Dodgers lose Shawn Tolleson to Rangers, plus 40-man & Rule 5 Draft

This was surprising: the Dodgers lost reliever Shawn Tolleson via waivers on Tuesday to the Texas Rangers.

Tolleson, 25, appeared in one game for the Dodgers this season and 40 in 2012. The reliever with great minor-league numbers struggled with injuries in 2013 (a back and hip, primarily). He's also a Tommy John surgery survivor (senior year of college).

In 127 2/3 career minor-league innings, Tolleson has an eye-popping 1.34 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and 13.0 K/9. In his limited time with the Dodgers, he didn't show quite the same potential.

Affordable relievers with great swing-and-miss potential don't usually hit waivers, so it was surprising he was available. The Dodgers were probably trying to sneak him through on this day of many roster moves, as teams must choose to add players to their 40-man rosters by 9 p.m. tonight. If some minor-leaguers aren't added, they'll be eligible for the Dec. 12 Rule 5 Draft at the Winter Meetings.

The only way this move makes sense is if the Dodgers think Tolleson's injury history is too much for him to overcome. Otherwise, I can't make sense of the move. The Dodgers already had eight open spots on the 40-man roster and have expendable players like Mike Baxter, Javy Guerra and Justin Sellers who could easily be outrighted before losing a reliever of Tolleson's potential.

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In seemingly unrelated news, the Dodgers should be adding reliever Yimi Garcia to the 40-man roster sometime in the next few hours. He's the only Dodger minor-leaguer eligible for the Rule 5 Draft I'd add to the roster.

Garica, 23, had a 2.54 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 12.7 K/9 with in Double-A this season. He posts great numbers thanks to a low-90s fastball with some movement and a legitimate wipeout slider. He doesn't throw exceptionally hard, but he has better-than-average control and command, but he got bit by the home run bug a bit in 2013 -- (1.3 HR/9, nine home runs in 60 1/3 IP. That appears to be an anomaly, as he gave up just five home runs in his first 189 1/3 innings minor-league innings.

Some other notable prospects who are Rule 5-eligible this year are as follows:

Pedro Baez

Brian Cavazos-Galvez

Jon Garcia

Garrett Gould

Jarret Martin

Aaron Miller

Red Patterson

Scott Schebler

Blake Smith

Of all the players listed, I'd give Patterson the best chance of being nabbed. The 26-year-old is a versatile reliever who doesn't light up the radar gun, but gets outs. I could see a team taking a flyer on Baez, but I'm not confident in that. The only other guy who could get popped is Martin, who has a mid-90s fastball and sometimes-wipeout breaking ball from the left side. Other than them, none of these guys will get chosen.

If a player is chosen, he has to remain on the active roster (25-man) for the entire season, or the drafting team would have to offer the player back to the original team at half the $50,000 price tag.

I'll do a post previewing players the Dodgers could choose in the Rule 5 Draft when it gets closer.

Photo credits
Tolleson: Epic Memories by Ron, Flickr
Patterson: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 49 - Logan White interview, Kemp, Quakes

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about the juggernaut known as your Los Angeles Dodgers. They've gone 22-5 in their last 27 games and in literally a month's time, have gone from last place to first place. Bravo.

Stop me if you've heard this before: Matt Kemp is hurt again. He sprained his ankle "sliding" into home on Sunday. Predictably, the Dodgers at first said it was a "minor" injury. Now, he's almost assuredly going on the disabled list. In his last 11 games -- a time that spans from June 25 until now -- he's hitting .324/.390/.622 with three home runs, 10 RBI and eight runs scored. That's the Matt Kemp we all know and love. If only he could stay healthy...

Carlos Marmol debuted on Tuesday. It was predictably horrible.

Matt Garza and Francisco Rodriguez were traded this week. Both players were linked to the Dodgers. I'm glad the team got neither of them, especially considering the price.

I talk about some of the good and bad I saw from the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. The names Noel Cuevas, Scott Schebler and Blake Smith are mentioned -- among others.

I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing Dodgers' Vice President of Amateur Scouting Logan White on Friday night. It was awesome. Have a listen to the audio (apologies for the background noise).

The Dodgers haven't yet signed Alexander Guerrero, but it looks like more of a foregone conclusion at this point. The team did sign Moises Perez, which we talk about.

