My 2013 Los Angeles Dodgers all-prospect team

This is the second year I’ve done my All-Prospect team, and there are some familiar names on this team. There are also some surprises, some 2013 draftees and even a guy who isn’t a Dodger prospect anymore.

To be eligible for this list, a player must be prospect-eligible for the 2014 season. Otherwise, guys like Yasiel Puig, Paco Rodriguez and Chris Withrow would show up on this list.

Catcher: Kyle Farmer, 22, Rookie-Ogden

.347/.386/.533, 4 HR, 36 RBI, 19 2B, 3.8% BB rate

- Farmer was the Dodgers’ eighth-round draft pick in 2013 and played in the friendly confines of the Pioneer League. What lands Farmer on this team is the conversion he made. He was a shortstop at the University of Georgia and was converted to catcher by the Dodgers. By all accounts, he handled himself pretty well.

Second team: Tyler Ogle, 22, Low-A

First Base: Justin Chigbogu, 18, Rookie-Ogden/Arizona

.268/.335/.515, 14 HR, 50 RBI, 46 R, 9.5% BB rate

- Chigbogu got off to a fast start in the Arizona League by belting five home runs in his first 46 at-bats, earning a promotion to Ogden. His numbers were down a bit there, but he still showed the system’s best power potential. His first true test could come next season in Midland. Dickson was a close second in this race.

Second team: O’Koyea Dickson, 23, High-A

Second base: Darnell Sweeney, 22, High-A

.275/.329/.455, 11 HR, 77 RBI, 16 3B, 7.0% BB rate

- Sweeney started off the season well and as the Quakes’ shortstop and leadoff hitter. By season’s end, he was the team’s second baseman and No. 3 hitter. He hit for the cycle in May, but struggled more than I expected, especially playing in a favorable hitter’s league. Still, he finished with 34 doubles to go along with his homers and triples. He was also 48-for-68 (70.5 percent) in stolen bases. Sweeney’s future lies at second base, regardless of what my shortstop selection on this list does.

Second team: Jesmuel Valentin, 19, Rookie-Ogden/Arizona

Third base: Alex Santana, 19, Rookie-Ogden

.327/.391/.444, 2 HR, 27 RBI, 39 R, 8.7% BB rate

- My choice for breakout prospect, Santana fared quite well in his second go in Ogden. Perhaps most impressive in his short-season performance was the improved walk rate. He drew 20 walks in 230 plate appearances. He drew 15 in 210 PAs last season and 10 in 205 PAs in 2011. He should be assigned to Great Lakes next season. If he can continue to improve his plate discipline, the power will come.

Second team: Adam Law, 23, Rookie-Ogden/Arizona

Shortstop: Corey Seager, 19, High-A/Low-A

.269/.351/.473, 16 HR, 72 RBI, 20 2B, 10.8% BB rate

- Seager tore up the Midwest League after a slow start -- so much so that he earned a promotion to High-A and a trip to the Arizona Fall League. Seager showed his true potential and surprising power for such a young player in a pitcher’s league. He struggled in the California League, but that could be due to fatigue and acclimating himself to advanced competition.

Second team: Brandon Trinkwon, 21, Low-A/Rookie-Ogden

Left Field: Nick Buss, 26, Triple-A

.303/.363/.525/, 17 HR, 100 RBI, 21 SB, 7.9% BB rate

- Buss had a breakout season in the Pacific Coast League, so take that with a grain of salt. But he was the Isotopes’ most consistent and best hitter all season. He was a PCL All-Star (during the season and after the season) and earned a surprising September call-up. He’s an older prospect, so his ceiling is extremely limited (like, he might already be there), but he had a great 2013 season.

Second team: Jacob Scavuzzo, 19, Rookie-Ogden

Center Field: Joc Pederson, 21, Double-A

.278/.381/.497, 22 HR, 58 RBI, 31 SB, 13.5% BB rate

- The first and only Lookout to make the first team, Pederson had an excellent season in the Southern League. He started the season well, teaming with Yasiel Puig to form a nice 2-3 or 3-4 combination. But Pederson kept the production up even after Puig was recalled. He proved he could handle center field in more than a pinch and earned an invite to the Futures Game, where Ben Badler said he had the most impressive batting practice on the U.S. team. Pederson set a career-high in home runs, stolen bases and walks. That bodes well for him going forward. He tailed off a little toward the end of the season, but so did the entire Lookout offense.

Second team: Noel Cuevas, 21, High-A

Right field: Scott Schebler, 22, High-A

.296/.360/.581, 27 HR, 91 RBI, 29 2B, 6.5% BB rate

- My Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year, Schebler had a fantastic season for the Quakes. He led the Cal League in total bases, was second in home runs and was the only Dodger minor-leaguer to post 20-plus home runs, 20-plus doubles and 10-plus triples. He’ll face a good test in Double-A come next season. He’s a corner outfielder at this rate.

Second team: Joey Curletta, 19, Rookie-Ogden

Starting Pitcher 1: Zach Lee, 21, Double-A

10-10, 3.22 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 2.2 BB/9, 8.3 K/9

- My top Dodger prospect for the last two years, Lee had a career-year in the Southern League. He established career-bests in innings pitched, strikeouts, strikeout rate, and career-lows in ERA, WHIP and walk rate. For some reason, he still doesn’t get the acclaim from some that he should. He was facing advanced competition in his age-21 season and had his best year. While he’s not going to be a No. 1 or even No. 2, he could easily be a good No. 3 starter in the majors.

