Stock Up, Stock Down for Dodgers' Top 10 Prospects for Week 7
The Los Angeles Dodgers have traditionally been a team that develops its young prospects. However, management moved away from that philosophy in recent years, instead favoring the checkbook as the primary way to build the roster.
But the new front office under president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and general manager Farhan Zaidi is bringing back the focus on young talent.
The most obvious manifestation of this ideal was the Matt Kemp trade, which paved the way for top outfield prospect Joc Pederson to become an everyday player. Instead of signing free-agent relievers, the Dodgers have turned to young, in-house bullpen options like Yimi Garcia and Pedro Baez.
These decisions have paid off so far, as Pederson is up to 10 home runs already, while the Dodgers' bullpen is one of the best in the league.
Rather than packaging prospects for a front-line starter like Cole Hamels, Los Angeles is slowly but surely replenishing a farm system that once helped define the franchise. Now, players like Corey Seager and Julio Urias are some of the top prospects in the game, and the Dodgers have no intention of moving these gems.
They represent the future for the Boys in Blue, and that future may be arriving quite soon. Let's take a look at how the Dodgers' top 10 prospects—as organized by MLB.com—are faring seven weeks into the 2015 season.
10. Chris Reed, LHP
1 of 10
Last week’s stats:
3 IP, 0 ER, 0 K, 1 BB
After years of attempting to develop former Stanford University reliever Chris Reed into a major league starter, the team finally decided to move him back to the bullpen.
The change has paid off—at least in the early going.
The former 2011 first-round pick has allowed just one earned run in eight innings at Triple-A Oklahoma City since being promoted from Double-A at the end of April. Last season as a starter, Reed struggled mightily following the same promotion.
While his stock was heading in the wrong direction at the end of 2014, it’s certainly trending upward this year with the new—yet familiar—relief role.
2015 stats (Double-A and Triple-A):
19.2 IP, 0.92 ERA, 15 K, 6 BB
Stock:
Up
9. Zachary Bird, RHP
2 of 10Last week’s stats:
10 IP, 2 ER, 13 K, 7 BB
Zack Bird broke into the top 10 with an impressive 2014 season. This year, the former ninth-round pick in 2012 has been toeing the rubber for High-A Rancho Cucamonga.
The solidly built right-hander has made six starts so far in 2015, allowing no more than three earned runs in any of them. However, his command has been spotty. He’ll need to clean up his strikeout-to-walk ratio in order to continue his ascent up the minor league ladder. He has already walked 26 batters in just 37 innings.
The good news is that Bird won’t turn 21 until July, meaning that he is one of the youngest players in the league with plenty of room for growth.
2015 stats (High-A):
37.2 IP, 4.06 ERA, 41 K, 26 BB
Stock:
Up
8. Scott Schebler
3 of 10
Last week’s stats:
23 AB, 2 H, 0 2B, 0 HR, 0 RBI
Scott Schebler's swift ascent through the Dodgers’ minor league system has hit a snag this season in Triple-A.
The 2010 draft pick smacked a career-high 28 home runs last year in Double-A and then batted .310 in 23 Arizona Fall League games. But Schebler has already struck out 29 times this season—a number greater than the combined total of his home runs, doubles and RBI.
His average sits at .205 through 35 games, and he is in the midst of a 2-for-23 slump. Schebler has never finished a season with a batting average lower than .260.
Still, the Dodgers can afford to be patient with Schebler, as the major league outfield situation remains crowded with Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson, Carl Crawford, Andre Ethier and Scott Van Slyke in the fold.
2015 stats (Triple-A):
.205/.306/.402, 5 2B, 6 HR, 13 RBI
Stock:
Down
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7. Darnell Sweeney, IF/OF
4 of 10
Last week’s stats:
27 AB, 9 H, 1 2B, 0 HR, 3 RBI
The speedy Darnell Sweeney experienced somewhat of a career year at Double-A last season, finishing with an impressive .850 OPS to go along with surprising pop (14 home runs).
However, his development was halted by a disappointing stolen base rate—he swiped 15 bases and was thrown out 16 times.
Sweeney received an invitation to major league camp this spring, which meant more time working with Dodgers’ base-running guru Davey Lopes. The results are becoming apparent in Triple-A this season, as Sweeney has already swiped 17 bags for Oklahoma City.
The 2012 draft pick provides switch-hitting versatility and the ability to play both middle-infield positions as well as center field. With a solid .261 batting average so far, Sweeney figures to compete for a job with the big club by 2016 if he keeps it up.
