

.313 average, 2 HR’s, 35 RBI’s

Tomlin is one of the older players on this list, but had a pretty solid season in AA during 2008.  Originally drafted in the 7^th round by the Twins in 2000, he played 6 seasons with them before moving to the Royals organization in 2006.  He stayed there for only one season, before moving on to the Dodgers in 2007.  In his two seasons with the Dodgers, he has shown very little power, but has demonstrated a little speed, along with the ability to hit for a decent average.  Overall, it’s doubtful that Tomlin will ever make it up the majors, but he may be promoted to AAA next year if he decides to stay with the Dodgers organization. 

137.  Jerome Williams, RHP (26 innings in AAA, 10 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 6/25/08

6’3”, 240 lbs, 27 years old

2-3, 3.25 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 7.25 K/9

Most Dodger fans probably remember Jerome Williams from his days with the Giants.  He was their number one pick in the 1999 draft, and was a highly regarded prospect not too long ago.  After his trade to the Cubs in 2005, however, he went downhill, and was eventually released.  Williams began the 2008 season with the Long Beach Armada of the Golden Baseball League, but was later signed by the Dodgers in June.  He started his career with the Dodgers with their Hi-A club, before moving up to AAA in July and August.  While his overall stats for 2008 weren’t amazing, he did post a 2.08 ERA during his time in AAA, which is pretty impressive in the PCL.  While it’s possible that Williams will regain the stuff that made him a number 1 pick, that is highly unlikely.  What I can see happening, however, is Williams having a good beginning of 2009 in AAA, and eventually being called up to the Dodgers as a long reliever.  Then again, he might not even be with the team next year.  We shall see.

136.  Miguel Pinango, RHP (136 innings in AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/30/07

6’1”, 190 lbs, 25.5 years old

5-9, 5.16 ERA, 1.49 WHIP, 6.15 K/9

Pinango is another player who has already been in baseball for a long time.  Signed by the Mets in 1999 when he was 16, he spent seven seasons in their minor league system.  He was signed by the Dodgers in 2007 as a minor league free agent, and has been their AAA workhorse ever since.  While his 2007 numbers were more impressive than the ones he posted in 2008, his 5.16 ERA wasn’t bad for a starter in the PCL.  He doesn’t strike out a ton of players, but does have an excellent changeup.  If he returns to the Dodgers, he’ll probably begin the year again in AAA, and will have an outside chance to make the major league club if injuries occur.

135.  Alexis Aguilar, SS (41 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’11”, 162 lbs, 17 years old, bats right handed

.211 average, 0 HR’s, 8 RBI’s

Alexis Aguilar was barely 17 during the 2008 season, yet played 41 games at shortstop for the Dominican Summer League.  Unfortunately he only hit .211 with 8 RBI’s, but took a big step in learning how to play the game.  He stole 8 bases in those 41 games, and only made 8 errors, which is pretty good for a 17 year old rookie at a premium position.  At 5’11”, he has size to stay at shortstop, so now he just needs to continue improving.

134.  Yorniel Martinez, CF (52 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 160 lbs, 18 years old, bats right handed

.228 average, 1 HR, 21 RBI’s

Yorniel Martinez is another young player who made his debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2008.  He plays center field, and stole 12 bases in 52 games.  Obviously his average was pretty low, but that was probably the result of Yorniel never playing a full season of baseball before.  You see, he started off his career strong, posting a .288 average in June, but then tailed off by hitting .250 in July and a dismal .103 in August.  Once he gains stamina, he may be able to climb up the rankings in the Dodgers system.

133.  Andres Santiago, RHP (18 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 16^th round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 19 years old

1-0, 4.00 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 4.00 K/9

Andres Santiago was cruising along in 2008 before his season was cut short in the middle of July.  I’m not sure what that reason is, although I’m assuming it was some sort of arm injury.  Anyways, after being drafted in the 16^th round in 2007 out of Puerto Rico, Santiago began his Dodgers career in the GCL where he posted a 4.50 ERA in 2007.  He continued his career in the GCL in 2008, and improved his ERA to 4.00.  Both years he had very low strikeout ratios, which is a little troubling, but he does have the size to be a decent pitcher.  He is still only 19 years old, so that is to his advantage, and given that he is able to come back strong from his injury, he’ll probably begin the 2009 season in the Pioneer Rookie League.

132.  Edward Bens, C (41 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 2/9/07

6’1”, 189 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats right handed

.205 average, 1 HR, 15 RBI’s

Edward Bens played his second professional season with the Dominican Summer League Dodgers in 2008.  His stats were rather unimpressive, but they were an improvement over 2007 when he hit only .191 with 9 RBI’s.  A catcher with ideal size for his position, Bens is still only 19.5 years old and is still improving.  He is another player who tailed off at the end of the season, hitting .188 in July and .074 in August, so that shows his stamina just isn’t’ there.  That will likely improve as time goes on and he gets more accustomed to the game.  I’m guessing the Dodgers will give him a chance in the Arizona Rookie League in 2009, which will be a big step for this young player.

131.  Mario Grispin, SS (1 game in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/23/07

6’2”, 165 lbs, 17.5 years old, bats right handed

.250 average, 0 HR’s, 2 RBI’s

I’m not going to pretend like I know anything about this player, because I don’t.  All I know is what I’ve read on his player page in the minor league baseball website, and that he was signed by the Dodgers in July of 2007.  The biggest mystery is why he has only played one professional game since he was signed over a year ago.  Maybe they are trying to ease him into things, or maybe he has had quite a few injuries, but nevertheless his one game was pretty impressive because he had a hit and drove in two runs.  In addition, he has three things going for him.  One he is only 17 and a half years old, two, he plays shortstop, and three, he has pretty good size.  Hopefully he’ll play more than one game next year, and then we’ll be able to see what he can really do.

130.  Luis Vasquez, RHP (19 innings in HiA, 12 innings in Pioneer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/20/03

6’4”, 156 lbs, 22.5 years old

0-0, 3.48 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.06 K/9

Luis Vasquez is a tall and very skinny player who split time last year between the Pioneer Rookie League and Hi-A.  While he does not strike out very many batters, he was able to post a respectable ERA and WHIP.  He also held batters to a .219 average for the season, which was his most impressive stat.  His biggest disadvantage is that he’s only pitched 40 innings over the past two seasons, so he hasn’t gotten a lot of experience.  He is still only 22 and a half years old, however, so if he can put on a little weight and pitch a full season in 2009, he could turn into a legitimate prospect.

129.  Christian Gonzalez, RHP (46 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 11/1/04

6’1”, 169 lbs, 20 years old

1-7, 3.72 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 5.09 K/9

Even though Christian Gonzalez is only 20 years old, he has been playing in the Dodgers system since 2005.  During that time, he’s moved from 3^rd base, to outfield, and now to pitcher.  The move to pitcher was a little surprising because Gonzalez actually had a respectable year at the plate last year, but apparently he has more potential as a pitcher.  H had a pretty good debut on the mound, posting a respectable ERA and a decent WHIP.  While he doesn’t have great size, he may be useful out of the pen.  He’ll probably return to the DSL next year and continue to work on his pitching.

128.  Kyle Wilson, RHP (13 innings in AA, 10 innings in GCL in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 22^nd round

6’2”, 200 lbs, 25.5 years old

2-1, 2.78 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 4.37 K/9

Kyle Wilson is a local boy, born in Santa Monica, growing up in Valencia, and going to college at UCLA.  He was drafted in the 22^nd round of 2004, and had a breakout year in 2007, posting a 1.09 ERA in 33 innings at Inland Empire.  His great season was largely overlooked, however, because he was a 24 year old playing in Hi-A.  In 2008, he started the year in AA, but had some sort of injury and basically rehabbed in the GCL Rookie League during most of the season.  He did end his time in the GCL with a 0.90 ERA, and had a 2.78 overall ERA in 2008, but he is now 25 years old and time is running out for him.

127.  Carlos De Aza, RHP (20 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/24/07

6’3”, 178 lbs, 18.5 years old

1-0, 6.53 ERA, 2.08 WHIP, 8.71 K/9

2008 was the first professional season for Carlos De Aza, and while he didn’t have the best ERA or WHIP, he had a successful debut.  He is obviously very young at 18 and a half, but already has good size.  In addition, he had a strikeout rate of 8.71 per 9 innings, and opposing hitter only hit .233 against him.  He’ll need to pitch significantly more innings in 2009 to continue his growth, and if that happens, I think that De Aza has the potential to move quickly in the Dodgers system.

126.  Matt Berezay, LF (90 games in HiA, 33 games in AA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 21^st round

5’11”, 185 lbs, 25 years old, switch hitter

.227 average, 11 HR’s, 62 RBI’s

Matt Berezay is a small, switch hitting left fielder that has some legitimate power.  After hitting 13 HR’s in the pitcher friendly Midwest League, he powered 11 more HR’s in 2008.  The only problem is that Berezay is already 25 years old, and while he started 2008 at AA, he was demoted during the season, and finished the year at Hi-A.  In addition, he doesn’t hit for a high average or have much speed.  I’m assuming that Berezay will get another shot at AA in 2009, and hopefully he’ll post better results this time.

125.  Cody White, LHP (85 innings in AA, 60 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 12^th round

6’3”, 185 lbs, 23.5 years old

10-9, 4.94 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, 5.81 K/9

Cody White has been in the Dodgers system for a while now, and has been a consistent lefty starter for the last 3 years.  He posted a 2.68 ERA in the Pioneer Rookie League in 2006, and a combined 3.14 ERA in A ball in 2007.  While his ERA jumped to a combined 4.94 in 2008, it was due to the fact that he made the leap to AA.  Not known as a strikeout pitcher, White uses his size and experience to get guys out.  He’ll probably return to AA next year as a 24 year old, and may even get a change to move up to AAA due to the fact that he is a lefty.

124.  Adrian Aviles, RF (64 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

6’1”, 155 lbs, 19.5 years old, bats left handed

.267 average, 0 HR’s, 16 RBI’s

Even though Adrian Aviles is only 19 and half years old, 2008 was his third professional season.  He hasn’t had a lot of success at the plate during any of the three seasons, but has improved each year.  His .267 average is pretty good for the Dominican Summer League, especially since he ended the year on a high note, hitting .317 in the month of August.  Although he hasn’t shown any power yet, he still has the potential to be a powerful left hand hitting outfielder.  My guess is that Aviles will make the move to one of the Dodgers U.S. Rookie affiliates in 2009, and maybe that will jumpstart his offensive career. 

123.  Scott Van Slyke, RF (48 games in HiA, 22 games in LoA)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 14^th round

6’5”, 195 lbs, 22 years old, bats right handed

.232 average, 5 HR’s, 33 RBI’s

Scott Van Slyke is the son of former major leaguer Andy Van Slyke, so he definitely has the bloodlines to succeed in baseball.  At 6’5”, he also has the size to be a very successful player and outfielder.  Unfortunately, he has yet to hit his stride offensively and has consistently hit for a low average since being drafted in 2005.   The Dodgers are still hoping his power and other offensive skills will develop, however, because even though he was a 14^th round pick, they had big plans for him coming out of high school.  The first step for Van Slyke’s success will be for him to get regular playing time, because he only played in 70 games in 2008.  He’ll probably get that opportunity next year when he returns to Inland Empire as their everyday right fielder.

122.  Jonathan Runnels, LHP (31 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 29^th round

6’1”, 165 lbs, 22.5 years old

3-0, 6.39 ERA, 1.94 WHIP, 11.61 K/9

Jonathan Runnels was drafted out of Rice College this year after pitching just 13 innings for the Owls during his senior year.  The Dodgers saw something in Runnels, however, and although his ERA and WHIP were awful in his pro debut, he was able to strike out batters at a rate of 11.61 K’s per nine innings.  At 165 lbs, he is not a big player, but has an advantage in the Dodgers system because he is a lefty.  Runnels will have to move quickly because he is already 22 and half years old, and he should get a chance to prove himself next year in A ball. 

