1983
1. Greg Brock 1B
2. Dave Anderson SS
3. Sid Fernandez LHP
4. Cecil Espy OF
5. Gil Reyes C
6. Franklin Stubbs 1B
7. Mark Bradley OF
8. Ed Amelung OF
9. Candy Maldonado OF
10. Ricky Wright LHP
- I was all of 1 year old when this list was produced, but
there are some recognizable names. Brock was the Dodgers’ top prospect in his
age-26 season -- something that’s unheard of these days. He had a 10-year
career. Fernandez is the most successful prospect from this list, but Stubbs
and Maldonado enjoyed decent major league careers. Anderson was part of the
1988 World Series-winning team.
1984
1. Gil Reyes C
2. Jose Gonzalez OF
3. Sid Fernandez LHP
4. Dave Anderson SS
5. Franklin Stubbs 1B
6. Vance Lovelace LHP
7. R.J. Reynolds OF
8. Cecil Espy OF
9. Lemmie Miller OF
10. Mariano Duncan 2B/OF
- Reyes debuted at age 19, playing 19 games. He played 20
games total until 1991, when he played 83 with the Montreal Expos. He was a
bust. Lovelace works in the Dodgers’ front office as the vice president of
player personnel. Duncan went onto become a serviceable major leaguer.
1985
1. Gil Reyes C
2. Mariano Duncan 2B
3. Franklin Stubbs 1B
4. Ralph Bryant OF
5. Dennis Powell LHP
6. Shawn Hillegas RHP
7. Jose Gonzalez OF
8. Mike Ramsey OF
9. Greg Mayberry RHP
10. Vance Lovelace LHP
- Duncan and Stubbs are really the only players of note
here. Hillegas pitched 515 1/3 innings in his 7-year career.
1986
1. Jose Gonzalez OF
2. Greg Mayberry RHP
3. Jeff Hamilton 3B
4. Franklin Stubbs 1B
5. Shawn Hillegas RHP
6. Chris Gwynn OF
7. Ralph Bryant OF
8. Mike Watters 2B
9. Dennis Livingston LHP
10. Scott May RHP
- Hamilton was one of the first Dodgers I remember seeing,
but he didn’t do much in his career. Gwynn was a part-timer and retired after
his age-31 season.
1987
1. Jose Gonzalez OF
2. Jeff Hamilton 3B
3. Shawn Hillegas RHP
4. Greg Mayberry RHP
5. Mike Devereaux OF
6. Chris Gwynn OF
7. Mike Watters 2B
8. Ramon Martinez RHP
9. Ralph Bryant OF
10. Manny Francois 2B
- Devereaux and Martinez are the best players on this list.
Martinez went onto be one of the best Dodger pitchers of the late-1980s and
early-90s.
1988
1. Ramon Martinez RHP
2. Dan Opperman RHP
3. Tim Belcher RHP
4. Shawn Hillegas RHP
5. Mike Devereaux OF
6. Jose Tapia RHP
7. Juan Bell SS
8. Chris Gwynn OF
9. Chris Nitchting RHP
10. Jose Offerman SS
- The world champs got a ton of help from Belcher, who threw
nearly 180 quality innings as a 26-year-old. Offerman makes his first of four
appearances in the Dodgers’ top 10.
1989
1. Ramon Martinez RHP
2. Jose Offerman SS
3. Dan Opperman RHP
4. Braulio Castillo OF
5. Bill Bene RHP
6. Chris Nichting RHP
7. Dave Hansen 3B
8. John Wettland RHP
9. Eric Karros 1B
10. Mike James RHP
- Hansen carved out a niche as a pinch-hitter, Wettland
would be let go too early and Karros would win the National League Rookie of
the Year three years later. Probably the best top 10 of this 9-year stretch.
1990
1. Kiki Jones RHP
2. Jose Offerman SS
3. Tom Goodwin OF
4. Braulio Castillo OF
5. Eric Karros 1B
6. Carlos Hernandez C
7. Jose Vizcaino 2B
8. Dave Hansen 3B
9. Dan Opperman RHP
10. Raul Mondesi OF
- Goodwin was a slappy, speedy guy. Vizcaino was a utility
infielder and Mondesi ended up being the second- or third-best prospect on
these lists.
1991
1. Jose Offerman SS
2. Raul Mondesi OF
3. Jamie McAndrew RHP
4. Henry Rodriguez 1B/OF
5. Tom Goodwin OF
6. Kiki Jones RHP
7. Dan Opperman RHP
8. Pedro Martinez RHP
9. Eric Karros 1B
10. Dave Hansen 3B
- Rodriguez went to Montreal and had a 40-home run season
while we all know about that Pedro guy.
-----
The Dodgers had some decent talent in this 9-year period: a
hall of famer, some multiple-time all-stars and two rookies of the year.
Considering the volatility of prospects, I’d call this stretch a win and it
predates some of the great prospects to come.
Photo credit: bryce_edwards, Flickr
No comments:
Post a Comment