As usual, we close with listener questions.

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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

Dodgers' prospect notes from four Rancho Cucamonga Quakes' games

I just finished watching four consecutive Rancho Cucamonga Quakes’ games (two in Stockton against the Ports, two in Modesto against the Nuts -- big thanks to both affiliates for the media credentials), and there’s a dearth of talent in Rancho right now.

My takeaways: There isn’t as much talent on this team as there was earlier this season or as in years past.

Ross Stripling and Duke von Schamann getting promoted to Double-A left the rotation depleted. Garrett Gould was also promoted, but he hasn’t pitched well the last two seasons.

Not much movement on the position player front, aside from a resurgent Jon Garcia heading to Chattanooga. There’s just not a lot of talent in Rancho.

Here are a few notes from each game. I’ll post in-depth scouting reports of guys like Lindsey Caughel, Noel Cuevas, Carlos Frias, Scott Schebler, Darnell Sweeney and more in the coming days here and at Chad Moriyama’s site.

Thursday (7/18/13)

Cuevas had a couple soft hits and a couple stolen bases.  His speed is probably his best tool.

Jon Michael Redding got the start. It’s the third year in a row I’ve seen him start in Stockton (and that’s not good). He wasn’t good on this night. His stuff is the same as it’s been. He’s a non-prospect.

Blake Smith took the hill and had impressive velocity for a guy who hasn’t pitched since 2009 in college. He sat at 90-92 MPH with his fastball. Unfortunately, his curveball was a mess. The first he threw went behind the hitter while the other he threw hit a batter. It was a 75 MPH offering. He has a long way to go on the hill, but his mechanics are clean enough to be successful. His command/control needs lots of work.

Friday (7/19/13)

Bobby Coyle popped a home run as the team’s designated hitter. O’Koyea Dickson showed some nice opposite-field power by hitting a no-doubter to right-center field.

Casio Grider, who took over for Cuevas who twisted his ankle in the first inning, has crazy range in center field. A natural infielder, Grider tracked a deep fly ball that he had no business being near, dove and missed a spectacular catch by about six inches. It was an impressive display of speed.

Carlos Frias was awfully impressive. He mixed all his pitches and struck out 11 in seven innings. It was one of the best pitching performances by a Quake this season.

Schebler has a legitimate bat. He hit two home runs. The first was a lined shot over the right-center field wall. The second was a moonshot over the batter’s eye in center field (video below).

Sweeney doesn’t have the chops to stay at shortstop long-term. There’s some loop in his throw from short and he’s messy with his footwork and mechanics. He makes spectacular plays, but botches the routine ones.

Saturday (7/20/13)

Gustavo Gomez started. His velocity was actually pretty good (90-93 MPH), but he gave up a grand slam in the first inning to put him

Schebler has a lot of swing-and-miss, but he also has loud tools. He can play center, but he fits best in a corner. His arm is average in right, so left field could be his future. Speed/power combination isn’t dissimilar to Joc Pederson’s. Has some issues with the mental aspect of the game. Too emotional at times, wears it on his sleeve.

Scott Wingo has sneaky speed and is playing all over the infield. He’s a natural second baseman. He has great on-base ability, but he doesn’t barrel up enough pitches to be considered a legitimate prospect at this point.

Sunday (7/21/13)

Caughel doesn’t have the velocity to be successful in the rotation long-term. Has four pitches, but none grade out as even average. Velo dipped after about three innings.

Coyle is about a 40-45 left fielder at best. His arm is weak and his range is limited. He fits best there or at DH. He has power, but not much else to be excited about.

Grider’s home run was surprising. He’s not a power guy at all, but he ran into one. He had a bunt single in the first inning, too.

Pedro Guerrero has a decent glove, but he can’t hit a lick. He doesn’t hit the ball hard, leading to poor at-bats.

Pratt Maynard has good instincts behind the plate and a decent eye, but the hit tool must improve for him to be more than a career minor-leaguer (and probably a backup in the minors).

James McDonald, the Dodgers’ 18th-round draft pick, isn’t much of a prospect. He doesn’t have a good hit tool, has zero power and his first step at second base is slow. He played left field on Friday night. He’ll be lucky to be a utility man in Triple-A, let alone the majors.