121.  Eric Thompson, RHP (29 innings in Pioneer Rookie League, 13 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 23^rd round

6’6”, 210 lbs, 20.5 years old

2-2, 5.10 ERA, 1.56 WHIP, 7.02 K/9

Eric Thompson was drafted out of high school in 2006, and put his basketball career aside to sign with the Dodgers. As a 23^rd round pick, he signed for a surprising large bonus, and has progressed steadily through the Dodgers system since then.  He’s advanced from the rookie league to Lo-A, and is still just 20 and half years old.  At 6’6”, he has the size to be a power pitcher, and will hopefully continue to improve as he gets older.  He’ll probably start next season back at Lo-A, but has a chance to move up to Inland Empire by mid-season.

120.  Matthew Smith, RHP (24 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 22^nd round

6’6”, 195 lbs, 22 years old

3-0, 4.56 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 8.37 K/9

Smith was drafted by the Dodgers because of his size, not because of his college stats.  He recorded a 6.11 ERA during his 2008 season with Wichita State, and a 7.41 ERA during his 2007 season.  Nevertheless, Smith was able to use his size to his advantage during his professional debut as he posted some pretty respectable stats in the Pioneer Rookie League.  And actually, if you take out the 8 earned runs he allowed in his final two appearances in 2008, his ERA would have been around 2.  In addition, batters hit only .231 against him.  At 22 years old, Smith should move quickly through the system, but I would expect him to face a much bigger challenge at Great Lakes or Inland Empire in 2009. 

119.  Rogelito Chery, RHP (30 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’10”, 171 lbs, 19 years old

3-3, 6.00 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 8.70 K/9

Chery began his professional career in 2008 with the Dominican Dodgers, and struggled quite a bit.  He posted a horrendous ERA and WHIP, and batters hit almost .300 against him.  On the positive side, however, Chery struck out almost a batter per inning, which hopefully means that does have good stuff.  He also improved as the season progressed, recording an improved ERA of 3.68 in the month of August.  While he is listed at only 5’10”, this 19 year old is still growing, and with any luck at least reach the 6 foot mark.  Overall, I expect a much better season out of Chery in 2009, especially because he has a year of experience under his belt.

118.  Rene Rivera, C (38 games in AA, 37 games in AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers as a FA in 2008

5’10”, 230 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.250 average, 9 HR’s, 30 RBI’s

Rene Rivera was signed by the Dodgers as an insurance policy at catcher before the 2008 season, and made his way up to AAA.  Originally a 2^nd round pick of the Mariners in the 2001 draft, Rivera actually made it up to the majors from the 2004 to 2006 seasons.  After struggling, however, he was sent back to the minors before the 2007 season, and has been there ever since.  Currently a minor league free agent, Rivera will probably sign elsewhere because he is not good enough to be Martin’s backup, and is even buried under players such as A.J. Ellis and Lucas May.  That being said, he had a respectable year during 2008, and may one day make it back up to the show.

117.  Marlon Urriola, RHP (50 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 5/25/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 20 years old

1-4, 5.04 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 8.46 K/9

Marlon Urriola took a small step back in 2008 after posting a 3.62 ERA in 2007, but he did show improvement in some areas, including his ability to strike guys out.  At 6’2”, he has a pretty good foundation, and now just needs to add some weight.  He is only 20 years old, yet has already played three seasons in the Dominican Summer League.  It will be up to the minor league staff to determine if Urriola is ready to make the jump to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues. 

116.  Brian Ruggiano, 2B (46 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 23^rd round

6’0”, 175, 22 years old, bats right handed

.241 average, 2 HR’s, 21 RBI’s

Brian was the second Ruggiano drafted by the Dodgers out of Texas A&M in the past four years, because they drafted his brother, Justin Ruggiano, in the 25^th round of the 2004 draft.  Justin is no longer with the Dodgers, as he was part of the Mark Hendrickson/Toby Hall trade in 2006, but he has made a name for himself by making it up to the Rays during the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  Brian will try and follow in his brother’s footsteps by making it to the big leagues, but didn’t get off to a good start.  After hitting .315 with 9 HR’s during his junior season in college, he managed just a .241 average and 2 HR’s in his pro debut with the Ogden Raptors.  However, based on his brother’s success after being drafted in the 25^th round, I wouldn’t count out Brian as being an impact player just yet, even though he was a 23^rd round pick.

115.  Jessie Mier, C (28 games in Pioneer Rookie League, 14 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 12^th round

6’1”, 215 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.270 average, 1 HR, 12 RBI’s

One interesting thing about Jessie Mier is that his brother, Jiovanni Mier, is projected to be a 1^st round pick out of high school in the 2009 draft as a shortstop (Baseball America has him ranked 26 overall).  That being said, Jessie was drafted out of Lewis-Clark College in 2007 and played in 8 games with the Ogden Raptors in his debut before breaking his hand.  He made a full recovery, however, and split time between Ogden and Great Lakes in 2008.  Known as one of the better defensive catchers in the Dodgers system, Mier is hoping that his offensive skills will continue to develop and eventually compliment his abilities behind the plate.  At 23 and half years old, Mier is going to have to improve quickly, and hopefully he’ll at least make it up to Inland Empire in 2009.

114.  Eduardo Sierra, RHP (47 innings in AA, 11 innings in AAA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers January 2008

6’3”, 185 lbs, 26.5 years old

5-2, 4.84 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, 7.80 K/9

Eduardo Sierra was signed as a minor league free agent before the 2008 season, and worked his way up to AAA at the end of the season.  Originally signed by the Oakland A’s way back in 1999, Sierra has bounced around from the A’s to the Yankees to the Rockies to the White Sox and now to the Dodgers.  Throughout his minor league career, he’s always posted solid stats, but he has never been great.  That being said, the batting average against Sierra for 2008 was only .211.  I’ll be bold and guess that if Sierra stays with the Dodgers next year and continues to post an ERA under 5, he’ll have an outside shot to make an appearance on their major league roster at some point next season because of his experience in the bullpen. 

113.  Gustavo Gomez, RHP (28 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 150 lbs, 17.5 years old

0-2, 5.08 ERA, 1.59 WHIP, 6.04 K/9

Gustavo Gomez is a 17 and half year old out of Panama who only has only 28 innings of professional experience.  I know little about him, but the main reason that I have him ranked this high is because of his youth.  While his stats were not great in 2008, they’ll likely improve with age and experience.  I’m sure he’ll be back in the Dominican Summer League next year, and hopefully he’ll have better results.

112.  Ryan Rogowski, LF (74 games in AA, 46 games in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 8/28/05

6’2”, 200 lbs, 24.5 years old, bats left handed

.250 average, 4 HR’s, 46 RBI’s

Ryan Rogowski was signed by the Dodgers in 2005 after he was passed over in that year’s draft.  Since that time, he has moved through the system fairly quickly, making it all way to AA in just his third minor league season.  A left handed outfielder who has good size, Rogowski has not sacrificed any speed as he has posted consecutive seasons of 35+ stolen bases.  He has not been able to hit for power or for a high average, however, as his average has been around .250 for the past few years.  Basically, I see Rogowski as a less talented version of Jason Repko, and I predict a return to AA for him in 2009.

111.  Fredy Quintero, RHP (29 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 180 lbs, 20.5 years old

3-1, 4.03 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 6.83 K/9

Fredy Quintero was signed by the Dodgers in 2008 out of Mexico, and started his professional career in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.  His numbers were not amazing, but they were pretty solid for a 20 year old in his first pro season.  He pitched almost exclusively in relief, and even picked up 2 saves.  At 6’3” and 180 lbs, Quintero has a solid foundation to build upon, especially since he is still young.  He’ll probably play next year in the Pioneer Rookie League, but will have an outside shot of starting the season at Lo-A if he is impressive during minor league spring training.

110.  Eduardo Perez, 1B (57 games LoA, 49 games HiA)

Signed by Dodgers 3/4/02

6’1”, 175 lbs, 24 years old, switch hitter

.274 average, 9 HR’s, 43 RBI’s

After a very solid season in 2007 (14 HR’s, .311 average), Perez’s stats came back down to earth in 2008.  Even still, his 9 HR’s were nothing to be ashamed of, nor was his .274 average.  The problems with Perez, however, are that he is a 24 year old who has never played above Hi-A, and that he plays a position that requires a lot more offensive production that we saw in 2008.  That means that he’ll have to tear it up next year in order get any recognition in this Dodgers system.

109.  Elian Herrera, CF (33 games in Pioneer Rookie League, 4 games in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 5/14/03

5’11”, 190 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.292 average, 5 HR’s, 27 RBI’s

Herrera played the majority of 2008 with the Ogden Raptors before being called up to Inland Empire for 4 games at the end the season.  While he struggled during his brief appearance at Hi-A, he performed well in Rookie ball, even though he was coming back from an injury that limited him to only 37 total games in 2008.  However, he is already 23 and a half years old and is running out of time to impress those within the Dodgers organization.  In addition, at only 5’11”, he doesn’t really have the size to be an everyday outfielder in the major leagues.  Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what kind of numbers Herrera will be able to put up during a full, healthy season in 2009

108.  Jonady Nunez, RHP (45 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’1”, 185 lbs, 19 years old

0-6, 3.57 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 5.96 K/9

Nunez made his professional debut with the Dodgers in 2008 at the tender age of 18.  While he had a dismal record of 0-6, his ERA and WHIP were very respectable.  In addition, opposing batter hit only .230 against him.  Even though Nunez is already 6’1”, he may continue to grow since he is still so young.  Also, I’m sure that Nunez will continue to play in the Dominican Summer League in 2009, but with another solid season, he will probably make the jump to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2010.

107.  Jerry Castillo, 1B (56 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

6’3”, 190 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.285 average, 0 HR’s, 10 RBI’s

Jerry Castillo completed his second season in the Dominican Summer League in 2008, and while he improved his batting average from .210 in 2007 to .285 in 2008, he did not improve his power numbers.  Nevertheless, Castillo is a big first baseman who does have plenty of power potential.  He just turned 20 years old, and stands at 6’3”.  Once his swing develops and he fills out a little more, I expect the home runs to come.  He’ll probably return to the DSL in 2009 to try and fine-tune his swing, and my guess that he’ll be one of the team leaders in HR’s next season.

106.  Daigoro Rondon, RHP (74 innings in LoA, 8 innings in Pioneer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/9/04

6’2”, 163 lbs, 22 years old

5-11, 6.42 ERA, 1.84 WHIP, 10.32 K/9

Rondon jumped from the GCL in 2007 to Lo-A in 2008, and did not fare well.  He posted 11 losses and a 6.96 ERA in 74 innings, and earned a demotion to the Pioneer Rookie League at the beginning of August.  Upon reaching Ogden, he turned things around and recorded a 1.17 ERA during the remainder of the season.  The one consistency for Rondon throughout the season was his ability to strike batters out.  His 10.32 K rate was very impressive, and it demonstrates that he has good stuff that simply needs to be refined.  In 2009, Rondon will probably take another shot at Lo-A, and maybe this time he’ll get some better results.

