Previewing Must-Watch Dodgers Prospects in Upcoming Fall League Action

Even as the Los Angeles Dodgers are in a pennant race, the farm system continues to churn. The Arizona Fall League provides an opportunity for the young Dodgers to improve in a structured environment, and it is generally a hotbed for elite position player prospects.

The teams are made up of prospects from several different teams. The Dodgers are sending their players to the Glendale Desert Dogs, where they will join up with representatives from the Baltimore Orioles, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers. This is relevant because occasionally, prospects ostensibly play the same position, forcing one to another spot on the diamond.

Honorable Mention

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Daniel Coulombe has made a couple appearances in the big leagues.

There are several players on the Desert Dogs roster who do not have an impactful future. Those are mostly pitchers because the elite arms are at their innings limit and their parent clubs don’t want to risk injury.

For the Dodgers, that general pattern holds true this year. Daniel Coulombe (who we know from his recent appearances with the big league club), Matt Magill, Blake Smith and Mike Thomas are relatively anonymous pitchers who will be asked to eat innings.

Corey Seager, IF

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Seager is the cream of the Dodgers’ crop. He is their best prospect, and he has been impressive at every stop in the minor leagues. A 20-year-old shortstop who spent the last third of the season in Double-A, he has posted at least a .900 OPS at each level.

Tim Anderson is also on the roster, and he is a shortstop in the White Sox organization, so it is possible that Seager plays third base this fall. Given that it’s possible Seager has to move to third base in the future (he’s 6’4” and already weighs 215 lbs), this would give the Dodgers an opportunity to see how he looks at that position.

Scott Schebler, OF

A fast riser in the system, Schebler has emerged as a legitimate prospect. He is a corner outfielder—he’s played just 13 games in center field—but his bat has impressed in the last two years. If he continues to develop, he looks like he will have a major league future, although odds are it won’t be with the Dodgers.

Schebler’s improvements can be traced to his refined approach. His walk rate has increased, his strikeout rate dropped when he advanced from High-A to Double-A and he has developed a bit more power. The AFL will be a good test of his developments.

Darnell Sweeney, IF/OF

Sweeney was drafted in 2012, and in each of his first two seasons, he was an infielder. He played shortstop and second base, but in 2014, he was shifted to the outfield. He played 23 games in center field, and I would assume that he’s going to continue that trend in Arizona.

This will gave Sweeney an extra chance to learn to play the outfield. He’s a competent hitter, and the Dodgers will obviously want to see continued improvement. However, his outfield defense is clearly underdeveloped given his lack of experience, so these extra games will be helpful.