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That's about it. Like I said, I'll have some in-depth reports in the coming days and weeks. I'm going to try to get down to Rancho toward the end of the minor-league season to see the boys in their home environment.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 46 - Dodgers, Marmol, Ramirez, Pederson

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (Dodger Diamond) talk about the Dodgers and their new winning ways. It's much more fun to talk and write about this team when things are going well.

The Dodgers swung a trade with the Cubs for Carlos Marmol (using Matt Guerrier), which doesn't sound great on the surface. However, the Dodgers got international spending money in the deal, which does sound great.

Jose Dominguez, despite a rough outing on Wednesday, made an impressive MLB debut on Sunday.

Hanley Ramirez is on fire and is carrying the team as much as Yasiel Puig is. Maybe it's time to start a campaign for him to go to New York for the All-Star Game.

Luis Cruz is now an ex-Dodger and, somehow, landed a 25-man roster spot with the Yankees.

Joc Pederson will represent the Dodgers at the Futures Game. He'll also go to the Southern League All-Star Game along with Yimi Garcia, Zach Lee, Hector Nelo, Ross Stripling, Luis Vazquez and Rafael Ynoa. Rob Rasmussen also got the nod, but he won't play in the game because he's in Triple-A.

Blake Smith is now a pitcher. I'm trying to get an interview with him to give us his reaction. He's struggled at the plate this season.

Plus, there's a draft and international signing update.

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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@Dodger_Diamond or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin

History of No. 56 pick -- Dodgers' 2nd-rounder -- has talent, but no real studs

The MLB Draft is just a few hours away. The Dodgers have picks No. 18 and 56 today. Last year, I looked at the history of the No. 18 pick. Instead of just rehashing the list, just add Corey Seager to that list to get a feel for the type of player the Dodgers could possible land at the pick.

The Dodgers originally held the No. 19 pick, but since the Brewers signed Kyle Lohse this winter, the Dodgers moved up one spot.

I'll look at the history of the No. 56 draft selection. There have been some quality draft picks to go at this selection in the past.

History of the No. 56 pick (last 20 years)

2012: RHP Paul Blackburn, Cubs
2011: OF Kes Carter, Rays
2010: RHP J.R. Bradley, Diamondbacks
2009: OF Blake Smith, Dodgers
2008: OF Jay Austin, Astros
2007: RHP Trystan Magnuson, Blue Jays
2006: RHP Steven Wright, Indians
2005: RHP Chris Mason, Rays
2004: OF Jon Zeringue, Diamondbacks
2003: 3B Jeff Flaig, Mariners
2002: 1B Brian Dopirak, Cubs
2001: SS J.J. Hardy, Brewers
2000: SS Jason Bourgeois, Rangers
1999: C Rob Bowen, Twins
1998: RHP Nick Neugebauer, Brewers
1997: RHP Scott Linebrink, Giants
1996: RHP John Nicholson, Rockies
1995: 1B Jim Scharrer, Braves
1994: C Kevin Brown, Rangers
1993: LHP Matt LaChappa, Padres
1992: OF Tony Sheffield, Red Sox

- The best of this bunch appears to be Hardy. He's posted a 21.7 WAR in his career. Linebrink is second with 9.6 WAR. Smith was the Dodgers' draftee when they had the pick in 2009.

Other notable selections
1987: LHP Pete Schourek, Mets
1982: LHP Jimmy Key, Blue Jays
1974: Pete Vuckovich, White Sox
1971: OF Larry Herndon, Cardinals
1967: OF Richie Zisk, Pirates

- Key is by far the best of any No. 56 pick in history, posting a career 49.6 WAR. Buckovich, Herndon and Zisk all posted double-digit career WAR marks.

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There's a little talent available traditionally at this selection, but no real game-changers. It'll be interesting to see who drops and who the Dodgers might get at the pick. I'd love to nab a guy like Rowdy Tellez (Elk Grove HS 1B) or Dustin Peterson (Gilbert HS SS/3B), but there's no guarantee Tellez makes it there and Peterson is one of the tougher signs in this draft.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers move former pitching prospect Aaron Miller to the outfield

The Dodgers have a propensity for drafting players who are athletic and two-way guys. Darren Dreifort was one of the more notable ones, when the team made him the No. 2 draft pick in the 1993 MLB Draft. While most viewed him as a pitcher, the guy could hit.