105.  Jonathan Dutton, LHP (76 innings in Pioneer League, 36 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 24^th round

6’1”, 155 lbs, 21 years old

10-2, 5.21 ERA, 1.74 WHIP, 8.33 K/9

In looking at Dutton’s 2008 record of 10-2, one might think that he had a phenomenal season.  However, his 5.21 ERA and 1.74 WHIP prove otherwise.  In fact, Dutton was so lucky that he allowed 14 hits in 5 innings on August 2nd, yet still picked up the win.  Nevertheless, Dutton pitched over 112 innings and established himself as a durable lefthander in the Dodgers system.  He had a solid strikeout rate and has decent size. In addition, he was drafted in 2005 out of Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, so even though 2008 was his fourth professional season, he is still only 21 years old.  My guess is that Jonathan will move up to Hi-A in 2009, and hopefully he’s be able to bring down his ERA to a more respectable level.

104.  Adolfo Gonzalez, 3B (93 games in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/8/02

5’11”, 160 lbs, 23.5 years old, bats right handed

.298 average, 1 HR, 20 RBI’s

Gonzalez started his professional career in the Dominican Summer League in 2002, and has slowly progressed through the Dodgers minor league system over the past seven years.  A smaller player who has never displayed much power, Gonzalez played 2^nd and 3^rd base during 2008 and hit a respectable .298.  He also surprised many by pitching in a few games when the Suns ran out of pitchers.  While there isn’t much potential for Gonzalez, he is still only 23 years old and should make it up to AAA at some point in 2009.  In addition, he is currently playing in the Venezuelan Winter League and is hitting an impressive .350 through 8 games. 

103.  Gorman Erickson, C (29 games in GCL Rookie League, 1 game in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 15^th round

6’3”, 205 lbs, 20.5 years old, switch hitter

.247 average, 2 HR’s, 7 RBI’s

Gorman Erickson is a switch hitting catcher who the Dodgers drafted out of high school in 2006.  While he didn’t have great stats 2008, he does have potential as a big catcher who is still young and learning the game.  One interesting thing about Erickson is that while he played the majority of 2007 and 2008 in the GCL, he was brought up to AAA for one game at the end of the 2007 and 2008 seasons.  Not sure why the Dodgers wanted to move him up that many levels for just one game, but I guess they have their reasons.  Gorman will probably be the main catcher for the Dodgers Lo-A affiliate in 2009, and since he’ll be just 21 at the start of next season, he still has plenty of time to improve and develop his offensive abilities.

102.  Miguel Sanfler, LHP (80 innings in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/2/02

5’11”, 165 lbs, 24 years old

2-4, 3.95 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 8.70 K/9

After a few mediocre seasons, Sanfler broke out in 2008 and had his best professional season.  Even though his numbers were not dominate, they were very solid, especially his .222 batting average against and 8.70 K/9 rate.  Sanfler has the exact same body type as former Dodger farm hand and current Astro Wesly Wright.  They are both left handed pitchers who are approximately 5’11” and 165 lbs.  The only difference is that Sanfler is a 24 year old in Lo-A while Wright has already made it up to the Show.  That being said, Miguel needs to step it up as he is getting a little bit too old to be playing in A ball.  While he’ll definitely start next year in Hi-A, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sanfler in AA at some point in 2009.

101.  Lenell McGee, LF (34 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 13^th round

6’2”, 185 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.222 average, 2 HR’s, 21 RBI’s

Lenell McGee was drafted out of Oakton Community College in the 13^th round of the 2008 draft (where he hit .360 in 2008), and the Dodgers immediately placed him in the Gulf Coast Rookie League.  During his debut season, he hit only .222 with 2 HR’s, but was able to knock in an impressive 21 runners in only 34 games.  In fact, his 0.6 RBI’s per game ranked as 15^th in the entire Dodgers minor league system.  At 6’2” and 185 lbs, Lenell is a good size for an outfielder.  Also, he is only 20 years old and has plenty of time to improve his game.  He will likely play in the Pioneer League next year and will try to become an impact player.

100.  Carl Webster, RHP (18 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 18^th round

6’2”, 165 lbs, 18.5 years old

1-1, 3.44 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 6.38 K/9

So when the Dodgers drafted Carl Webster this past year, I automatically assumed that he was the son of former Dodger outfielder and current Dodger scout Mitch Webster.  Well, I was wrong, and the person that told me I was wrong was Mitch Webster himself.  You see, a few weeks back I saw Mitch (along with Ned Coletti and the rest of the Dodger front office) at a Kings Hockey game.  While I didn’t get a chance to talk to Coletti, I was able to talk to Mitch for about 20 minutes about the Dodgers and our minor league system.  He was a great guy, and gave me some insight on a few of the players that I will be writing about later in the list.  Anyways, getting back to Carl, he is not the son of Mitch Webster, but nevertheless pitched very well in his professional Debut.  Even though he was drafted in the 18^th round, he showed the Dodgers that they made a good choice by posting a 3.44 ERA.  Also, at 6’2” and only 165 lbs, Webster has yet to fill out.  When he does gain some muscle, I expect his K’s per 9 to increase dramatically.  I would keep an eye on Webster, and I predict that in a few years, we will be talking about what a steal he was as an 18^th round pick.

99.  Jovanny Rosario, CF (127 games in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 6/2/03

5’9”, 160 lbs, 23.5 years old, switch hitter

.270 average, 1 HR, 35 RBI’s

Jovanny Rosario reminds me a lot of Juan Pierre.  He is small, very fast, and has little power.  He led all Dodger minor leaguers in stolen bases in 2008 with 39, but was also caught 14 times.  Even though he only hit .270 this year, he did have a 15 game hit streak to start the season, and also fared much better in the Pioneer League in 2007 when he had an impressive .331 average.  The main problem with Rosario is that he has moved very slowly through the system, and is now 23 and a half and hasn’t played above Lo-A.  However, he is a switch hitter, and as long as he maintains his speed, the Dodgers may continue to develop him as a potential pinch runner and base-stealing threat. 

98.  Alex Garabedian, C (54 games in LoA, 13 games in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 8^th round

6’2”, 210 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.234 average, 3 HR’s, 22 RBI’s

Considered to be one of the best catching prospects coming out of high school, Garabedian turned down a chance to sign with the Yankees in 2004 to attend college.  While in college, he had some solid seasons, however his draft status slipped due to defensive concerns, and he fell to the Dodgers in the 8^th round in 2007.  Even though Garabedian’s biggest asset is his bat, he has struggled at the plate since turning pro.  He ended the 2008 regular season hitting .095 in 13 games at Inland Empire, and then continued to struggle in the Hawaii Winter League (.154 average in 52 AB’s).  In addition, I saw Garabedian play in a few games in Hi-A this year, and he did not look good.  Nevertheless, he must have some potential since he was drafted in the top 10 rounds just one year ago, and also because the Dodgers though enough of him to send him to the Hawaiian League.  In 2009, Garabedian will probably return to Hi-A as a 23 year old, and he’ll need to have a breakout season in the hitter friendly California League.

97.  Bridger Hunt, OF (93 games in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 9^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 23 years old, bats right handed

.292 average, 1 HR, 33 RBI’s

Bridger Hunt spent the entire 2008 season at Inland Empire, and had a pretty mediocre season.  He had a decent batting average, but showed no power.  He is a scrappy player who has potential to be a solid leadoff hitter, but unfortunately he lacks the speed to ever be great.  I saw Hunt play at Inland Empire this year, and he appears to be a singles hitter who has a knack for getting on base.  While he will probably make the jump to AA next year, I don’t see him making it past that level unless he develops another aspect of his game.

96.  Clayton Allison, RHP (6 innings in AA, 2 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 27^th round

6’5”, 235 lbs, 23 years old

1-1, 5.63 ERA, 2.00 WHIP, 6.75 K/9

Allison was part of the 2008 College World Series championship team while playing for Fresno State, and even picked up a big win against North Carolina in the Semi Finals.  He also posted a 3.91 ERA throughout his final college season.  While he wasn’t drafted until the 27^th round, the Dodgers gave him a chance because they liked Allison’s size and ability to win.  In fact, he moved all the way up to AA in his first professional season, and even though he struggled, that can probably be attributed to his nerves and the fact that he only pitched 8 professional innings.  At 6’5” and 235 lbs, Allison has an ideal pitchers body, and will probably work out of the bullpen.  I don’t think he’ll return to AA next year (Hi-A is the more likely destination), but nevertheless his experiences in 2008 will make for a better future.

95.  Erick Lantigua, 1B (53 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’3”, 165 lbs, 18 years old, bats right handed

.247 average, 2 HR’s, 19 RBI’s

Erick Lantigua is a tall, lanky first baseman who made his professional debut in the Dominican Summer League in 2008.  He played the first half of the season as a 17 year old before turning 18 in mid July.  Therefore, he is obviously still very young and inexperienced.  Nevertheless, he had a solid first season and even hit a couple home runs.  In addition, he demonstrated that he has a good eye because he took 21 walks in only 146 official AB’s.  A native of the Dominican Republic, Lantigua will definitely fill out as he gets older, and with the muscle will come more power. 

94.  Juan Gonzalez, 2B (116 games in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/8/07

6’0”, 165 lbs, 26.5 years old, bats right handed

.261 average, 14 HR’s, 59 RBI’s

Juan Gonzalez was originally signed by the Detroit Tigers as a non-drafted free agent back in 1999.  He struggled through many average seasons before signing with the Dodgers before the 2007 season.  He played in AA during 2007, and repeated that level in 2008.  The surprising thing about Gonzalez is that even though he isn’t very big, he hit 14 HR’s during 2008.  He also hit 21 doubles and had a .375 OBP.  Those are pretty good numbers for a switch hitting middle infielder.  However, Gonzalez is already 26 and a half years old, and his power may just be a function of him finally learning how to hit minor league pitching.  If Juan is still with the organization in 2009, he will probably move up to AAA, but I don’t expect him to ever make it to the major leagues.

93.  Thomas Melgarejo, LHP (73 innings in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 12/1/05

6’1”, 216 lbs, 21.5 years old

2-6, 4.19 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 7.64 K/9

Thomas Melgarejo, a native of Mexico, was signed by the Dodgers before the 2006 season.  He had a good debut in 2006, but that was followed by an awful year in 2007.  He recovered in 2008, however, and had pretty solid year in Lo-A.  While his numbers were not amazing, they were good enough for him to break into my top 100.  I also like Melgarejo is because he is a lefty who appears to have a pretty solid build.  He’s probably best suited as a left handed specialist out of the bullpen, even though he has seen some time as a starter over the past two years.

92.  Eduardo Perez, RHP (53 innings in GCL, 3 innings in Pioneer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/13/05

6’2”, 185 lbs, 20.5 years old

4-3, 3.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 8.36 K/9

Eduardo Perez was one of the “players to be named later” in the deal that brought Greg Maddox to LA, so unfortunately he is no longer with the Dodgers.  However, I had put this list together before the trade was completed, so that is why he is still included in my top 200.  Perez had a solid season in 2008, so I was a little disappointed to see him leave the Dodgers.  His K’s per 9 were excellent, and he only allowed a .240 batting average. Also, he will only be 21 at the start of the 2009 season, so he is still young.  He’ll probably do well in the Padres system, and we may someday see him facing the Dodgers.

91.  Enlly Morales, 2B (67 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/12/07

5’11”, 168 lbs, 19 years old, bats right handed

.292 average, 2 HR’s, 27 RBI’s

Enlly Morales led the Dodgers Dominican Summer League in batting average during the 2008 season in his professional debut.  He also hit 2 home runs, which surprisingly ranked him second on the team, and won the organization’s Pride Award for the months of June and July.  At 5’11”, Morales has the size of a classic 2^nd baseman.  In addition, he is only 19 years old, so he definitely has plenty of time to improve his game.  Even though he had a good season, he will probably return to the DSL because he is still young and inexperienced.  However, it is possible that the organization will give him a shot in one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in order to challenge him and judge his overall ability.