2015 stats (Triple-A):
.261/.344/.384, 9 2B, 2 HR, 16 RBI, 17 SB
Stock:
Up
6. Jose De Leon, RHP
5 of 10Last week’s stats:
5.2 IP, 1 ER, 8 K, 2 BB
The Dodgers drafted Jose De Leon in the 24th round of the 2013 draft, and the right-hander has quickly become one of the team’s top pitching prospects.
The Southern University product has compiled a 4-1 record in seven starts with High-A Rancho Cucamonga this season. Even more impressive are his league-leading 58 strikeouts. De Leon’s fastball is now reaching the mid-90s with consistency, and his breaking ball has become a legitimate strikeout pitch.
These impressive numbers recently earned De Leon a promotion to Double-A Tulsa. Although the Dodgers have not confirmed the move, De Leon’s father tweeted out the news this past Sunday.
2015 stats (High-A):
37.2 IP, 1.67 ERA, 58 K, 8 BB
Stock:
Up
5. Chris Anderson, RHP
6 of 10
Last week’s stats:
8 IP, 0 ER, 5 K, 1 BB
Chris Anderson pitched eight innings during his last start this past Sunday, the longest he has lasted in a game this season. The strong performance marked two consecutive outings with just one earned run allowed. He had given up a combined 15 earned runs during his previous three starts.
Anderson's lone walk on Sunday was also encouraging, as command and control have been nagging issues for the 2013 draft pick out of Jacksonville University. Although Anderson has some of the best pure stuff in the organization, he'll need to fine-tune his talents in order to take the next step.
2015 stats (Double-A):
43.1 IP, 4.15 ERA, 37 K, 22 BB
Stock:
Even
4. Alex Verdugo, CF
7 of 10Last week’s stats:
14 AB, 1 H, 0 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
The Dodgers drafted Alex Verdugo in the second round last June. The two-way player out of Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Arizona, will continue his career as a center fielder rather than on the mound.
After a productive season in the Arizona Rookie League (AZL) last year, Verdugo has struggled to match that early success at the Low-A level in 2015. He has struck out almost a quarter of the time and is still searching for his first home run. Verdugo recently came off the disabled list with a thumb injury.
2015 stats (Low-A):
.212/.246/.283, 4 2B, 0 HR, 3 SB
Stock:
Down
3. Grant Holmes, RHP
8 of 10Last week’s stats:
6 IP, 0 ER, 7 K, 2 BB
The Dodgers made Grant Holmes their first pick (22nd overall) in last June's draft. The 19-year-old has started seven games for the Great Lakes Loons in Low-A this season, turning in primarily solid results.
His two most recent outings have been some of his best. Holmes struck out seven in each one, which stands as his season high. He is also going deeper into games lately. After failing to make it past the fifth inning during his first four starts, he has pitched six innings in two of his last three.
The Dodgers should be encouraged with their young pitcher's increasing stamina and strikeout rate.
2015 stats (Low-A):
32.2 IP, 3.58 ERA, 40 K, 17 BB
Stock:
Up
2. Julio Urias, LHP
9 of 10
Last week’s stats:
3.1 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 4 BB
Julio Urias won't turn 19 until August, but he is already the Dodgers' top pitching prospect.
The young southpaw has dazzled during his ascent through the minor leagues, but his most recent start was not one of his best. He lasted just three innings, throwing 85 pitches, surrendering two home runs and walking four.
Urias won't make another start for at least another month because he is scheduled to undergo elective surgery to correct a condition that causes his eye to droop, per Eric Stephen of True Blue LA.
2015 stats (Double-A):
36 IP, 3.00 ERA, 46 K, 9 BB
Stock:
Even
1. Corey Seager, SS
10 of 10
Last week’s stats:
31 AB, 12 H, 0 2B, 0 HR, 1 RBI
Corey Seager was promoted to Double-A last July, and that's where he began the 2015 season.
He wasn't there for long, however.
The Dodgers' top prospect slashed .375/.407/.675 with seven doubles, a triple, five homers and 15 RBI in 20 games before being promoted once again to Triple-A Oklahoma City (and the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League).
Right on cue, Seager batted .387 last week. The Dodgers view the younger brother of Seattle Mariners All-Star Kyle Seager as a long-term shortstop, but the team has worked him out at third base as well because of his taller frame.
Los Angeles currently has veterans Jimmy Rollins and Juan Uribe under contract at shortstop and third base, respectively, so Seager's path to the big leagues is temporarily blocked. But an injury to either of those players may open the door—at least for a trial run.
A more realistic target date for everyday playing time is next April.
2015 stats (Double-A and Triple-A):
.331/.367/.520, 9 2B, 5 HR, 20 RBI
Stock: Up
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