James Loney was viewed by many as a pitching prospect in 2002. The Dodgers made him a first baseman. Ethan Martin was looked at as a third baseman, but the Dodgers drafted him as a pitcher in 2008.

And now we come to Aaron Miller. The 2009 supplemental first-round draft pick was a standout two-way player at Baylor University. The Dodgers made him their first pitch that year and, to some surprise, made him a pitcher. In fact, the Dodgers' first two picks that year were good, two-way college players -- the other being Blake Smith.

Miller was moved to the outfield and will get his first shot at being a full-time outfielder with the Great Lakes Loons.

While the Dodgers need pretty much anything but another outfielder, the options are limited for the lefty.

Miller burst onto the scene in 2009 by posting a 2.75 ERA, 1.17 WHIP and 12.0 K/9 in his debut season. The following year, he pitched well with the Inland Empire 66ers before getting promoted to Chattanooga. To say he struggled on the hill with the Lookouts would be an understatement. He posted a 7.04 ERA in six starts.

Fighting through injury for much of the 2011 season, he threw just 36 innings that season. He was decent, but not great.

Last season, he made 25 starts for the Lookouts and was adequate at very best. His control just isn't there and hasn't developed the way the Dodgers had hoped.

However, Miller showed promise with the bat last season. He hit .297/.333/.541 with a home run, two doubles, two triples and struck out just a quarter of his plate appearances. For a pitcher, that's not half-bad.

The 25-year-old pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen this season (11 games, one start). The options are: make Miller a reliever who might be just a LOOGY or convert him to the outfield.

The Dodgers chose the latter.

Eric Stephen of True Blue LA has some quotes from Vice President, Player Development DeJon Watson.

"'This was something the organization has been talking about for close to a year. His velocity had dropped and he’s had some nagging injuries. He was a two-way player coming out of Baylor when we drafted him and we liked what we saw in his bat when he pitched.'"

and

"We felt this was the right time to make the switch given his age and his desire to continue pursuing his big league dream and help this organization."

Here's hoping the conversion is successful. The Dodgers had success with moving Kenley Jansen from the field to the mound and, as of now, are having limited success doing the same with Pedro Baez. If Miller makes the transition successfully, he'll be the first to make this conversion in quite some time.

The Loons are struggling offensively. Normally, a 25-year-old going to Low-A would help that, but it remains to be seen if Miller can make the transition.

We'll see what happens.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers' prospect Joc Pederson off to fantastic start in first Double-A stint

Joc Pederson has been one of my favorite prospects ever since the Dodgers were able to snag him in the 11th round of the 2010 draft. He made a brief appearance in the Southern League playoffs last season after playing the entire regular season in the California League.

Pederson is in his first full season in Double-A and, at age 21, is playing against competition significantly older than him. He's the 10th-youngest player in Double-A and the third-youngest in the Southern League behind Ronald Torreyes and Taijuan Walker.

As a youngster, he's atop or near the top of virtually every offensive category in the relatively neutral Southern League (through Saturday).

(Minimum 10 games played)

Batting average: 9th
On-base percentage: 25th
Slugging percentage: 1st
On-base plus slugging: 2nd
Home runs: 1st
RBIs: t-3rd
Runs scored: 1st
Hits: 1st
Doubles: t-8th
Triples: t-2nd
Stolen bases: t-3rd
ISO: 1st
wOBA: 2nd
wRC+: 2nd

This is almost nothing short of amazing. Much was made about Pederson's California League performance in 2012 and some wondered if it was a product of the hitter-friendly environment. Early on (and it is early -- 68 plate appearances), Pederson is proving he's a legitimate hitting prospect.

What's encouraging is Pederson isn't getting lucky. His batting average on balls in play is .300, which is league-average. He's walking less than he did last season (10.2 to 7.4 percent), but he's also striking out less so far (16.2 percent to 11.8 percent).

I'd like to see the walk rate come up a bit, but if he keeps the strikeout rate down and hits for the kind of power he has so far, it's more than acceptable. I'm not expecting him to slug .694 all season, but he should be a .500-plus slugging guy when the season ends.