90.  Wilner Charles, 2B (34 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

5’11”, 165 lbs, 17.5 years old, bats right handed

.268 average, 0 HR’s, 8 RBI’s

Wilner Charles is one of the youngest players on this list at just 17 and half years old.  He was born in Haiti, and signed with the Dodgers this year.  He played in 34 games in his debut season, and fared pretty well.  He didn’t show much power, but had a respectable average and stole 7 bases in only 71 AB’s.  As he gets older, Charles will undoubtedly get bigger, but at this point he is the right size for a 2^nd baseman.  Charles will definitely return to the Dominican Summer League in 2009, and he’ll try to gain the experience he needs to one day move up in the Dodgers system.

89.  Rafael Ynoa, 2B (43 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2006

5’10”, 162 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.306 average, 0 HR’s, 16 RBI’s

2008 was Ynoa’s first season in a U.S. based rookie league, and he took full advantage by leading the GCL Dodgers in batting average.  He was also second on the team in runs scored and stolen bases.  A prototypical 2^nd baseman, Ynoa is only 5’10” and has not demonstrated any power so far as a professional.  Also, since he is 21 years old, he is probably not going to get any bigger.  Nevertheless, he has improved him hitting since turning pro in 2006, and projects as a slick fielder.  My guess is that Ynoa will head to Lo-A in 2009 with hopes of having another good offensive year.

88.  Kyle Smit, RHP (58 innings in LoA, 22 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 5^th round

6’3”, 165 lbs, 21 years old

1-5, 6.55 ERA, 1.87 WHIP, 7.05 K/9

Coming out of high school, Smit was one of the best pitchers coming out of Nevada.  He didn’t really have many college options, however, so he was an easy sign for the Dodgers in the 5^th round of the 2006 draft.  He has not performed well so far as a professional, but at only 21 years old, he still has a lot of projection left in his frame.  He already hits 93 on the radar gun, and some scouts think he may be able to hit 96 when he fills out.  One aspect that he needs learn is controlling his pitches, as he allowed far too many walks last year.  That, combined with his lack of a dominant 2^nd and 3^rd pitch, really hurt his ERA and WHIP in 2008.  Smit will probably return to Lo-A as a 22 year old in 2009, and there he will work to get stronger and fine tune his pitches.

87.  Garrett White, LHP (54 innings in LoA, 19 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 6^th round

6’5”, 235 lbs, 24.5 years old

3-5, 4.81 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 8.75 K/9

Garrett White was drafted one round after Kyle Smit in the 2006 draft, but is a very different pitcher than Smit.  White attended the University of Mississippi, and had solid career there.  He posted a 3.39 ERA during his final season, and led Old Miss with 11 saves.  Since turning pro, White has been hot and cold, but has seemed to struggle with the more advanced competition.  During his stint in Hi-A this past year, he got rocked and had an 8.05 ERA in 19 innings.  Back down in Lo-A, however, he regained his confidence and allowed a .221 batting average against.  A big lefthander who pitches out of the bullpen, White has big league potential if he can learn how to compete against tough competition.  His biggest disadvantage is his age, as he is already 24 and half years old.  He’ll probably begin next year and Hi-A, but if he excels, he has a good chance of being promoted to AA by midseason.

86.  Erik Kanaby, CF (122 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 10^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 23 years old, bats left handed

.272 average, 0 HR’s, 25 RBI’s

Kanaby is a solid centerfielder with plus speed and the ability to get on base.  While he only hit .272 in 2008, his average was .338 in the Pioneer League in 2007, and .406 during his senior season at Lamar University.  Also, while he has no power, he did steal 26 stolen bases in 2008.  There are two negatives about Kanaby, however.  First, he is already 23 years old and hasn’t played above Lo-A.  Second, he was caught stealing 29 times over the past two seasons, demonstrating that he isn’t able to read pitchers very well.  Nevertheless, he’ll move up to Hi-A next year and will roam center field for the 66ers in 2009.  With a good season, he’ll be able to establish himself as a legitimate prospect.

85.  Ramon Jean, SS (33 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/12/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.279 average, 4 HR’s, 16 RBI’s

Ramon Jean was signed before the 2007 season, and had a solid debut in the Dominican Summer League.  In 2008, Jean was moved to the GCL, and while his numbers were pretty average, he was one of the best offensive players on the team.  As a 20 year old, he hit 4 HR’s in 111 AB’s and also stole 10 bases.  Now 21, he is not a big guy plays solid defense at shortstop.  He’ll most likely progress to the Pioneer League in 2009, but there is an outside chance that they’ll send him at Lo-A to see how he responds in a more advanced league. 

84.  Ernesto Antuan, RHP (19 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 162 lbs, 19 years old

1-1, 2.37 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 7.58 K/9

Ernesto Antuan is a 19 year old from the Dominican Republic who had a solid debut with the Dominican Dodgers in 2008.  While he only pitched 19 innings, he held opposing hitters to a .149 average and posted a WHIP of under 1.00.  He also had a pretty decent strikeout rate.  He isn’t a very big pitcher at 6’0 and 162 lbs, but so far he seems to be getting the job done.  Antuan won’t be 20 until after the 2009 season, so the Dodgers may keep him in the Dominican Summer League for another year.  During that time, I’m sure that they’ll increase his workload to prepare him for the long seasons that are ahead of him.

83.  Mario Alvarez, RHP (41 innings in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/16/03

6’0”, 195 lbs, 24.5 years old

1-5, 7.08 ERA, 1.82 WHIP, 4.43 K/9

The Mario Alvarez story is a bit of a mystery to me.  He was signed as a 3^rd baseman in 2003, and hit very poorly in his debut.  So the Dodgers converted him to a pitcher in 2004, and he was an immediate success, posting a 1.24 ERA in 65 innings.  Since 2004, however, it was all downhill for Alvarez as he had the following ERA’s: 6.14 in 2005, 5.89 in 2006, 5.60 in 2007, and 7.08 in 2008.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers decided to add him to their 40 man roster after the 2007 season to protect him in the rule 5 draft.  Maybe the Dodgers saw potential in Alvarez that the fans didn’t, or maybe they were simply wrong about his ability, but whatever the case, he was injured during most of 2008 which added to his problems.  While he’ll probably be fully recovered for 2009 and is still just 24 and a half years old, he’ll most likely be dropped from the 40 man roster sometime soon to create room for free agent signings.  My guess is that he’ll return to AA in 2009 if he clears waivers.

82.  Robert Boothe, RHP (64 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 12/5/07

6’2”, 191 lbs, 22.5 years old

2-5, 6.89 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 8.58 K/9

Robert Boothe was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent after the 2007 season.  He is half Japanese, attended Asia University, and was eligible for the Japanese draft before signing with the Dodgers.  While he had a pretty rocky debut in 2008, he showed pretty good control and demonstrated that he has the ability to strike guys out.  Also, at the time of his signing, Logan White said that Boothe has “a nice delivery, good arm action, and a sound mix of breaking pitches which gives him the ability to be a future Major Leaguer.”  In addition, at 6’2” and 190 lbs, he has a solid build.  Boothe will probably make the move to Lo-A in 2009, and I’m expecting him to improve greatly from his first season.

81.  Jerry Sands, RF (46 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 25^th round

6’4”, 210 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.205 average, 10 HR’s, 33 RBI’s

Sands was the Dodgers 25^th round pick in 2008 out of Catawba College in North Carolina, a NCAA division II school.  During his 3 years at Catawba, Sands had a .381 career batting average and hit 61 home runs.  His power numbers continued during his debut season with the Dodgers as he hit 10 HR’s in 46 games, which placed him second in HR’s in the GCL.  His power comes from his 6’4” and 210 pound frame, which is ideal for a power hitting outfielder.  Sands isn’t bad on the base paths or in the field either, as he stole 5 bases without being caught, and only made one error all season.  While he only hit .205 during 2008, I attribute that to his adjustment to the professional level.  I predict that Sands will jump to Lo-A in 2009, and if he has another power outburst, the Dodgers will be looking at late round gem. 

80.  Robert Blevins, RHP (49 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 13^th round

6’0”, 200 lbs, 23.5 years old

2-7, 2.96 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, 10.54 K/9

Robert Blevins had a must better year in 2008 than his 2-7 record shows.  He posted a 2.96 ERA, allowed a .239 batting average against, and had a strikeout rate of 10.5 K’s per 9 innings.  He is a great competitor, and apparently played his entire junior year of college with a torn labrum in his left hip (yet still with 10-2 with a 2.57 ERA).  He doesn’t throw extremely hard, but has a lot of different pitches, including 4 types of fastballs (4-seamer, 2-seamer, cutter, and sidearm).  At 23 and a half, Blevins needs to move a little more quickly if he wants to make an impact, and my guess is that he’ll start at Hi-A next year, with a promotion to AA a possibility later in the year.

79.  Charlie Mirabal, LHP (32 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/1/07

5’11”, 165 lbs, 21.5 years old

5-2, 1.99 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, 11.09 K/9

Charlie Mirabal is an interesting story.  He was signed by the Dodgers after he performed well during an open tryout before the 2007 season.  Originally a middle infielder, Mirabal struggled during the 2007 season in the Dominican Summer League.  So the Dodgers decided to try him out as a pitcher during 2008, and he put up some great numbers while also getting a little lucky.  He had a 1.99 ERA in 32 innings and had an outstanding strikeout rate, but also posted a 1.48 WHIP.  I can’t remember the last time I saw an ERA that low with a WHIP that high, but that is where the his luck came into play.  Mirabal is only 5’11”, but is a lefty and obviously has some pretty good stuff.  He’s already 21 years old, so Mirabal will defiantly move to a U.S. based rookie league in 2009 because he can’t afford to spend another season in the DSL.

78.  Matthew Magill, RHP (30 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 31^st round

6’3”, 175 lbs, 19 years old

1-2, 3.34 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 7.59 K/9

Matt Magill was picked late in the 2008 draft due to his college commitment to Cal Poly.  The Dodgers were able to sign him by early July, however, and he paid immediate dividends by having a good debut in the Gulf Coast League.  At 6’3”, Magill has a very projectable frame that is ideal for a pitcher.  He only throws about 90 mph right now, but projects to throw a little harder when he fills out.  He also has a great slider, which is currently his best pitch.  Matt is only 19, so he is still very young and has plenty of time to improve.  He’ll probably play in the Pioneer Rookie League next year after an extended stay in spring training.

77.  Marcel Prado, RHP (37 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/04

6’4”, 226 lbs, 21 years old

1-1, 4.86 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, 9.73 K/9

During 2007, Marcel Prado a great season in the Dominican Summer League, posting a 1.24 ERA and a .180 batting average against in 36 innings.  Based on that success, the Dodgers assigned Prado to the Pioneer Rookie League in 2008.  While he was unable to repeat his amazing performance from 2007, he still pitched pretty well and continued to demonstrate his ability to strike out hitters.  His 6’4” frame is ideal for a pitcher, and he is still just 21 years old.  One negative thing about Prado is that he has had a limited workload during his four professional seasons, as he has never pitched more than 37 innings in any season.  Also, he has been used exclusively out of the bullpen, which may be hindering his growth.  Lastly, it should be noted Prado has been playing in the Venezuelan Winter League this off-season, and has performed well with a 3.86 ERA in 11 innings so far.

76.  David Pfeiffer, LHP (62 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 14^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 23 years old

3-3, 5.55 ERA, 1.61 WHIP, 8.76 K/9

David Pfeiffer was born in Vero Beach, FL, so he was destined to one day be a Dodger.  After signing with the team in 2003, however, he didn’t show much potential as a prospect until this off-season when he played for the Waikiki BeachBoys in the Hawaii Winter League.  It was there that he finally broke out by posting 1.59 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, and .127 batting average against in 17 innings.  These numbers earned him a spot on the Hawaii Winter Baseball All-League Team, and also got him some recognition within the Dodgers system.  A left-handed reliever, Pfeiffer’s struggles during the 2008 regular season could maybe be attributed to the hitter-friendly California League.  In 2009, I expect the Dodgers to move Pfeiffer up to AA to see if his dominance from the Winter League can carry over.  If he continues to thrive, then he may be on the fast track to becoming a lefty specialist that the Dodgers can one day use out of their bullpen.