SP 6: Chris Anderson, 21, Low-A

Starting Pitcher 2: Julio Urias, 16, Low-A

2-0, 2.48 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 2.7 BB/9, 11.1 K/9

- What more can be said about this amazing teenager? His season was unprecedented and shockingly good. He has such an advanced feel for pitching that it’s hard to believe he’s just 17 years old. It’ll be interesting to see what happens with him going forward, but Urias looks like the real deal.

SP 7: Matt Magill, 23, Majors/Triple-A

Starting Pitcher 3: Ross Stripling, 23, Double-A/High-A

8-4, 2.82 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, 8.2 K/9

- Stripling is similar to Lee in a lot of respects. They have similar repertories, similar builds and similar ceilings. Stripling dominated early on in High-A, earning a promotion to Double-A. He began in the rotation in Chattanooga, and pitched well. After a stint in the bullpen to limit his innings (and that didn’t go well), he was back in the rotation and finished the season strong. Along with Lee, he’s the closest starting pitching prospect to the majors (Matt Magill made his debut this season).

SP 8: Tom Windle, 22, Low-A

Starting Pitcher 4: Miguel Sulbaran, 19, Low-A

6-4, 3.01 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 2.6 BB/8, 8.3 K/9

- This one is kind of weird, as Sulbaran was foolishly traded early in August for a 30-year-old catcher who can’t hit. But before he was dealt, he team with Urias and a couple of 2013 draft picks to form quite the rotation in Midland. But, Sulbaran is now a Minnesota Twin and should continue to do good things for that organization.

SP 9: Carlos Frias, 23, Double-A/High-A/Low-A

Starting Pitcher 5: Chris Reed, 23, Double-A

4-11, 3.86 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 4.1 BB/9, 6.9 K/9

- Reed, my boy, actually had a decent season. He tailed off toward the end, but that’s not uncommon. He established a career-high in innings pitched, which was one of the biggest question marks surrounding him. Something to note is his decreased strikeout rate. It seems he pitched more to contact this season, leading to the reduced K-rate and increased ground ball rate. That could be a good thing for him going forward, especially if his slider isn’t getting the expected results.

SP 10: Lindsey Caughel, 23, High-A/Low-A

Relief Pitcher 1: Yimi Garica, 22, Double-A

19 SV, 2.54 ERA, 0.81 WHIP, 2.1 BB/9, 12.7 K/9

- Garcia doesn’t get the notoriety of some other arms in the Dodger system, but he’s been really good in his brief career. He was the Lookouts’ closer and the only area in which he didn’t do well is home runs allowed. He gave up nine in 60 1/3 innings. That will need to improve going forward, but he’s going to end up in a Major League bullpen someday soon.

RP 6: Kelvin De La Cruz, 24, Triple-A/Double-A

Relief Pitcher 2: Onelki Garcia, 23, Majors/Double-A

1 SV, 2.75 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 5.5 BB/9, 9.1 K/9

- Garcia began the season in the Lookouts’ rotation before an injury derailed that. The Dodgers put him in the bullpen when he came back and that’s where he thrived. Control is still the biggest issue surrounding him, but he has electric stuff. He’s struggled in the majors thus far, though.

RP 7: Michael Thomas, 24, Double-A/High-A

Relief Pitcher 3: Scott Griggs, 22, Low-A

4 SV, 2.56 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 6.5 BB/9, 14.6 K/9

- Griggs was dominant at times this season, even capturing a Midwest League Pitcher of the Week honor, but his control plagued him at times. Still, Griggs has a great fastball/slider combination that will serve him well in now and in the future. He has true strikeout stuff that is needed in most late-inning relievers.

RP 8: Pedro Baez, 25, Double-A/High-A

Relief Pitcher 4: Red Patterson, 26, Triple-A

7-4, 3.03 ERA, 1.38 WHIP, 4.1 BB/9, 9.2 K/9

- Patterson was the Isotopes’ everything this season. When he was racking up innings out of the bullpen, he was making a dozen starts. Despite not having any plus pitches or a mid-90s fastball, he still averaged more than a strikeout per inning. He could see some time in a Major League bullpen, as he’s been underrated in the Dodger system seemingly his entire career.

RP 9: Craig Stem, 23, High-A/Low-A

Relief Pitcher 5: Jose Dominguez, 22, Majors/Triple-A/Low-A

5 SV, 1.78 ERA, 0.87 WHIP, 4.6 BB/9, 14.2 K/9

- Dominguez began the season serving a 25-game suspension. When he came back, he was dominant in Chattanooga. He earned a promotion to Triple-A before the Dodgers recalled him. He injured his quad in July and hasn’t pitched in almost two months. Still, his 100 MPH fastball and knockout slider are a lethal combination for him.

RP 10: Owen Jones, 24, High-A/Low-A

Photo credits
Urias: Nick Anderson, Courtesy of Great Lakes Loons
All others: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue