Scouting report: Lindsey Caughel, RHP, Los Angeles Dodgers's prospect

Not many 23rd-rounders go onto have successful minor-league careers, let alone Major League careers. But Dodgers’ prospect Lindsey Caughel is off to a decent start.

He’s run into some trouble in the California League this season, but he was successful at his other stops. The Cal League is an extreme hitters’ environment, and Caughel’s stuff doesn’t play well to that.

And he’s one of the few Dodger prospects who has earned a degree. I’m not really sure what that means in terms of his ability on the mound, but it’s an interesting tidbit.

Editor’s note: I am not a scout (#notascout). This is an amateur scouting report based on what I know about baseball and from following the sport all my life. I don’t claim to be a pro, I just want to pass along the information to the masses. Enjoy.

How he got here

Caughel was a 23rd-round draft selection by the Dodgers in the 2012 MLB Draft out of Stetson University. As the 716th player chosen, the Dodgers got a guy who at least opened some eyes last season and early this season. Prior to 2012, he was drafted by the Orioles in the 35th-round of the 2011 draft.

Caughel began his professional career with the Arizona Rookie League Dodgers. As a 21-year-old, he was much too old for the league. He struck out 14 in 17 innings while posting a 3.18 ERA and 1.23 WHIP. He was promoted to the Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League where he was better in 42 2/3 innings. He posted a 3.38 ERA, 0.96 WHIP and, as the WHIP would indicate, kept runners off the bases much better (7.0 H/9, 1.7 BB/9).

He began the 2013 season with the Great Lakes Loons. He posted a 2.00 ERA in 27 innings and a ridiculous 26/2 K/BB ratio. That earned him a promotion to Rancho Cucamonga, where his mediocre stuff has been exposed to the tune of a 4.99 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 10.7 H/9.

Vitals

6’3, 205 pounds, 22 years old (23 on Aug. 13)

Saw him throwing in the bullpen the day before his start. Definitely has the frame of a starting pitcher.

Tools

Here’s how I would grade Caughel’s skills on the mound.

Tools	Now	Future
Fastball	40	45
Curveball	45	50
Changeup	35	40
Slider	30	35
Command/Control	50	55
Delivery	50	50

Repertoire

Caughel has a classic starter’s four-pitch mix:

• Fastball (can sink it)
• Curveball
• Changeup
• Slider

Caughel isn’t going to blow hitters away with his extremely fringy fastball. He worked in the 88-90 MPH range when I saw him and touched 91 a few times. After three innings, his velocity dipped to the 86-88 MPH range. That’s not a good sign. He has the ability to sink his fastball a little, which helps make it a potential fringe-average pitch. He gets a little arm-side run with it, but he didn’t locate it particularly well on this night.

His curveball is his best secondary offering. It’s a mid-70s pitch that features a true 12-6 break. It’s a little loopy at times, but it’s good enough to California League hitters out (ala Garrett Gould the last two seasons).

Caughel’s changeup is his third-best pitch and it has more potential than his fastball. It’s an upper-70s-to-low-80s that offers a little fade away from left-handed hitters. If his slider isn’t working, it could be his best weapon against lefties.

His slider isn’t much of a pitch. There’s not a lot of bite to the low-80s pitch and it’s not even “show me” level. He throws it sparingly.

Delivery

Caughel’s delivery is fluid and clean. It’s repeatable to the point where he pours pitches into the strike zone on a regular basis.

He throws from a high three-quarters arm slot that allows him to stay on top of his pitches. That’s how he’s able to get some grounders with his two-seamer. However, his elbow can dip and he can get under his breaking pitches, elevating them and making them pretty easy to hit.

There’s no funky or hitch in his delivery. If nothing else, he won’t get hurt because of anything abnormal. The only thing I see with his delivery is that his arm can drag every once in awhile, but that can be said about almost every pitcher. He doesn’t appear to drop-and-drive as much as other pitchers I’ve seen. That could lead to his plus control.

He finishes relatively balanced and in decent fielding position.

Video

Conclusion

I hadn’t seen Caughel throw until last month. I knew his stuff wasn’t plus or anywhere near elite, but I had hoped he could be a sinker-balling No. 5 starter. After seeing him, I’d be surprised if he reaches the majors as a reliever. He doesn’t have elite velocity and it dipped after about three innings. If he were to be a bullpen guy, he could be a consistent 88-91 MPH guy with a solid curveball. That’s his ceiling. He could be an organizational rotation arm for a decade, if he so chooses. I suspect he’ll begin with Rancho Cucamonga in 2014 before a possible promotion. After his career is over, he’ll likely go into teaching.

Maybe Caughel defies the odds and somehow finds a way to stick in the rotation or adds a few ticks to his fastball and becomes an effective middle reliever. Either way, a 23rd-rounder providing at least this kind of value is solid and a tip of the hat to the Dodgers’ scouting department.

Photo credit: Dustin Nosler, Feelin' Kinda Blue

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