75.  Danny Danielson, RHP (10 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 7^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 20 years old

0-0, 5.59 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 7.45 K/9

Danielson is a big kid out of Alabama who was the Dodgers 7^th round pick in 2007.  He had a solid debut in 2007 by recording a 3.48 ERA, .a 224 batting average against, and a strikeout per inning in the GCL.  Things changed in 2008, though, because he was limited to only 10 innings of work.  I do not think his limited workload was due to injury, however, because he made appearances during June, July, and August.  Instead, I think the Dodgers were simply trying to bring him along slowly because according to Baseball America, he was overworked as a high school pitcher.  Anyways, during his limited action, he pitched in 9 games, and allowed runs in only 2 of them.  Not bad for a 20 year old with limited experience.  In 2009, Danielson will have to pitch significantly more innings in order to improve, and he’ll probably get that chance in the Pioneer Rookie League.

74.  Daniel Tamares, RHP (49 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 9/26/06

6’3”, 170 lbs, 19 years old

3-4, 2.37 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 7.12 K/9

Daniel Tamares is a young right-hander who has already pitched two seasons in the Dominican Summer League.  In 2007 he had an average debut while pitching only 15 innings, but in 2008 he was greatly improved and posted some impressive numbers.  In fact, before he tired during the later months of the season, Tamares had an ERA of less than 1.50 though the month of July.  While he only pitched 49 innings during his 11 appearances, Tamares seems ready to take his game to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2009.  He has good size, and projects to get even stronger once he fills out.

73.  Travis Vetters, CF (37 games in Pioneer Rookie League, 28 games in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 6/28/06

6’2”, 195 lbs, 25 years old, bats right handed

.329 average, 9 HR’s, 49 RBI’s

Travis Vetters is another interesting Dodger prospect.  He was signed as a non-drafted free agent in June 2006, but didn’t play much that season.  In 2007, he led the Dodgers Pioneer Rookie League team with 14 HR’s and had a .315 average.  In 2008, he started the year in Lo-A, but he struggled mightily, so he returned to the Pioneer League where he tore it up with a .404 average and 9 HR’s.  With those kinds of numbers, he should be a legitimate prospect, right?  Well the problem with Vetters is that he already 25 years old and has spent most of his professional career in a Rookie League.  Nevertheless, it is tough to hit over .400 no matter where you play, so I will give him a little respect.  The Dodgers will probably try to jump him to Hi-A in 2009 to see how he responds, but this time he can’t afford to struggle in the higher level.

72.  Andrew Locke, 1B (122 games in Hi A in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 19^th round

6’1”, 205 lbs, 25.5 years old, bats right handed

.311 average, 11 HR’s, 85 RBI’s

Locke has been a pretty solid minor league player since being drafted out of Boston College in 2005, but like Travis Vetters, he is getting up there in age.  As a 25 year old in Hi-A, he hit a respectable .311 with 11 HR’s, but some of that can be attributed to the fact that the California League is very hitter friendly.  Also, Locke is limited to playing 1^st base, so that hurts his chances of moving up since 1^st basemen are a dime a dozen.  However, I saw Locke play during this past season, and he looked like a solid player who was had poise and the ability to lead a team.  I like his potential, and I hope he does well in the future.  Overall, Locke has definitely proven that he deserves a shot to play in AA during 2009, and I foresee him playing well in Chattanooga next year.

71.  Carlos Frias, RHP (31 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 1/3/07

6’4”, 170 lbs, 19 years old

1-2, 3.82 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 5.58 K/9

Carlos Frias is another 19 year old prospect, but he is one step ahead of Daniel Tamares because he has already played one full season in the GCL.  A 6’4 specimen, Frias forced the hand of the Dodgers to promote him after his stunning 2007 season where he had a 1.81 ERA and allowed only a .184 batting average.  He did not disappoint in 2008 as he posted good numbers as one of the youngest players on the Dodgers GCL team.  Also, instead of tiring during the long season, Frias seemed to get better as he ended the season with a 2.70 ERA in his final 17 innings.  In 2009, I expect Frias to move up to the Pioneer League, and hopefully he’ll continue to improve.  I have high hopes for Frias, and I can see him one day being a legitimate Dodger prospect.

70.  Blake Brannon, RHP (35 innings in LoA, 8 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 6/10/07

6’2”, 225 lbs, 23.5 years old

2-0, 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 10.43 K/9

Blake Brannon was signed as a non-drafted free agent after the 2007 draft out of the University of Texas at San Antonio.  He had a terrible debut during the 2007, but turned things around in 2008 while splitting time between LoA and HiA.  A big solid righthander, Brannon has powerful stuff and knows how to strike guys out.  In college, he set school records in appearances, and also had a 30 inning scoreless streak at one point during his college career.  He is exclusively a reliever, and while he is already 23 and half years old, he still has time to establish himself in the Dodgers minor league system.  He’ll probably return to HiA to begin next season, but he’ll most likely have the opportunity to move up to AA at some point during 2009 if he performs well.

69.  Clay Calfee, LF (49 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 14^th round

6’6”, 220 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats left handed

.232 average, 8 HR’s, 35 RBI’s

Clay Calfee is a big outfielder with a ton of power.  Drafted out of Angelo State in Texas, Calfee left the college as their all time leader in home runs (28), RBI’s (171), and hits (239).  In addition, during his final season at Angelo State, he hit an amazing .404 with 13 HR’s.  After being drafted, he made his professional debut in the Pioneer League.  While he struggled with a .232 average, he did manage to hit 8 HR’s and drive in 35.  At 6’6”, Calfee is prone to the strikeout, and doesn’t have much speed.  He does project as a decent outfielder, however, as he only made 1 error last season.  Because he is already 22 and a half, he’ll probably move up to Lo-A next season.  He’ll have a big challenge in the Midwest league as it has historically been hard on hitters.

68.  Jacobo Meque, LHP (33 innings in AA, 15 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2007

6’2”, 175 lbs, 25 years old

3-1, 3.19 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 10.88 K/9

First of all, Jacobo Meque is a minor league free agent, so he may not be back with the Dodgers next season.  That being said, he has played the last two seasons with the Dodgers, and has put up some pretty impressive numbers, especially in the category of strike outs.  2008 was his first experience in AA, yet he allowed only a .215 batting average against at that level and picked up 5 saves.  He is a left hander, and pitches exclusively out of the bullpen.  Without much of a future in the Dodgers organization, Meque will probably sign elsewhere.  If he does stay with the Dodgers, however, he’ll probably return to AA for his 9^th professional season.

67.  Pedro Guerrero, SS (32 games in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/10/06

6’3”, 181 lbs, 20 years old, bats right handed

.263 average, 2 HR’s, 13 RBI’s

When people hear the name Pedro Guerrero, they will probably think of the Dodgers infielder/outfielder from 1978 through 1988.  This Pedro Guerrero, however, is a Dodger shortstop who is only 20 years old and played in the Gulf Coast League in 2008.  Signed out of the Dominican Republic in 2006, Guerrero played two seasons in the Dominican Summer League before making his U.S. debut.  He is a lanky player, and will probably not stay at shortstop as he is 6’3”, and made 12 errors in only 32 games last season.  He is probably better suited as a 3^rd baseman or outfielder, but if he does make that move, then he needs to improve his offensive game.  As a professional, he only has 4 HR’s to his credit, and has yet to hit above .290.  Nevertheless, Guerrero is still young, and I expect him to have a good season next year in the Pioneer Rookie League. 

66.  Marlon Sucre, LF (53 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 5/27/07

6’2”, 160 lbs, 18.5 years old, bats right handed

.286 average, 2 HR’s, 23 RBI’s

Marlon Sucre was signed by the Dodgers in 2007, but struggled during his debut as a 17 year old in the Dominican Summer League.  During the 2008 season, however, he improved dramatically as he raised his average by over 110 points and had 21 more RBI’s.  He also ended the year by hitting .391 during the final month of the season.  A lanky outfielder, Sucre plays good defense and he had the least number of errors on the Dodgers DSL team for players who appeared in more than 50 games.  He is still very young at just 18 and a half, and has a lot of potential.  He’ll probably return to the DSL for a third season in 2009, and if he does I think he’ll probably lead the team in most of the offensive categories.

65.  Joel Lima, RHP (39 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 165 lbs, 19 years old

2-2, 2.52 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, 7.55 K/9

Lima time isn’t done just yet!  Before the 2008 season, the Dodgers signed the then 18 year old Joel Lima.  Not only is Joel Lima the brother of former Dodger Jose Lima, but he also had a superb season in 2008 as a 19 year old.  While he isn’t the biggest player, his stats speak for themselves as he posted a 2.52 ERA over 17 appearances.  He also struck out close to a batter per inning, and only allowed a .243 batting average.  Although his brother has never been a consistent major league pitcher, the fact that Joel has the bloodlines of a professional athlete gives him the advantage over some of the other players in the Dodgers system.  He may jump to one of the U.S. based rookie leagues in 2009, however he may also need another year of experience in the Dominican League.  

64.  Matthew Wallach, C (51 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 22^nd round

6’2”, 190 lbs, 22.5 years old, bats left handed

.283 average, 10 HR’s, 36 RBI’s

Matthew Wallach is another Dodger prospect with baseball bloodlines.  The son of former Dodger Tim Wallach, Matt grew up in the Los Angeles area and attended Cal State Fullerton.  While he didn’t have a great senior season with the Titans (.255, 5 HR’s), the Dodgers took him with their 22^nd round pick in the 2007 draft.  So far, he has been a great late round pick as he had a solid professional debut in 2007, and then followed that up with a superb 2008 where he hit for average and showed some surprising power.  While Matt has only played rookie ball so far, the fact that he plays catcher can really help his changes of moving up through the system.  All teams love offensive catchers who can also defend well behind the plate, so if Matt can keep up his hitting in A ball next year, he’ll really make a name for himself.

63.  Tito Franco, RF (44 games in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers in 2008

6’0”, 170 lbs, 17 years old, bats right handed

.242 average, 2 HR’s, 15 RBI’s

At only 17 and a quarter years old, Tito Franco is the youngest player in the Dodgers minor league system.  In fact, he played over half of the 2008 season at the age of 16.  Yet he played like a much older player as he held his own in the Dominican Summer League this past year.  I see a lot of potential in young players, especially those who are able to get the job done against older competition.  In Franco’s case, he started off the season pretty slow, but gained steam as it wore on.  He hit .191 in June, .250 in July, and finished the season by hitting .310 in August.  He also showed a little power by hitting 2 HR’s in a very pitcher friendly league, and only committed 4 errors in the outfield.  The experience that Franco got as a 17 year old will be invaluable to his future.  There is no doubt that he’ll return to the DSL again next season, and hopefully he’ll continue to improve, even though he’ll again be one of the youngest players in the league in 2009.

