No surprise: Joc Pederson and Zach Lee two of the Cal League's best

Dodger prospects Joc Pederson and Zach Lee both cracked the Top 5 of Baseball America's California League Top 20 list, published today.

Pederson checked in at No. 3 while Lee was No. 5 on the list.

Pederson's amazing second half helped to catapult him near the top of this list. Overall, he finished the season with a .313/.396/.516 triple slash with 18 home runs, 70 RBI, 96 runs and 26 stolen bases.

What made Pederson's performance that much more impressive is the fact he's only 20 years old and is roughly two years younger than league-average.

Pederson was also named the Dodgers' Minor League Player of the Year. I bestowed the same honor upon him on this site last month.

Lee was the highest-rated pitcher on this list and there were just six pitchers in the Top 20. That's not surprising considering the Cal League is a notorious hitter's haven.

Before his promotion to Chattanooga Lee, also 20 for most of the season (turned 21 Sept. 13), had some really good peripherals with the Quakes: 1.26 WHIP, 1.6 BB/9, 8.5 K/9 and a 4.03 FIP.

He gave up a few too many hits (9.8 per nine) an home runs (1.5 per nine), but he was good otherwise. Lee showed improvement in those areas in the Southern League.

I wrote about his time in the Cal League earlier this season. Lee's ability is unquestioned and his floor is higher than most pitching prospects.

Chris Reed and Yasiel Puig were mentioned in the piece, but they didn't have enough playing time to qualify. Reed would have been, at best No. 6 and at worst No. 10 on this list had he qualified.

Former Dodger-now-Mariner prospect Leon Landry was ranked No. 15 on this list after winning the league batting title. He was traded along with Logan Bawcom to Seattle in July for Brandon League. He had a truly remarkable season after struggling mightily in the Midwest League in 2011.

Jim Shonerd, the author of this list, has written the last two Dodger Top 30s for BA and it will be interesting to see if he does it again.

It will also be interesting to see if he does indeed rank Pederson (presumably No. 1) ahead of Lee. Lee is still my top player in the system, but it's a close race among the top four (Puig and Corey Seager included).

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

A brief look at the Dodgers' farm system following trading season

The Dodgers were as active as they've been in years on the trade market this year. They acquired some big-name talent (Josh Beckett, Adrian Gonzalez, Hanley Ramirez), but they also gave up quite a few young players.

Here's a scorecard of Dodger prospects and young players traded since July 25 (Ramirez trade):

Position players
Ivan De Jesus
Leon Landry
Jerry Sands (player to be named later)

Pitchers
Logan Bawcom
Rubby De La Rosa (PTBNL)
Nathan Eovaldi
Josh Lindblom
Ethan Martin
Scott McGough
Ryan O'Sullivan
Allen Webster

As you can see, the Dodgers certainly dealt from their strength. For the last few seasons, the Dodgers' biggest strength has been their young pitching. That's what the farm system was known for.

Of the three position players the Dodgers traded, two of them have every day potential. Sands, who curiously wasn't given a legitimate shot in Los Angeles, was sent to Boston in the August blockbuster. Landry, a player I'm higher on than most, just won the California League batting title (.341). He was traded with Bawcom to get Brandon League. He also led the league in triples (18) while finishing in second in total bases (262) and doubles (34).

The Dodgers traded eight young pitchers. Not many teams can do that and still have solid pitching depth. Don't get me wrong, it isn't as good as it was a couple months ago, but there are still some quality arms remaining. But the system, even more so now, lacks front-end starters.

Zach Lee and Chris Reed are the organization's top two pitching prospects by far -- and Lee is in a class my himself. Then there are starting pitching prospects like Garrett Gould, Matt Magill, Onelki Garcia and Andres Santiago. Definitely not the same potential star power as before with De La Rosa, Webster and Eovaldi paired with Lee and Reed.

The 2012 draft and International signings didn't really help strengthen the pitching side of things. Garcia was drafted in the third round and Zachary Bird, pegged as a sleeper by many, was a ninth-round pick. And we won't know much about a guy like Bryan Munoz, a 16-year-old, for a few years.

For the first time in a long time, it seems the Dodgers have more high-end (for this system, at least) hitting prospects than pitching prospects. Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Corey Seager all have potential to be above-average everyday players.

So, Logan White has some work to do rebuild the pitching side of the system. Relief pitching is still strong (Shawn Tolleson, Steve Ames, Steven Rodriguez, Javier Solano), but the Dodgers will need some high-end starters down on the farm going forward.

Speaking of Andres Santiago...

This is my latest at Chad Moriyama's blog about the 22-year-old pitching prospect who's making a name for himself this season.

"There are a couple things that impress me most about Santiago. First, his increased strikeout rate. While he was able to get solid rates in the past (8.0, 7.4, 8.4 K/9 the last three seasons), he’s stepped up to another level this year. His 9.8 K/9 is second only to Matt Magill for best among starting pitchers in the system."

Looking forward to see how he handles a full season in Double-A.

Photo credits 

Reed: Courtesy of Brandon Lennox, True Blue LA

Landry: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Dodgers acquire Brandon League for Leon Landry and Logan Bawcom

The Dodgers traded Leon Landry and Logan Bawcom to the Mariners for Brandon League tonight, but I'm not really sure why this deal was made.

I'm not really ever high on trading for relievers, especially for relievers who can't get strikeouts. Despite being a power arm, League's strikeout rate is less than impressive. His career strikeouts per nine innings pitched is 6.6 -- not exactly great for a guy who averages nearly 96 MPH on his fastball.

As a 26-year-old in Toronto, League averaged 9.2 strikeouts per nine in 74 2/3 innings. That was clearly an aberration. His second-best mark is 6.6 K/9, set last season when he was an All-Star.

Ahh, that's it. Ned Colletti can't help but trade for All-Star relievers. We all remember Edwin Jackson and Chuck Tiffany for Danys Baez and Lance Carter, right? But I digress.

League's best pitch might be his split-finger fastball, which he added in 2009. FanGraphs has it valued at 3.0 this season after it was a 3.4 pitch last season. His 95.2 MPH fastball is a 1.3 pitch right now.

But I don't understand this because I didn't see right-handed relief pitcher as high on the list of Dodger needs. Another starting pitcher and bat are much, much higher on the list.

League is owed roughly $1.8 million for the rest of the season, which I'm sure the Dodgers will pick up. He'll also be an unrestricted free agent after the season, so this is purely a rental. Then again, Colletti has been known to give relievers undeserved, long-term deals, so maybe League will be around for a bit (depending on performance, of course).

I'm higher than others on Landry, as most see him as just a fourth outfielder. However, I think what he's doing in the California League is impressive. Yes, I'm sure the numbers are inflated a little, but he has ability. He was a third-round pick in 2010 out of LSU and cracked my Top 10 the following season after a stellar debut.

When I see a poor man's Carl Crawford in him -- a poverty-stricken version is more like it. Still, he has talent and ability. His worst tools are his power and arm. But he has good speed, can put the bat on the ball and plays a slick center field.

Bawcom is a good relief prospect. He began the season with High-A Rancho Cucamonga and was quickly promoted to Double-A Chattanooga. He struggled for a bit after his promotion, but he seems to have figured it out. He should join a prospect-laden Jackson Generals' team.

It's hard to get too upset at this deal. After all, the Dodgers again dealt from their depth. Outfield and right-handed pitching are the two deepest positions in their farm system. However, they still dealt for a "proven" reliever. That hasn't especially worked out well in the Colletti era (Baez, Carter, George Sherril, Octavio Dotel, etc.).

I'm assuming League will split time with Ronald Belisario in the eighth inning. This also opens up the Dodgers to trade Josh Lindblom, whose name has come up in talks for Shane Victorino.

I'm expecting at least one more trade before tomorrow afternoon, but hopefully two (a starting pitcher and another bat). I'm just hoping Victorino isn't the other bat acquired.

Photo credits

League: swswigart, Flickr

Landry: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Scouting report: Joc Pederson, the Dodgers' best hitting prospect

When I went to Rancho Cucamonga in April, I was hoping to see Joc Pederson in action. Instead, he was out after straining his groin. But I did get to see him in Stockton a couple weeks ago, and I was impressed.

He is easily the Dodgers' best position prospect and will be ranked a little higher in my midseason prospect rankings (out by the end of June). I ranked him No. 6 coming into the season.

Ray Guilfoyle of Minor League Ball was impressed with Pederson this winter.

"Yes, he is several years away from making an impact at the big league level, but it is nice to finally hear something good about a Dodgers hitting prospect."

And he's right. Despite the Dodgers need for impact hitting prospects, Pederson, 20, is still at least a couple years away from being big league-ready. Here's my scouting report on the young outfielder.

How he got here
The Dodgers drafted him in the 11th round of the 2010 MLB Draft out of Palo Alton High School. He was committed to play college ball at USC, but was swayed by a $600,000 bonus the Dodgers gave him to sign.

Pederson's father Stu played at USC and appeared in eight games with the Dodgers in 1985.

Because he signed just prior to the deadline in 2010, he only appeared in three games his first season with the Ogden Raptors. He began 2011 with the Great Lakes Loons out of necessity. The Loons were short on outfielders and Pederson, who was in Extended Spring Training, didn't make his season debut until May 29 (nearly two months into the season).

He didn't fare particularly well with the Loons, going just 8-for-50 (.160) with four runs, an RBI and two stolen bases. He did have a nice 7:9 BB:K ratio.

He ended up back in Ogden when its season began and absolutely tore up the league, posting a .353/.429/.568 line with 11 home runs, 64 RBI, 20 doubles, 54 runs scored, 24 stolen bases and a 36:54 BB:K ratio. Those numbers earned him team MVP ahead of O'Koyea Dickson (who also hit really well).

By all accounts, he's the Dodgers' best position prospect. In a system devoid of hitting prospects, Pederson stands out more than he would in, say, the Cubs' system. But that doesn't mean he has any less value.

Vitals
At  6-foot-1, 185 pounds, he is a big kid. Wait, 185 pounds? That doesn't seem too big. Well, he's bigger than that, especially after seeing him in person. He's probably closer to 200 than he is 185, but that doesn't change his game or impact the way he plays. He's athletic and has some projection left in his frame.

At 20 years old, he might not be done filling out yet.

Tools
Here's how I would grade his tools. His hit tool includes plate discipline.

Tools	Now	Future
Hitting	45	60
Power	35	50
Speed	50	55
Fielding	55	60
Arm	55	60

Hitting
Pederson has a chance to be a at least an average MLB player. An average MLB player could mean a guy who posts a .280/.350/.400 line with 15-20 home run pop and 15-20 stolen base potential. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that kind of production.

I talked to a scout when seeing Pederson and even though he wasn't watching the Quakes, he did say he likes his build, his bat control and his swing.

After watching him the first night, his batting stance reminded me of someone, but I couldn't figure out who. It was bugging the hell out of me, but the next day, I finally figured it out. His up-and-down stance is reminiscent of Adam LaRoche.

LaRoche's stance is open while Pederson's is not. The open stance is a staple of power hitters, which LaRoche is and Pederson is not. However, Pederson should hit for more average and get on base more than LaRoche does.

His strikeout rate is 17.2 percent this season, which is 3 percent less than the league-average. His walk rate is 9.1 percent, which is 1 percent better than league-average. So, he has good command of the strike zone and what he's looking for when making a plate appearance.

Pederson doesn't have any triggers and his stance is pretty quiet -- something I actually prefer when watching hitters. I've never been a fan of the toe-tap (probably because I tried it when I played and failed miserably).

Pederson lunged at a few pitches (what hitter doesn't?), but in his first at-bat of the Stockton Ports' series, Pederson roped a triple to the right-center field gap. It was a legitimate triple with no outfielder misplays. He also had a single and a walk in the game.

Here's a slideshow of his swing (sorry for the crappy quality).



Pederson walked after this plate appearance. He has good balance in his swing, despite the lunge. His approach is quite advanced for a 20-year-old playing against competition at an average of two or three years older than him.

Baserunning/Speed
In perhaps the most exciting play of the night, Pederson was sent to second base with Scott Wingo on third base. Pederson made it to second easily while Wingo made a great slide to complete the double-steal.

Pederson is no Dee Gordon on the basepaths, but he has average speed with a chance to have a tick more than average speed in the future.

But he is a smart baserunner. As I said with his hitting approach, his skills all seem advanced for his age, save his power.

Defense
Pederson is nimble and athletic enough to handle center field, but Leon Landry's presence with him in Rancho has relegated him to left field.

In the first game of the series, a Ports' player hit a ball to the left-center field gap. Pederson and Landry were in pursuit of it and nearly collided on the warning track. Pederson slide to avoid contact while Landry came up with the ball.

His range is good enough for center, so it's really good for left field.

In the second game I saw, Pederson had a chance to throw a a runner out at home. He fielded a single and fired a rocket to the plate. It was a really good throw, but it was just a touch off-line (up the first base line) and prevented catcher Michael Pericht from recording the out. It was about a 65 in terms of strength.

I was sitting on the third base side and was thoroughly impressed with the strength and accuracy of the throw. If he doesn't stick in center field, he definitely has a future in left field.

Conclusion
Pederson, right now, is the Dodgers' best hitting prospect. He doesn't have as much upside as the recently drafted Corey Seager, but that's not a knock against Pederson. His ceiling is an above-average MLB player in either center or left field. If he can produce at the plate while playing center field, his value increase. His lack of 30-home run power makes him not as valuable in left field.

I think a good comparison for him, and I hate comparing him to a Giant, is Melky Cabrera. Cabrera seems to be coming into his own at age 27. Pederson's build, skill set and ability are right in line with Cabrera's. Let's just hope Pederson makes an impact sooner in the majors than Cabrera did.

Plus, the kid has a hell of a handshake. You can always tell something about a man by his handshake. It was strong and firm.

Photo credits: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes the epicenter for young aces; 2012 roster announced

The Dodgers' High-A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga Quakes announced their 25-man roster on Monday. Unlike the Loons' roster, there were little surprises here.

And also unlike the Loons' roster, the team is absolutely stacked with potential aces.

I took a look at the Quakes' potential roster back in January. I hit on a lot, but I also missed on a few.

It's a good thing the pitching is going to be strong because the California League is a notorious hitters' haven.

Top prospect Zach Lee (1, right) should head the rotation, followed by three other top pitching prospects: Garrett Gould (4), Angel Sanchez (5) and Chris Reed (19).

It's anyone's guess who the No. 5 starter is going to be, but I'm thinking it'll be Greg Wilborn.

The bullpen also looks solid. Scott McGough, 2011 5th-round pick, will join Logan Bawcom (26) and Juan Rodriguez (34) to form a nice 7-8-9 back end of the bullpen.

A lot of players from last year's Great Lakes team will make the trek to the Cal League. Since it's a great hitters' environment, a lot of guys should do quite well.

Leon Landry (18) will man center field and hit near the top of the order. He's the best position prospect the Quakes have. Jonathan Garcia (22, left) and Chris Jacobs will provide the thunder in the middle of the lineup. Tyler Henson, acquired in the Dana Eveland trade, will also (curiously) begin with the Quakes. I thought he'd be ticketed for Triple-A.

Two offensive players are returning to Rancho this season. One-time favorite Tony Delmonico and Austin Gallagher are back to presumably man the corners. Both are entering their third stints in the Cal League.

The biggest surprise is seeing Christopher O'Brien (41) make the squad. Son of former big leaguer Charlie, Christopher had 193 plate appearances between the Arizona League and the Pioneer League. He held his own, posting a .292/.358/.494 line with 18 walks in 168 at-bats.

Potential lineup
Landry CF
Gallagher 1B
Garcia RF
Jacobs DH
Delmonico 3B
Henson/Nick Akins LF
O'Brien C
Charlie Mirabal 2B
Pedro Guerrero SS

The top pitching prospects are the story to follow with this team. Allen Webster had great success in the California League before his promotion to Chattanooga. The team has a great 1-4 in the rotation. The bullpen looks solid. It's going to come down to whether the guys who struggled in Midland last season can muster enough offense to backup the great potential pitching.

The Quakes should make the playoffs for a fourth consecutive year behind strong pitching and (hopefully) some timely offense.

(#) - denotes Top 50 prospect ranking

Photo credits: mwlguide on Flickr

Dodgers' prospects with the most to lose and gain in 2012

The 2012 season is one of uncertainty for the Dodgers. A lot of things will come into focus following the ownership transition, but that doesn't mean there isn't a lot to be gained or lost -- especially for prospects.

Here's my three guys who stand have the most to lose and most to gain in 2012.

Most to lose

Ethan Martin RHP
- Martin, while not as talented as Withrow, has even more to lose than Withrow this season. His control was an issue after his debut season (5.5 BB/9, 1.97 K/BB), but he's just gotten worse as he's moved up. He posted a 7.36 ERA at Ranch Cucamonga last season before getting promoted to Double-A (sounds counter-intuitive, I know). He actually pitched a lot better in Chattanooga, but still has no control. His saving grace is his stuff -- a mid-90s fastball and a power curveball. With that combination, he could be a reliever in the majors, but I think his days as a legit starting prospect are over. This season will determine whether he even has a future in the majors.

Alfredo Silverio OF
- Some could put him on the "most to gain" list, but Silverio stands to lose a lot with a poor 2012 performance. He had his best season in the minors seven years after his debut. Guys who do that don't tend to work out long-term. The concerns with him include lack of power (despite 66 extra base hits in 2011), defensive ability (best suited in a corner) and his lack of plate discipline (3:1 K:BB ratio). If he bombs in Albquerque, his chances of being a regular in the majors are likely over.

Chris Withrow RHP
- People are still really high on Withrow, but he's about to begin his fourth stint in Double-A and has yet to get over the hump. He is the best prospect talent-wise in the system, but he hasn't put it all together -- and he might not ever put it all together. If he wants to remain a top starting pitching prospect, the 2012 season will make or break him. Otherwise, he'll end up in the bullpen or not ever end up in the majors.



Most to gain

Steve Ames RHP
- Curiously left off Baseball America's Top 30 list, Ames had a fantastic 2011 season and could take another leap forward in 2012. Scouts say his stuff don't match his numbers, but all he's done is produce in the minors. His 13.5 K/9 in his career is awfully impressive and his 1.8 BB/9 and 7.45 K/BB are even more impressive. With another solid showing in 2012, he could throw his hat into the bullpen ring for 2013.

O'Koyea Dickson 1B
- I just posted about Dickson, but he has a chance to establish himself as a legitimate prospect in the Dodgers' organization. He's going to have to do it all with his bat, though, as his defense is average at best. Dickson has good power potential and as an older selection from the 2011 draft, he'll need to move quickly to be more than roster fodder.

Leon Landry OF
- Landry had a fantastic debut season in 2010 -- well enough for me to rank him in my Top 10 last year. However, he had a rough go at it with the Loons and has fallen off a lot of prospect radars. But I foresee a breakout season for Landry, and not just because he's going to play in the hitter-friendly California League. Landry has a chance to re-establish himself as one of the organization's best position prospects. His defense in center field is among the best and his ability to get on base could help him bounce back in 2012.

Photo credit: SD Dirk on Flickr

Much like the Lookouts, the Quakes will be a force in 2012

I took a brief look at the Lookouts last week, focusing mostly on the pitching the team should have in 2012. This time, I'm looking at the Quakes, a team that should have some great pitching in a hitter-friendly league.

The 2011 second-half California League champions should have a strong squad heading into the 2012 season, with the pitching staff highlighting the squad.

Pitching

Dodgers' top prospect Zach Lee should begin the season with the Quakes. Depending on his performance, he could be there the entire season or move up to Double-A quickly.

Lee had a solid debut season in the Midwest League. I don't think he'll have much difficulty adjusting to advanced hitting. Remember, as the competition level advances, so does Lee's experience. For all intents and purposes, he has great poise on the mound; he just needs to get more experience under his belt. As he continues to mature, he should refine his pitches and become a good starting pitcher.

As a reference, Allen Webster virtually dominated the league in his first nine starts last season. Lee profiles as a better prospect as Lee, so he could just as well. But Lee is a year younger than Webster was, so it remains to be seen what happens.

Like 2011, Lee should be followed by former Loons Garrett Gould and Angel Sanchez. Both had breakout seasons for the Great Lakes' team and both rank in my top five Dodger prospects.

Gould and Lee are similar, with Lee having a better cutter/slider and Gould having a better curveball. Sanchez was a surprise breakout player in his first professional season. It'll be a telling season for both and both could also be promoted to Chattanooga before the season ends.

The Dodgers' 2011 first-round pick Chris Reed should also be in the Quakes' rotation to start the season. He actually went straight to Rancho Cucamonga after he signed with the Dodgers. He didn't exactly pitch well in his limited time (seven innings), but he started for the Quakes in the Cal League playoffs and threw five solid innings.

Another southpaw who could join the Quakes' rotation is Ryan Christenson. He struggled with the Loons last season, posting a 5.05 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and a staggering 11.1 H/9 rate. He's younger than Wilborn but older than the Lee-Gould-Sanchez trio, so there's still a chance for him.

And with the potential overcrowding in Double-A, a guy like Red Patterson or Jon Michael Redding could begin the season back with Rancho.

The bullpen could have 2011 fifth-round pick Scott McGough closing the door. He had a nice debut season, pitching better for the Loons than he did for the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer Rookie League. One thing's for sure: McGough can get a strikeout. His K/9 in his first 26 professional innings is 11.4. His K/BB is even more impressive, sitting at 5.50.

Another fireballer who should see time with the Quakes is Juan Rodriguez. Rodriguez was acquired in the Trayvon Robinson trade. Armed with the system's best fastball, Rodriguez could find himself setting up McGough or even closing at times.

Greg Wilborn, who began 2011 with the Quakes, could also find himself back with the team in the bullpen. He struggled mightily in 43 1/3 innings last season, posting a 6.85 ERA and 1.75 WHIP. His long-term prospects aren't great, but he could be a stabilizing force in a young bullpen.

Offense

On paper, the offense doesn't look that intimidating. But some guys should be helped by the hitter-friendly environment -- good or bad as that may be.

The best name the Quakes could have is Leon Landry. He was my No. 9 prospect going into last season, but had a rough 2011 season. He's primed to bounce back. He plays a legitimate center field and has a good approach at the plate. He could be the team's No. 1, 2 or 3 hitter.

Joining him in the outfield will be Jonathan Garcia. Garcia started last season on fire, clubbing seven home runs in April. He had an up-and-down rest of the season, which is to be expected from a streaky, young hitter. He could put up big power numbers at the Epicenter.

A guy who could start the season with the Quakes after ripping through the Pioneer League is Joc Pederson. He's the Dodgers' best offensive prospect. However, there's no reason to rush him. A better bet to start with the Quakes is Noel Cuevas, who saw time with the team last season.

Chris Jacobs, he of the .914 OPS with the Loons last season, could be the team's first baseman. It could be a breakout year for the big slugger.

If the Dodgers want to be aggressive with one of their 2011 drafted catchers, Pratt Maynard might be that guy. He struggled a bit with the Raptors, but as a college player, he has more experience than the high schoolers. If not, expect Steve Domecus to catch most of the time. J.T. Wise could also see some time at first base and catcher, but he's getting awfully old for the Cal League.

The up-the-middle combination could be Casio Grider (2B) and Christian Lara (SS), while Jesse Bosnik mans the hot corner. Both Grider and Lara are much better with the glove than the stick.

My projected lineup (with DH)
Landry CF
Lara SS
Cuevas LF
Wise/Domecus C
Garcia RF
Jacobs/Wise DH
Dean/Jacobs 1B
Bosnik 3B
Grider 2B

This is assuming Pederson starts with the Quakes (which is my own gut feeling).

So, the Quakes' strength in an offensive league could be their pitching. We'll see what happens, but 2012 should be a fun season for Rancho.

Most disappointing 2011 Dodgers' prospects

This is the third in a four-part series, this time looking at the most disappointing Dodgers' prospects.

This list will be populated by guys who were either hyped or high-round picks who just haven't gotten it together this season.

If these guys were to get on track, the Dodgers' system would be a lot better than it is right now. But not every prospect is going to pan out, so you have to account for that.

Most disappointing hitters

1. OF Jonathan Garcia
- Garcia showed a lot of promise in his first two seasons -- albeit in rookie ball. He had an .862 and .892 OPS the last two seasons. He started off on fire this season but has cooled off considerably. With the Loons, he has only a .736 OPS, but 49 of his 103 hits have been for extra bases (28 2B, 2 3B, 19 HR). His BB/K rate is bad right now: 32/125. That has to improve as he moves up the ladder. He is only 19 years old, so he's facing competition on average two years older than him.

2. OF Leon Landry
- Landry had the best debut of any Dodger 2010 draftee, hitting .349/.399/.510 for Ogden last season. He was my ninth-best prospect headed into the season, but he has struggled in the Midwest League. He's been on a tear of late, but his batting average has been in the upper-.230s to low-.250s all season. He's at .260/.317/.377 with four home runs, 21 doubles, 11 triples and 25 stolen bases. He's a candidate to bounce back in 2012 and I wouldn't be surprised to see him repeat Low-A before getting a promotion to Rancho.

3. OF Kyle Russell
- I've never been the biggest fan of Russell, but I penned a piece about him (and Nathan Eovaldi) earlier this season. At the time, he had a .909 OPS. His OPS was down to .847 before getting promoted to Albuquerque two days ago. Russell has power potential and good defense, so he should, at worst, be a bench player. But strikeouts continue to be a problem, as he's whiffing at a 36.3 percent clip. It's actually down from last season (37.6 percent), but it still doesn't bode well for his future success.

Honorable mentions: 3B Pedro Baez, OF/1B Brian Cavazos-Galvez, OF/1B Jerry Sands

Most disappointing pitchers

1. RHP Ethan Martin
- It's the same thing with Martin, who seems to be fairing much better as a reliever in Double-A than a starter in High-A. With the Lookouts, he has a 3.48 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 7.0 H/9, 9.6 K/BB in 31 innings. With the Quakes, he had a 7.36 ERA, 1.85 WHIP, 10.6 H/9, 10.0 K/9 in 55 innings. No matter what team he's pitched for, though, walks have still been an issue. He has a 5.8 BB/9 rate on the season. It's actually down from last season, but still not where it needs to be. The Dodgers should seriously look at converting him to third base because I doubt he'll ever throw enough strikes to be a decent Major League pitcher.

2. RHP Derek Cone
- It's kind of hard for a 31st-round draft pick to be disappointing, but Cone was considered a steal and a nice signing for the Dodgers. Cone struggled at all three of his stops in the minors this season -- those most with the Loons, where he posted a 5.68 ERA, 1.78 WHIP, 9.2 H/9 and a Martin-like 6.8 BB/9. He has all the talent to be a solid starting prospect. At 21, he still has time to figure things out.

3. RHP Matt Magill
- Magill was a personal favorite and put up solid numbers last season in the Midwest League. The California League hasn't been so kind to him (as expected by most). He had a 12-strikeout game a couple weeks ago, but he's been up and down overall. His 4.24 ERA is mediorce, but his 1.50 WHIP and 10.2 H/9 isn't going to cut it at any level. He's still just 21, so maybe moving to the Southern League in 2012 will help. His fringe fastball isn't going to be as effective unless he locates it well enough as he moves up through the minors.

Honorable mentions: LHP Aaron Miller, LHP Greg Wilborn, RHP Chris Withrow

Next up: Most disappointing Dodger hitters and pitchers (there is no shortage)