Pederson ranked as high as No. 4 on prospect lists (Bullpen Banter) and as low as No. 9 (FanGraphs) this winter. He ranked at No. 5 for me, thanks to the signings of Yasiel Puig and Hyun-Jin Ryu. Some think he's just a fourth outfielder-type (Keith Law), while I'd be surprised if he weren't an every day player in the majors in just a couple of years.

While his center field defense is a question mark, his bat could make it more than possible for him to handle a corner outfield spot.

Another criticism of Pederson was his speed. While he has at least average speed, he was 26-for-40 in stolen bases last season. The 26 steals were nice. The 14 caught stealing number wasn't. This season, he's 6-for-6. Pederson is becoming a better, more well-rounded player -- and he's doing it in the first month of the Double-A season.

In my scouting report of Pederson from June, I compared him to Melky Cabrera (minus the performance-enhancing drugs) with more pop. I could see that coming to fruition.

With Puig on the 7-day disabled list after spraining his left thumb, Pederson -- along with Blake Smith, J.T. Wise and Bobby Coyle -- will be expected to pick up the offensive slack for the Chattanooga Lookouts.

Pederson is proving his worth thus far. Here's hoping it keeps up.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Chattanooga Lookouts announce 2013 opening day roster, led by Yasiel Puig

Puig

Next up to announce their opening day roster is the Chattanooga Lookouts – easily the most talent team in the Dodgers’ farm system.

• Great Lakes Loons opening day roster
• Rancho Cucamonga Quakes opening day roster

Half of my Top 10 prospects will begin the season with the Lookouts, led by the incomparable Yasiel Puig. Joining Puig in the outfield is Dodgers’ Minor League Player of the Year Joc Pederson, Blake Smith and Bobby Coyle. Four outfielders, three spots: not unlike the Major League situation involving Puig and the Dodgers’ starting outfield. But I digress.

The infield is less impressive, but Arizona Fall League star Rafael Ynoa returns for his second go-round with the Lookouts. C.J. Retherford also returns and Chris Jacobs – with his massive power potential – gets a promotion to Double-A.

I hit on 17 of 25 players from my February prediction.

Roster

Catchers

Gorman Erickson

Dashenko Ricardo

Jan Vazquez (DL)

Infielders

Chris Jacobs

Omar Luna

C.J. Retherford

Miguel Rojas

Rafael Ynoa

J.T. Wise

Smith

Outfielders

Bobby Coyle

Joc Pederson

Yasiel Puig

Blake Smith

Starting pitchers

Onelki Garcia

Zach Lee

Rob Rasmussen

Chris Reed

Andres Santiago

Relief pitchers

Ryan Acosta

Kyle Cofield

Kelvin De La Cruz

Eric Eadington

Yimi Garcia

Gregory Infante

Aaron Miller

Hector Nelo

Eadington

The rotation is stacked. All five of the pitchers could enjoy success in the Southern League, especially Lee and Reed, who are on their second stint in the league. Rasmussen has Double-A experience, but not Southern League experience. Garcia is the big wild card here, as his lone Double-A appearance was electric (3 IP, 7 K in the playoffs). I didn't see him at spring training and didn't hear much about him there, so I’m a little surprised he’s still slated for Chattanooga to start this season.

The bullpen has just one surprise – Yimi Garcia. He threw just more than 10 innings in High-A last year and I fully expected him to go there in 2013. But it’s nice to see the Dodgers challenging one of their better relief prospects.

My best guess at a lineup

Ynoa 2B/SS

Pederson LF

Puig CF

Wise 1B

Smith RF

Retherford 3B

Coyle DH

Erickson C

Rojas SS/2B

Pederson

I do have Puig playing center field so the Dodgers can see if he’s a legitimate option there going forward. Pederson likely ends up in left field long-term anyway, and Smith profiles as a classic right fielder. Overall, it should be a really good defensive outfield. Coyle can handle a corner outfield spot when the other guys need a day off.

This lineup is pretty deep. Ynoa has decent on-base skills and the Lookouts could do worse than guys like Retherford and Coyle hitting 6-7.

The bullpen won’t be as good as it was toward the end of last season, but there are other quality, live arms in Acosta, Eadington, Infante and Miller.