62.  Francisco Felix, RHP (49 innings in HiA, 31 innings in AAA)

Signed by Dodgers 2/19/03

5’11”, 191 lbs, 25 years old

5-4, 4.28 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, 9.00 K/9

Francisco Felix has been with the Dodgers for a very long time.  Signed in 2003, he played 2 seasons in the Dominican Summer League and pretty much dominated the competition.  He was then sent to the Mexican League, and struggled there before making his U.S. debut in 2006.  In 2007, he split time between Lo-A and Hi-A, and had mixed results.  He returned to Hi-A to being the 2008 season, and pitched very well in 25 appearances.  He compiled a 3.31 ERA and a .198 batting average against while striking out over a batter an inning at Inland Empire.  That earned him a promotion all the way up to AAA, and although he didn’t have the dominating stats that he had at Hi-A, he didn’t really struggle either.  At 25 years old, AAA is probably where Felix belongs, and he’ll most likely return there next season.  While he stands at only 5’11” he can definitely be a relief option for the Dodgers in the future if he can perform well at Albuquerque.  He is currently playing in the Mexican Winter League, and is holding his own with a 4.13 ERA, a .243 batting average against, and a strikeout rate of over a batter per inning.

61.  Steven Caseres, 1B (44 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 9^th round

6’4”, 220 lbs, 21.5 years old, bats left handed

.268 average, 7 HR’s, 38 RBI’s

Steven Caseres is a big left-handed first baseman who has tons of power, but also is prone to the strikeout.  In 44 games in the Pioneer Rookie League, Caseres hit 7 HR’s, and struck out 54 times.  Back in college at James Madison, he had a great 2008 season where he hit .342 with 21 HR’s and 70 RBI’s.  He was also a freshman All American, and placed in the top 10 on James Madison’s career home run list with 32 (even though he played just two seasons).  Limited to first base, Caseres’ road to the show will have to go through his bat as he has no speed and isn’t known for his glove.  He’ll probably open the season in Lo-A next year, and will have to battle through the cold and the pitcher friendly ballparks in order to prove his offensive abilities.

60.  Jose Dominguez, RHP (42 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’0”, 190 lbs, 18 years old

2-4, 5.14 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 11.79 K/9

There are two things that stand out when you look at the stats of Jose Dominquez: his age, and his strikeout rate.  As a 17 year old during the majority of the 2008 season, Dominguez took the Dominican Summer League by storm and struck out 55 hitters in just 42 innings.  He also led all Dodger minor leaguers in 2008 with his 11.79 strikeout rate.  While his ERA and WHIP weren’t as pretty as his strikeout numbers, those were mostly the result of a rocky start to the season and will surely fall into place as he matures.  Signed for $50,000 as a 16 year old at the start of the 2007 international signing period, he impressed scouts back then with a 90 mph fastball and a solid curve.  At the time, Logan White said, “It’s rare to see a kid as polished as he is.”  It will be interesting to see what Dominguez does from here.  He’ll most likely repeat in the DSL 2009, and hopefully he’ll have another exciting season.

59.  Austin Yount, Utility (33 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 12^th round

6’0”, 185 lbs, 22 years old, bats left handed

.301 average, 1 HR, 21 RBI’s

Austin Yount, nephew of hall of famer Robin Yount, was drafted by the Dodgers out of Stanford in the 12^th round of the 2008 draft.  Even though he was known more as pitcher during his days at Stanford, the Dodgers saw something in his offensive abilities, and are grooming him as a 3^rd baseman/utility player.  I’m not really sure what the Dodger scouts saw in him at the plate during his college days, as he only had 1 career HR and hit a combined .257, but whatever it was they saw, it paid off as he had a solid debut in the Pioneer League.  In fact, he ended the year hitting .357 in the month of September as the Ogden Raptors were making their playoff push.  While Austin isn’t a big player, the argument could be made that neither was his uncle Robin, and look what kind of career he had.  I think that Austin had the bloodlines to one day make it to the major leagues, but at 22 years old, he’ll have to move quickly.  He’ll probably play in Lo-A next year, and with a good season, he’ll make his way onto the Dodgers prospect radar.

58.  Elisaul Pimentel, RHP (56 innings in GCL Rookie League, 4 innings in Pioneer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 12/12/06

6’2”, 170 lbs, 20.5 years old

3-7, 2.70 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 6.75 K/9

Elisaul Pimentel has moved quickly through the Dodgers system since being signed as an 18 year old in 2006.  He made his professional debut in 2007 in the Dominican Summer and had a mediocre season, yet the Dodgers promoted him to the Gulf Coast League at the beginning of 2008.  The move paid off as Pimentel put together a very solid season during his time in the GCL, even though is win-loss record didn’t show it.  During one game in August, he even took a no-hitter into the 6^th inning.  Based on that success, the Dodgers decided to promote Pimentel again as he was moved to the Pioneer League toward the end of the 2008 season.  While he struggled in his two appearances there, the promotion was an encouraging sign for Elisaul and his development path.  Pimentel ended the season with a combined 2.70 ERA and a .221 batting average against, both stats which ranked in the top 20 in the Dodgers system.  In 2009, he will probably return to the Pioneer League, with a promotion to Lo-A possible later in the season.

57.  Timothy Sexton, RHP (142 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 25^th round

6’6”, 185 lbs, 21.5 years old

5-12, 6.04 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, 5.84 K/9

Coming out of Miami Dade Community College, Timothy Sexton was projected as a third to fifth round pick in the 2007 draft, but many teams stayed away from him when he reportedly asked for a $500,000 signing bonus.  The Dodgers took a chance on him in the 25^th round, however, and were able to sign him for $123K.  Because of his college experience, the Dodgers sent him directly to Lo-A where he had a very successful debut.  In 2008, the Dodgers moved him up to Hi-A, but the results were not quite as good.  He struggled through 26 starts, posting an ERA of over 6 and allowing a .317 batting average against.  Nevertheless, Sexton is only 21 and half years old, so he still has plenty of time to learn from his experience.  From what I’ve read, he has a solid four-pitch repertoire, and can hit 91 mph.  In addition, he is 6’6”, reminds scouts of Bronson Arroyo, and has a very projectable frame.  In 2009, Sexton will probably return to Hi-A, and hopefully he’ll have better results.

56.  Paul Koss, RHP (69 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 11^th round

6’4”, 215 lbs, 23.5 years old

3-2, 3.50 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, 8.57 K/9

Paul Koss is the former closer at USC who had a great career for the Trojans.  He had 36 career saves, and posted a 2.79 ERA during his senior season.  Drafted in the 11^th round of the 2007 draft, Koss started his career in the Pioneer League.  He moved up to Hi-A in 2008, and finished the season with 14 saves and 3.50 ERA for the Inland Empire 66ers.  He also made the California League All-Star Team, and has been quoted as saying that he loves the pressures of being a closer.  Koss has good size that is ideal for a relief pitcher, and also possesses a nasty slider that is by far his best pitch.  Really, the only thing that he needs to work on is his fastball, as it generally sits at 92 mph and doesn’t have great movement.  Koss will probably be promoted to AA to begin 2009, and that will be a pretty big challenge for the 23 year old as he will face some stiff competition.

55.  Justin Orenduff, RHP (110 innings in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 1^st round

6’4”, 205 lbs, 25.5 years old

3-7, 6.55 ERA, 1.89 WHIP, 7.77 K/9

Justin Orenduff was drafted in the supplemental 1^st round in 2004, and used to be one of the Dodgers top prospects.  From 2004 to 2007, Orenduff had an average ERA of around 3.80 and accumulated a strikeout rate of 10.2 batters per 9 innings.  After the 2006 season, he was ranked 14th in the Dodgers system by Baseball America, and after the 2007 season he was at #27.  Then, in 2008, something went wrong.  In 110 innings at AAA, Orenduff had a 6.55 ERA, a 1.89 WHIP, and allowed an amazing 25 HR’s.  While some of those HR’s can be attributed to the hitter friendly Pacific Coast League, most were simply related to bad pitches.  Orenduff’s struggles continued in the 2008 Arizona Fall League as he allowed 10 more HR’s in just 28 innings.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers haven’t given up hope.  Orenduff is a big guy, and at 25 and a half is just reaching his prime.  He also has a solid slider, and is already on the Dodgers 40 man roster.  He will most likely return to AAA in 2009, and if he can return to form, he’ll be a candidate to make an appearance on the major league club at some point next season.  If he continues to struggle, however, he will probably never get that chance.

54.  Jordan Pratt, RHP (69 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 5^th round

6’3”, 195 lbs, 23.5 years old

4-3, 4.83 ERA, 1.68 WHIP, 10.43 K/9

Pratt was a 5^th round pick in the 2003 draft, so he has been with the Dodgers for a while already.  After many up and down seasons, Pratt started putting everything together during the 2008 regular season.  While his ERA and WHIP weren’t very good, his strikeout rate was great at 10.43 K’s/9, and he allowed only a .203 average against.  After the season, the Dodgers showed their commitment to Pratt by sending him to the Hawaii Winter League, and he didn’t disappoint.  In the HWL, Pratt posted an improved ERA of 2.53, and had an amazing strikeout rate of 14.5 strikeouts per 9 innings (which by far led the league for pitchers with at least 10 innings).  At 6’3” and 195, Pratt has a great pitchers body, and can hit 94 mph on the radar gun.  He also has a great cutter.  In addition, he is still just 23.5 years old, even though he already has 6 years of professional experience. The Dodgers left Pratt unprotected in the recent Rule 5 draft, and while many thought that he might be taken by another team based on his recent success, he luckily will stay with the Dodgers, and will probably be promoted to AA in 2009.

53.  Edwin Contreras, RHP (55 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 11/28/06

6’2”, 165 lbs, 20 years old

5-0, 2.30 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 5.60 K/9

Signed out of Mexico in late 2006, Edwin Contreras made his professional debut in the Gulf Coast League in 2007 and did very well.  Because he was still just 19 to start the 2008 season, the Dodgers returned Contreras to the GCL, and this time he did even better.  He had a perfect 5-0 record, posted a WHIP of 1.02, and allowed only a .219 batting average.  In addition, his 2.30 ERA led all Dodger minor leaguers in that category (besides those playing in the Dominican Summer League).  Really the only statistic that Contreras lacked was his ability to strike batters out, but that will probably come as he matures.  At 6’2”, Contreras has the build to be successful professional pitcher.  However, he is only listed at 165, so he’ll have to put on some muscle if he wants to continue climbing the later.  In 2009, Contreras will most likely make the jump to Lo-A, and he’ll be primed for another great season in the pitcher friendly Midwest League.

52.  Preston Mattingly, 2B (92 games in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 1^st round

6’3”, 205 lbs, 21 years old, bats right handed

.224 average, 6 HR’s, 24 RBI’s

Coming out of high school, Preston Mattingly wasn’t projected as a 1^st round pick.  He was supposed to go within the first 10 rounds, but being picked 31 overall was almost out of the question.  The Dodgers, however, felt otherwise, and decided to spend their supplemental first round pick on the son of the Yankee legend.  So far, that pick has looked like a major mistake as player like Joba Chamberlin, Chris Tillman, and Brett Anderson were all still available at that time that Mattingly was picked.  Nevertheless, it is still too early to completely write off Preston as he is still only 21 years old, and hasn’t had an opportunity to play above Lo-A.  While his statistics have been pretty bad, he is a great athlete, and is still adjusting to professional pitching.  He has good size, and simply needs to learn how to put the bat on the ball.  He also needs to find a permanent position as he has moved around the infield during his first 3 years of professional ball.  In addition, Mattingly must have injured himself in some way toward the end of last season because he didn’t play after July 31^st.  Looking ahead to 2009, Mattingly will probably make the move to Hi-A, even though his stats don’t really warrant a promotion.  The change of scenery will probably do him good because for one he will be closer to his father in LA, and for two because the California league is generally much easier on hitters.  Overall, I expect him to have a much better year at Inland Empire, and hopefully that will put Preston back on the Dodgers prospect radar.

51.  Rubby De La Rosa, RHP (47 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/2/07

6’1”, 170 lbs, 19.5 years old

1-4, 1.71 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 9.70 K/9

Rubby De La Rosa was signed out of the Dominican Republic on the first day of international signing period in 2007, and only pitched 6 innings during the 2007 season.  In 2008, De La Rosa pitched a full season in the Dominican Summer League, and put up some amazing numbers.  In his 12 starts, he had a 1.71 ERA, a 1.16 WHIP, and allowed only a .197 batting average against.  In addition, he did not allow any home runs, and struck out 51 batters in 47 innings.  At 6’1” and 170 lbs, De La Rosa isn’t going to intimidate anyone with his size, but he big enough to hold his own.  Also, he is still just 19 and a half years old, so he is still maturing as a player.  In 2009, De La Rosa will be a candidate to make the jump to the Gulf Coast League, where he will face a much bigger challenge. 

50.  Roberto Feliciano, LHP (20 innings in GCL Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 24^th round

6’0”, 214 lbs, 18 years old

2-0, 3.10 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 11.07 K/9

Considering that he was a 24^th round pick, Roberto Feliciano did very well during his first professional season.  Drafted out of Puerto Rico, this lefthander is a solid 6 footer who knows how to strike batters out.  He whiffed 25 hitters in just 20 innings in the Gulf Coast League, and also amassed a decent 3.10 ERA.  He pitched strictly out of the pen last season, but I don’t see why he couldn’t be a starter at some point in his career.  I don’t know much else about Feliciano, except for the fact that he is currently playing in the Puerto Rican Winter League, and has allowed only 1 hit in almost 4 innings.  He also has allowed 3 walks, however, so he may need to work on his control a little.  At just 18 years old, Feliciano is still very young, and will definitely return to one of the Dodgers Rookie Leagues in 2009.  While he probably won’t repeat the great season he had in 2008, I expect that he will continue to grow into a legitimate prospect.

49.  Josh Wall, RHP (129 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 2^nd round

6’6”, 190 lbs, 21.5 years old

9-6, 6.28 ERA, 1.67 WHIP, 7.05 K/9

Josh Wall was drafted in the same round in 2005 as Ivan DeJesus Jr., but has not had as much success as the young shortstop.  While he posted a 9-6 record for the 66ers in 2008, his ERA was a horrendous 6.28, and opposing batter hit almost .300 against him.  While some of his struggles can be attributed to the hitter friendly California League, I think most of it was related to his inability to execute.  Nevertheless, Wall is not even 22 years old yet, and still has a very projectable frame.  Coming out of high school, he was hitting 93 on the radar gun, and even showed his power by hitting 19 home runs as a senior.  Also, he had a solid 2007 season at Great Lakes where he posted a respectable 4.18 ERA.  I personally think that Wall still has it in him to be a great pitcher, but he just needs to get his confidence back after the beating he took last season.  If the Dodgers were smart, they would move him up to AA despite his terrible stats, simply to get him away from the California League.

48.  Justin Miller, RHP (140 innings in LoA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2007, 6^th round

6’3”, 190 lbs, 21 years old

4-11, 3.99 ERA, 1.47 WHIP, 5.27 K/9

Even though Justin Miller was considered to be one of the best community college pitchers available in the 2007 draft, he fell to the 6^th round where the Dodgers gladly scooped him up.  What probably scared most teams away was the fact that Miller actually spent more time in right field than on the mound during his final college season, as he developed a tender elbow.  Nevertheless, he was hitting 94 on the radar gun before his injury, and at 6’3”, the Dodgers felt like he had a very projectable frame.  After being drafted, Miller was assigned to the Gulf Coast League, where he ended the season by pitching 7 innings of scoreless relief in the GCL playoff.  That success translated into a promotion to Lo-A, where he had a phenomenal start to the 2008 season.  In April, Miller posted a 1.11 ERA in 24 innings, and allowed only a .205 batting average.  The league eventually caught up with Justin, but his final stats for the 2008 season were still very good.  Also, while he can be hittable and wild at times, he still throws pretty hard and has a promising slider.  The one thing I don’t like about Miller is his low strikeout rate, but I think he simply needs more professional experience.  In 2009, I expect Miller to move up to Hi-A where he will face a major challenge.  If he can keep his ERA under 4.50 in the California League, then I would consider it a very successful season.

47.  Javy Guerra, RHP (66 innings in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2004, 4^th round

6’1”, 185 lbs, 23 years old

5-4, 4.07 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, 8.55 K/9

Javy Guerra, a 4^th round pick in 2004, has had a mediocre professional career so far even though he has great stuff.  His ERA has never been below 4.00, and his 2007 ERA was actually 6.27. That being said, 2008 was a big year for Guerra as he showed that he could hold his own in the California League with a 4.07 ERA, and also earn a trip to the Hawaii Winter League.  In the HWL, he showed his stuff by flashing fastballs and 96 mph, and also by holding batters to a .233 batting average.  In addition, he ranked 18^th on Baseball America’s top 20 players from the HWL, and was featured in an article that talked about top players available in the Rule 5 Draft.  Luckily for the Dodgers, nobody took Guerra during that draft, so he will be able to continue his Dodger career next season at AA in Chattanooga.  While he is only 6’1, he has a deceptive delivery and obviously can throw the ball very hard.  2009 will be the turning point in Guerra’s career, and he will have to be up for the challenge as he makes his way through the Dodgers system.

46.  Luis Ferreras, RHP (13 innings in LoA, 12 innings in GCL, 3 innings in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

6’0”, 151 lbs, 19 years old

0-1, 4.23 ERA, 1.45 WHIP, 4.23 K/9

In 2007, Luis Ferreras had an amazing debut in the Dominican Summer League as a 17 year old.  He had an ERA that was below 1, held batters to a .183 batting average, and picked up 12 saves.  Therefore in 2008, even though Ferreras only had one year of professional experience and was only 18 years old, the Dodgers allowed him to pitch in the GCL, LoA, and even in AA.  While he saw mixed results in 2008, Ferreras gained plenty of valuable experience that he will be able to use throughout the remainder of his career.  Also, he is just 19 years old, so Ferreras has plenty of time to grow and mature into a legitimate Dodger prospect.  The one knock on Ferreras’ 2008 performance was his ability to strike batters out.  However, I wouldn’t be too concerned about that statistic because he had decent strikeout numbers in 2007, and also because he was trying to adjust to more advanced hitters during 2008.  The other knock on Ferreras is his size, and that is something he will have to work on during the offseason.  In 2009, I expect Ferreras to start the year at LoA, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he was again moved up to HiA or AA at some point during the season.

45.  Antonio Castillo, LHP (69 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 3/30/07

5’11”, 180 lbs, 20.5 years old

3-1, 1.18 ERA, 0.80 WHIP, 9.70 K/9

In 2007, Antonio Castillo posted an ERA of 1.75 and allowed a batting average against of only .178 in 46 innings.  After such a great season, there is no way that Castillo would be able ever repeat such a performance, right?  Well in 2008, Castillo was not only able to repeat his performance, but he was able to do better.  In approximately 69 innings, Castillo had a 1.18 ERA, struck out over a batter per inning, and allowed a .160 batting average.  He also finished the year with a 0.53 ERA in the final month of the season, and allowed only 1 HR all year.  Statistically, he had the best year out of all of the Dodger minor league pitchers.  However, Castillo is already 20 and a half years old, has only played in the Dominican Summer League, and is definitely undersized for a pitcher.  At 5’11”, he is one of the rare pitchers who are less than 6 feet tall.  Nevertheless, Castillo is a lefty and seems to have the advantage when he takes the mound against any batter.  In 2009, I predict that Castillo will play for one of the two Dodgers Rookie League squads, and will face a much greater challenge than he did in the DSL.

44.  Travyon Robinson, CF (112 games in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2005, 10^th round

5’10”, 175 lbs, 21 years old, switch hitter

.276 average, 4 HR’s, 42 RBI’s

Travyon Robinson is a local guy as he was drafted out of Crenshaw high school in 2005.  While he is a small player, Robinson has plenty of speed and handles the bat well as a switch hitter.  He also is a great defensive center fielder as he made just one error during the entire 2008 season.  Also in 2008, he had the best offensive year of his young professional career.  Although his stats weren’t eye-popping, his offensive improvements from 2007 shows that he is on the right path.  With speed being his biggest asset, Robinson needs to work on making better contact.  He only had a .276 average and struck out 104 times in just 439 at bats, so that proves that he struggles to get the bat on the ball.  Nevertheless, the Dodgers showed their faith in Robinson by inviting him to their December strength and conditioning camp at Dodger Stadium.  This camp was designed for the higher level prospects, so the fact the he was invited shows that the Dodgers think highly of Travyon.  Because he is just 21 years old, Robinson may return to Hi-A for another year of work in the California League.  However, he may progress up to AA so the Dodgers can see how he responds to more advanced pitching. 

43.  Jesus Castillo, RHP (114 innings in AA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 27^th round

6’1”, 195 lbs, 24.5 years old

7-4, 3.24 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, 6.00 K/9

Jesus Castillo was drafted by the Dodgers as a late round pick in 2003.  From 2004 through 2006, he had three straight excellent seasons, and never finished with an ERA above 2.96 during any of those years.  In 2007, Castillo received a bigger challenge as he played the entire year in Hi-A, but even then he did relatively well with a 4.78 ERA in the California League.  That brings us to this past season, where all things considered, Castillo probably had his best year as a professional.  His 3.24 ERA ranked third for Dodger AA starters, and the two players ahead of him were Clayton Kershaw and James McDonald.  He also posted a respectable 1.37 WHIP, and made the AA All-Star team.  Based on those numbers, the Dodgers decided to add Castillo to their 40 man roster in November of this year in order to protect him during the Rule 5 Draft.  Since being added to the 40 man roster, Castillo has pitched 17 innings in the Mexican Winter League, and hasn’t disappointed as he has posted a 2.60 ERA and allowed only a .203 batting average against.  While Castillo has never been known as a strikeout, he seems to be able to get the job done by allowing hitters to put the ball in play.  In 2009, Castillo will definitely be moved up to AAA, and he may even be a candidate to make a spot start depending on injuries and how the Dodger rotation shapes up during this offseason. 

42.  Kyle Orr, 1B (45 games in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 4^th round

6’5”, 205 lbs, 20 years old, bats left handed

.225 average, 5 HR’s, 24 RBI’s

Kyle Orr’s ranking is based mostly on projection, because his stats during the last two seasons have been pretty dismal as he has hit a combined .226 during 2007 and 2008.  But believe me, there is plenty of potential for this big 1^st baseman who was drafted out of Canada in 2006.  While he was strongly committed to play at the University of Kentucky, the Dodgers were able to sign Orr with a $435K signing bonus and an additional $100K going toward a college education if he ever chooses to get one.  At 6’5”, Orr has been putting on shows during batting practice since high school.  He has legitimate raw power, even though he only has 8 HR’s as a professional so far.  He is also a gritty player, and has a strong arm.  His biggest struggle comes against left handed pitchers, as Orr hit only .079 against south paws in 2008.  Without much speed or defense, he is going to have to get it done with his bat, and hopefully will improve as he gets older.  Orr is still just 20 years old, so he has plenty of time to develop his game.  I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dodgers kept Orr in extended spring training, and then returned him to the Pioneer League for another season of growth.  If that is the case, then I would expect him to post much improved numbers in 2009, especially in the area of power.