This team should be one of the best in the Southern League (at least until it loses Puig). Chattanooga could get some midseason reinforcements from Rancho Cucamonga, as is customary.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Gold Glovers: Examining the best defenders in the Dodgers' farm system

In what is probably the least-sexy tool among baseball players, I examine the best defensive players in the Dodgers' farm system.

There are no Cesar Izturis' or Alex Cora's in this bunch, but there are some players who are quality defenders.

Postseason hardware is not indicative of defensive prowess, as Andre Ethier and Matt Kemp have Gold Glove awards, but the Dodgers could have a few guys who contend for the award in the future.

While the tool is not sexy, it is necessary and an underrated facet of the game.

Previous entries in this series

• Power
• Fastball
• Speed
• Slider
• Hitting 
• Curveball 

This list is reserved for Dodger position player prospects who feature 60 or better (future) defense.

James Baldwin
- Baldwin is the Dodgers' best defensive outfielder, as he handles center field with relative ease. His speed helps him range for fly balls not many other Dodger prospects. His arm is just average in center field, but his other defensive tools are unquestioned. Provided he hits enough, he could be a starting center fielder in the majors.

Gorman Erickson
- Erickson made big strides behind the plate last season, challenging fellow farm hand Tim Federowicz for best defensive catcher. The only thing really holding him back defensively is a below-average caught stealing rate. His arm is at least average, but it's a little difficult to get his lanky 6-foot-4 body to be compact when he throws.

Tim Federowicz
- Voted the best defensive catcher in the Pacific Coast League in 2012, Federowicz boasts a quality glove that is major-league ready. He is pretty good at throwing out runners, snagging 39 percent of basestealers in Triple-A last year. He's caught 50 percent of attempted basestealers in the majors, even if it is just 3-of-6. He should have a long career based on the strength of his glove. If he hits, then he's a surefire starter.

Blake Smith
- Smith took to right field in college and, despite logging some time on the mound at Cal, has stuck at the position. He uses his above-average instincts and average speed to track down fly balls with ease in right field. He has the best outfield throwing arm in the system, but Yasiel Puig is giving him a run for his money. Smith has even dabbled in center field, but he'll likely stay in right field going forward.

Jesmuel Valentin
- Valentin earned rave reviews for his defense in his debut season, earning best defensive infielder and best infield arm honors from Baseball America. Despite playing mostly second base in deference to 2012 No. 1 overall pick Carlos Correa, Valentin still projects as at least an average shortstop (probably better) and above-average at second base. He has enough arm for shortstop, making it a plus arm for second base. He could carve out a niche as a utility infielder at worst, but the Dodgers hope he's much better than that.

Rafael Ynoa
- Smith sung Ynoa's defensive praise when he was a guest on "Dugout Blues." Ynoa is a lot like Valentin (or is it the other way around?), as he can play both middle infield positions well. Ynoa is better at second base than he is at shortstop, but he split time between the positions evenly in 2012. The Dodgers don't have much in the way of middle infield prospects in the upper minors, but Dee Gordon starting the season in Albuquerque eliminates Ynoa from being the Isotopes' opening day shortstop.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Puig and friends: Examining the Dodgers' best power-hitting prospects

Power is one of the most coveted tools in baseball. Not everyone can hit 40 home runs a season. Hell, not everyone can even get to 30 these days.

Some players are solely known for it while others develop through their development. Either way, it's usually the last tool to develop fully. I mean, we're still waiting for James Loney to hit 20 home runs in a season.

The Dodgers have some interesting power prospects in the minors. There are some guys who have average to slightly above-average power potential (O'Koyea Dickson, Corey Seager, Blake Smith), but this list is reserved for guys who have at least plus (60 or better) raw power.

Best power prospects

Justin Chigbogu
- Chigbogu, who draws comparisons to Ryan Howard, was the Dodgers' fourth-round draft pick in 2012 out of a small high school in Missouri. He was ranked as Baseball America's 423rd-best player, yet was the  146th player chosen -- and it's because he has plus raw power. I gave him my "Best power prospect" rating in my Top 50. However, it seems someone else on this list should have received that honor.

There's no doubting Chigbogu's power potential, but, like most power hitters, there's a lot of swing and miss that comes along with it. He hit just three home runs in his professional debut (131 plate appearances), but he was just an 18-year-old for the majority of his season. He's a long way from the majors and it will be interesting to see how quickly that power develops.



Joey Curletta
- Curletta was the Dodgers' sixth-round pick in 2012 and is hulking right-handed hitter (6'4, 225 at age 18). Curletta checked in as the Dodgers' No. 30 prospect in Baseball America's Prospect Handbook, which was a bit of a surprise. But, like Chigbogu, it's because of Curletta's raw power potential.

His position is yet to be determined (he'll either be a corner outfielder or first baseman), but the youngster has loads of power potential. He's a guy who could benefit greatly from Mark McGwire's tutelage -- if Big Mac is still around in a few years (which he should be). 



Chris Jacobs
- I saw Jacobs in person a couple times last season, including during batting practice. He put on a pretty good show, including hitting a couple balls out of the Banner Island Ballpark to left-center field. The air isn't rarefied in Stockton, Calif., so that was an impressive feat. He also hit a home run when I saw him during a game (ended up being the game-winner), but it was an extreme cheapy down the right field line.

Still, Jacobs managed a .493 slugging percentage with the Quakes in 2012 after an even more impressive showing in the Midwest League the year before (12 home runs, .521 slugging percentage). The power potential is there, but that's pretty all Jacobs has going for him.



Michael Pericht
- Pericht was another player I saw in person and, like Jacobs, he impressed me with his power potential. Pericht cleared the stadium during a game. I was walking down the left field line toward the Quakes' bullpen when I heard the loud crack of the bat. I looked up to see Pericht's ball sailing overhead and clearing the stadium -- not the left field wall -- by about 50 feet. While it's just 300 feet (?!) down the left field line in Banner Island Ballpark, that ball probably traveled a good 420 feet.

Pericht has even more swing and miss than Jacobs, which is alarming. Still, the power potential is there and it's even more at a premium because it comes from behind the plate. He's been a mid-.400 slugging guy for most of his career, but he also hasn't been able to stay completely healthy.



Yasiel Puig
 - While Puig has played sparingly since signing his $42 million contract last summer, the hype and physical ability are present. Puig was the talk of Dodger camp on Friday, the first full day of team activities. His batting practice session produced this reaction:

Yasiel Puig wins BP. Crushed the ball and turned some heads. #Dodgers
— J.P. Hoornstra (@jphoornstra) February 15, 2013

Jason Parks of Baseball Prospectus gave Puig a "7" in terms of raw power -- and that was from an outside source (not a Dodger source). Ned Colletti said this about Puig in October:

"'You could be standing with your back to the cage, and when he hits, you’ll know he’s hitting.'"

The praise, hype and potential are all there. It's time for Puig to show off that raw plus-plus power potential He'll have every opportunity to do so in 2013.

Dodgers' full-season minor league team preview: Albuquerque Isotopes

This is the final post in a four-part series projecting the Dodgers' full-season minor league teams. To close out the series, the Albuquerque Isotopes.

• Part 1: Great Lakes Loons
• Part 2: Rancho Cucamonga Quakes
• Part 3: Chattanooga Lookouts

The Isotopes finished as the Pacific Coast League American Southern division with an 80-64 record. The 'Topes faced off against the Oklahoma Storm Chasers (Royals' affiliate).

One of the better teams in the minors, the Storm Chasers and Isotopes traded the first three games of the series. In Game 4, the 'Topes were down 10-3 in the bottom of the seventh inning. At the time, it looked like their season was done. However, a nine-run seventh, including a game-deciding three-run home run from Tony Gwynn, propelled the Isotopes to a deciding Game 5, which Oklahoma won handily.

Van Slyke

The 2012 Isotopes were led on offense by young players Alex Castellanos, Jerry Sands and Scott Van Slyke. Josh Fields, a veteran, had a late-season hot streak that led to a .322/.392/.488 line in 133 games. There is usually no shortage of offensive firepower for the 'Topes.

Castellanos, despite playing just 94 games, posted a great .328/.420/.590 triple slash with 17 home runs. The Dodgers don't seem to keen on letting him be the team's right-handed hitting platoon outfielder, so expect him back at Triple-A. Sands was traded to Boston in the Adrian Gonzalez trade. He was traded to Pittsburgh this winter and may or may not get real playing time with the Bucs. Van Slyke seems like the prototypical Four-A player and should be the team's left fielder.