41.  Thomas Giles, RF (126 games in HiA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2006, 8^th round

6’0”, 190 lbs, 25 years old, bats left handed

.280 average, 22 HR’s, 100 RBI’s

In 2008, Thomas Giles had a great offensive season and led all Dodger minor leaguers in HR’s and RBI’s.  Based on those numbers, some might expect Giles to rank a little higher on my list.  Well unfortunately, Giles had a four factors working against him.  First, Giles is already 25 years old, and was one of the oldest players in Hi-A.  His experience alone gave him an advantage over younger pitchers.  Second, Giles played the entire season in the California League, which is very hitter friendly.  In fact, he had a 6 RBI game and a 9 RBI game, both which came at stadiums where the wind was blowing out.  Third, Giles was sent to the Hawaii Winter League after the season, and had a terrible time at the plate.  He hit just .184 in the HWL, and picked up just 3 RBI’s in 76 at bats.  Forth, Giles strikes out way too much as he went down on strikes 117 times last year.  Even with these negatives trying to pull him down, Giles is still a solid player.  He’s not very big, but is a versatile outfielder and has a sweet left handed swing.  He’s also an educated player and knows how to place the ball into the gaps.  In addition, I had the opportunity to watch Giles play a couple of times this year, and he was definitely the most exciting hitter on the team (after Santana left).  In 2009, Giles will undoubtedly be promoted to AA where he will have to prove that his offensive stats are not solely related to the hitting environment.  He’ll also have to make the most of his opportunities as he will again be one of the older players in the league.

40.  Geison Aguasviva, LHP (71 innings in Pioneer Rookie League, 19 innings in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 12/15/05

6’2”, 166 lbs, 21 years old

4-6, 4.07 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 7.94 K/9

Geison Aguasviva is a lefthander who was signed out of the Dominican Republic before the 2006 season.  His debut in 2006 was average at best, but in 2007, Aguasviva put together a very impressive season.  In 66 innings, he posted a 1.50 ERA, struck out over a batter per inning, and allowed only a .183 batting average.  Based on that success, the Dodgers decided to jump the then 20 year old to Lo-A to begin the 2008 season.  After 19 innings and an 8.38 ERA, it was apparent that it probably wasn’t the greatest idea to promote him up that high, so the Dodgers moved Aguasviva to the Pioneer Rookie League in June.  There he had much better results as he had an ERA of just 2.90 in 13 starts (although his WHIP was still a little high).  As a tall, skinny player, Aguasviva still has plenty of projection left in his frame.  So far, he has been able to hit 91 MPH on the radar gun, but the Dodgers expect that to jump even higher once he adds muscle.  He also has decent secondary stuff that he has been able to command fairly well.  In 2009, Aguasviva will still be just 21 years old, and I’m pretty sure that he will get another shot to prove himself at Lo-A. 

39.  A.J. Ellis, C (84 games in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2003, 18^th round

6’3”, 240 lbs, 27.5 years old, bats right handed

.321 average, 4 HR’s, 59 RBI’s

Andrew James Ellis, aka A.J. Ellis, was drafted out of Austin Peay College in 2003, and left as their all time hit leader.  That success didn’t immediately translate at the professional level, however, as he struggled at the plate from 2003 through 2006.  In 2007, he finally began to show some signs of life with a .269 batting average and 8 HR’s at AA.  Then came 2008, the year in which Ellis really broke out offensively.  While his power numbers dipped from the year before, Ellis hit a remarkable .321 and had 59 RBI’s.  In fact, after the AAA All Star game (which he was chosen to be a part of), he hit .371 to finish out the season.  As a result, the Dodgers called him up September to give him a little experience, and even though he went 0 for 3, I’m sure he had the time of his life.  At 27 and half years old, Ellis is one of the oldest players on the list.  However, he already has a leg up over most of the other players in the Dodgers minor league system because he has already made his major league debut.  In fact, if I were Dodger management, I would pick A.J. Ellis to be the primary backup to Russell Martin during the 2009 season.  He is cheap, durable, plays adequate defense, and possesses at least some sort of an offensive threat.  I see him as an upgrade over Danny Ardoin, but I guess they are going to have to battle it out in Spring Training (unless the Dodgers sign another legitimate backup).  He if is able to win the job, it would be quite an accomplishment for this former 18^th round pick.

38.  Travis Schlichting, RHP (60 innings in AA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/6/07

6’4”, 190 lbs, 24 years old

6-4, 3.77 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 7.39 K/9

I don’t really know where to begin with Travis Schlichting as he has already had a long and complicated baseball career.  Originally selected as a 3^rd baseman in the 4^th round of the 2003 draft by the Tampa Bay Rays, Schlichting never really succeeded with his bat.  He was traded to the Angels after the 2005 season, and during 2006 he played both in the field and on the mound.  While he threw 8 scoreless innings for the Angles during that 2006 season, they released him, and he would up playing with an independent league for all of 2007.  The Dodgers decided to take a chance on him in October of 2007, and after an extended stay in Spring Training at the beginning of 2008, he debuted at AA for the Dodgers and pitched very well throughout the entire season.  He logged 60 innings, and had a respectable record, ERA, and WHIP.  In fact, he did well enough to earn himself a spot in the Arizona Fall League, and it was there that he really showed his best stuff.  As the closer for the Surprise Rafters, Schlichting posted a 1.50 ERA, allowed a batting average of just .208, and picked up 3 saves in 12 innings.  He also proved that he deserved a spot on the Dodgers 40 man roster.  At 6’4”, Schlichting has good size for a pitcher.  He can hit at least 91 mph on the mound, and has good sink on his pitches.  In addition, he is still just 24 years old, so he has a lot of good years still ahead of him.  In 2009, I expect Schlichting to begin the year at AAA, but it wouldn’t be a total shock to see him in the Dodger bullpen at some point next season.

37.  Jon Michael Redding, RHP (31 innings in Pioneer Rookie League in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2008, 5^th round

6’1”, 195 lbs, 21 years old

0-4, 5.17 ERA, 1.60 WHIP, 10.34 K/9

The Dodgers must have really done their homework when it came to Jon Michael Redding, because he was a surprise pick to go as high as the 5^th round.  When you look at the numbers he put up at Florida Community College, however, you might be able to see why the Dodgers though he had some real potential.  During his 2008 college season, Redding went 8-5 with a 2.02 ERA and a .222 batting average against.  He was also a workhorse as he pitched 5 complete games, and struck out almost a batter per innings.  While he was committed to play at LSU, he took the Dodgers offer and began his professional career in the Pioneer Rookie League.  Because he had already thrown 125 innings in 2008 before signing with the Dodgers, management decided to take it easy on him, and only let him throw 31 innings.  In those 31 innings, he had mixed results as his ERA and WHIP were pretty bad, yet showed that he had good stuff by posting a strikeout rate of 10.34.  Also, from what I’ve read, Redding is a strike throwing machine, has three decent pitches, and can reach the low 90’s on the radar gun.  Even though he is only 21 years old, Redding will probably begin 2009 in LoA as one of their 5 starting pitchers.  Although he’ll have to adjust to the cold weather, I expect Redding to put together a great season in the Midwest League.

36.  Kenley Jansen, C (79 games in LoA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 11/17/04

6’2”, 178 lbs, 21 years old, switch hitter

.227 average, 9 HR’s, 27 RBI’s

Some people may question why I ranked Kenley Jansen in the top 40.  He only hit .227 in 2008, and has never really been on the Dodgers radar.  However, look at the comparison between Jansen’s 2008 stats in the Midwest League and the 2007 Midwest League stats of former Dodger prospect Carlos Santana, who is now rated as the #1 prospect in the Indians organization.  Note that both are switch hitters:

2008 Jansen: .227 average, 9 HR’s, 27 RBI’s

2007 Santana: .223 average, 7 HR’s, 36 RBI’s

Those stats are strangely similar.  Now I’m not saying that Jansen is going to have a monster season in the California League in 2009 just like Santana did last year, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a much better year at the plate.  Anyways, going back to the beginning of Jansen’s career, he was signed out of Curacao in 2004.  Curacao probably sounds familiar because that is where Andruw Jones is from.  Jansen had a good debut in 2005 as he hit .304 with 18 RBI’s.  In 2006 and 2007, however, he struggled at the plate, but still managed to move up through the Dodger system.  We already discussed his 2008 season, although I would like to point out that his 9 HR’s he hit were actually very impressive given the league that he was in.  Also, Jansen is probably the best defensive catcher in the Dodger system, so that makes him even more valuable as a player.  As mentioned before, he’ll move up to Hi-A in 2009, and I expect Jansen to do very well as a 21 year old.

35.  Greg Miller, LHP (54 innings in AAA in 2008)

Drafted by Dodgers 2002, 1^st round

6’6”, 220 lbs, 24 years old

2-3, 7.71 ERA, 2.22 WHIP, 8.89 K/9

As everyone probably knows by now, Greg Miller used to be one of the top Dodger prospects.  His high point came after the 2003 season when he was ranked as the 8^th best prospect in all of baseball by Baseball America.  Then came an injury in 2004, and he missed the entire season.  In 2005 and 2006 Miller returned to form, and again began to dominate the league.  Then disaster.  I won’t go into detail about Miller’s downfall, but I think the 2.22 WHIP in 2008 says it all.  After everything that Miller has gone through, however, there is still talk that he might make the big league club in 2009 with a good spring training.  Apparently his stuff is still good enough to get out major league hitters, and he simply needs to learn to harness his pitches. As evidence that he still has good stuff, he did record almost a strikeout per inning in 2008, and allowed a .272 batting average, which isn’t that bad considering he was playing in the Pacific Coast League.  Miller’s biggest problem is his control, as he walked 63 batters in 54 innings last season.  As that problem is mostly psychological and not physical, it appears to be something that he can overcome if he puts his mind to it.  Hopefully he is getting some help this offseason, because while he is just 24 years old, he is running out of time as he will be entering his 8^th professional season in 2009.  He has been on the Dodgers 40 man roster since 2005, yet hasn’t been promoted beyond AAA.  It will be interesting to see what happens to Greg Miller in the next few months.

34.  Leonel Beras, LHP (21 innings in Dominican Summer League in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 10/22/07

6’0”, 160 lbs, 17 years old

0-1, 2.18 ERA, 1.65 WHIP, 7.84 K/9

Leonel Beras is a young and promising lefty who was signed out the Dominican Republic as a 16 year old.  He debuted in the Dominican Summer League in 2008 and posted an excellent ERA of 2.18.  While his WHIP was a little high at 1.65, Beras had a good strikeout rate and allowed only a .235 batting average.  He also did not allow a HR during the season.  As mentioned before, Beras is very young, and that means he is still very inexperienced.  That makes his initial success even more exciting because he has been relying on his instincts.  Also, while Beras isn’t very big, he’ll most likely grow as he gets older.  In 2009, Leonel will most likely return to the DSL for another year of experience, and hopefully he’ll get to pitch a few more innings than he did this past season.

33.  Matthew Sartor, RHP (52 innings in LoA, 38 innings in HiA in 2008)

Signed by Dodgers 7/24/07

6’6”, 250 lbs, 24 years old

8-5, 3.12 ERA, 1.14 WHP, 10.68 K/9

Matthew Sartor was signed by the Dodgers out of an independent league in 2007.  Since he was already 23 at the time of his signing, he made his professional debut in the Pioneer League and had immediate success.  He struck out 25 batters in just 18 innings, picked up 2 saves, and only allowed a .161 batting average.  The Dodgers promoted Sartor to Lo-A to begin the 2008 season, and he continued to pitch very well.  He earned another promotion midway through the season to Hi-A, and finished out the year with a 2.15 ERA for the Inland Empire 66ers in 38 innings.  Combined for season, Sartor had an outstanding strikeout rate of over 10.5, and allowed only a .233 batting average.  He also had a great strikeout to walk ratio.  At 6’6” and 250 lbs, Sartor is an imposing presence on the mound.  I’m not exactly sure about how hard he throws, but I’m assuming that it’s at least in the low 90’s.  I expect Sartor continue his quick ascent through the Dodgers system in 2009, and will predict that he beings the year in AA.  If he continues to have the kind of success he has had the past two seasons, he’s a wildcard to make it onto the Dodgers roster as a reliever at some point during the next few seasons.