The pitching staff was led by John Ely, who had one of the best seasons for a PCL pitcher, going 14-7 with a 3.20 ERA and a league-leading 165 strikeouts (in 168 2/3 innings). He also had a sparkling WHIP (1.10) and a great walks per nine innings rate (1.9). For his efforts, he was traded to Houston. Stephen Fife was decent, but unspectacular, for Albuquerque. He provided 135 1/3 innings of adequate innings. Other than those two, the Isotopes' rotation left a lot to be desired.

Projected roster

Catchers (2)
Tim Federowicz
Matt Wallach

Infielders (5)
Nick Evans
Elian Herrera
Osvaldo Martinez
Dallas McPherson
Rafael Ynoa

Smith

Outfielders (5)
Nick Buss
Alex Castellanos
Jeremy Moore
Blake Smith
Scott Van Slyke

Starting pitchers (5)
Michael Antonini
Stephen Fife
Matt Magill
Matt Palmer
Jon Michael Redding

Relievers (8)
Geison Aguasviva
Steve Ames
Cole St. Clair
Kevin Gregg
Mark Lowe
Shawn Tolleson
Josh Wall
Chris Withrow

A name missing from my projection is Gwynn. I suspect he'll be traded or released prior to the season. If he isn't, Buss should be that fall guy. Also missing is Dee Gordon. I'm betting (hoping?) he breaks camp with the Dodgers, or he's moved toward the end of Spring Training.

The starting pitching, as usual, will be a little weak. Magill should head the rotation and is a legitimate prospect. The bullpen should have some intriguing characters, including Ames, Tolleson Wall and Withrow (if he can throw strikes). This also means I'm projecting Paco Rodriguez to break camp with the big league club.

My lineup
Buss/Moore CF
Herrera 2B
Castellanos LF/DH
McPherson 3B
Van Slyke DH/LF
Smith RF
Evans 1B
Federowicz C
Ynoa SS

This lineup could score a ton of runs. Castellanos, McPherson and Van Slyke are PCL veterans and should be a formidable 3-4-5. The last time McPherson was in the PCL, he hit 22 home runs with the Sacramento River Cats. The last time he was with Albuquerque (as a member of the Marlins' organization), he blasted 42 home runs.

Smith and Ynoa should make their Triple-A debuts and could benefit from the extreme hitter-friendly environments.

Much like any year, the offense will determine the Isotopes' success. But I'm interested to see how Magill handles the rarefied air and if those fireballers out of the 'pen can keep the PCL hitters at bay.

Photo credits

Van Slyke: EephusBlue, Twitter

Smith: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Podcast: 'Dugout Blues' episode 20 - Blake Smith interview, Koufax, TV deal

On this episode of "Dugout Blues," Jared Massey (L.A. Dugout) and I have our first guest in the history of the podcast: Dodgers' outfield prospect Blake Smith.

Smith joined us to talk about his career to this point, what he expects for 2013 and a bit about some of the pitchers he faced last season in Double-A.

We talk about the Dodgers bringing back Sandy Koufax as a special advisor to Chairman Mark Walter. This was long overdue.

We touch on the ridiculous deal the Dodgers are reportedly set to sign with Time Warner Cable -- a $7- or $8-billion pact. Remarkable.

We also go over some brief scouting reports on some of the Dodgers' newest international signings.

Finally, we close with listener questions (keep 'em coming!). Should the Dodgers retire No. 34 in honor of Fernando Valenzuela? Is Ned Colletti hoping Yasiel Puig hits enough to be the team's fourth outfielder? Is the Dodgers' "Whatever it takes" attitude good or should we wait and see how it plays out?

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Look for new episodes of "Dugout Blues" every Wednesday. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast and review us on iTunes. We want to make this the best podcast we can so we're always looking for suggestions and ways to improve.

If you have questions you'd like us to answer or certain topics/players you want to hear more about, feel free to email us (ladugout@gmail.com or feelinkindablue@gmail.com) or send us messages on Twitter (@LADugout or @FeelinKindaBlue). You can also "Like" the podcast on Facebook. We always welcome audience participation.

Image credit: Joe Martin