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.

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

History of the No. 18 pick in the MLB Draft, plus Jorge Soler is a free agent

With the Rule 4 Draft set for Monday, it's time to look at the history of the No. 18 pick throughout the years.

Ike Davis, No. 18 pick in 2008

The Dodgers finished 82-80 last season, earning the No. 18 selection. It's a large step up from their lowest point, when they were slotted to select as high as No. 7 (when things were really crappy in Dodgerland).

Here are the players who have been chosen at No. 18 in the MLB Draft in the last 20 years.

2011: Sonny Gray, RHP (Athletics)
2010: Kaleb Cowart, 3B (Angels)*
2009: Chad James, LHP (Marlins)*
2008: Ike Davis, 1B (Mets)
2007: Pete Kozma, INF (Cardinals)*
2006: Kyle Drabek, RHP (Phillies)*
2005: Cesar Carrillo, RHP (Padres)
2004: Josh Fields, 3B (White Sox... current Isotope)
2003: Brad Snyder, OF (Indians)
2002: Royce Ring, LHP (White Sox)
2001: Aaron Heilman, RHP (Mets)
2000: Miguel Negron, OF (Blue Jays)*
1999: Richard Stahl, LHP (Orioles)*
1998: Seth Etherton, RHP (Angels)
1997: Mark Mangum, RHP (Rockies)*
1996: R.A. Dickey, RHP (Rangers)
1995: Ryan Jaroncyk, SS (Mets)*
1994: Cade Gaspar, RHP (Tigers)
1993: Chris Schwab, OF (Expos)*
1992: Chris Roberts, LHP (Mets)

And one more
1991: Al Shirley, OF (Mets)*
- This was originally the Dodgers' selection, but they had to send the pick to the Mets as the Dodgers signed Darryl Strawberry in the winter.

Other notable selections
1987: Jack Armstrong, RHP (Reds)
1985: Joe Magrane, LHP (Cardinals)
1978: Rex Hudler, SS (White Sox)*

So, not exactly some great players available in the past, but that doesn't mean No. 18 can't be lucky.

The Dodgers also have the 51st pick.

Notable selections at No. 51
2011 Dante Bichette, 3B (Yankees)*
2008: Anthony Gose, OF (Phillies)*
2005: Ivan De Jesus, SS (Dodgers)
2002: Zach Hammes, RHP (Dodgers)*
1984: Tim Scott, RHP (Dodgers)*

Larkin, Hall of Famer

And easily the best choice at No. 51
1982: Barry Larkin, SS (Reds)*

So, some decent prospects, but not a lot of great players at No. 18. At least there was a great player at No. 51 (at one time) in Larkin.

There are a lot of intriguing possibilities at No. 18, including guys like Richie Shaffer, Ty Hensley, Corey Seager, Stryker Trahan, Stephen Piscotty and a number of other players.

I'm excited for this draft. I'd expect the Dodgers to snag a bat (probably an infielder) and a pitcher with their first two picks. Of course, it's best player available or bust in this case.


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Ken Rosenthal brought news on Saturday of Jorge Soler finally being declared a free agent. He isn't expected to be on the market long, so if the Dodgers want to get in on him, they need to do it quickly.

Here's what I wrote in February about Soler and why the Dodgers should make his signing a priority.

"This is exactly what the Dodgers need right now. I know they have a ton of outfield prospects, but none are on the level of this prospect. And by the time Soler would be ready, the Dodgers would probably have a vacancy in their outfield.

The Blue Jays, Cubs, Orioles, Phillies Red Sox, White Sox and Yankees have all expressed some level of interest in the right fielder. How fitting would it be for the Dodgers to reassert their dominance in the international market -- smacking down some of the "big boys" before the rules change?

For me, this is a no-brainer. Will it happen? Absolutely not, but it's more practical than giving Fielder $160 million."

Here's hoping the Dodgers, a team that just signed 20 Latin American free agents, don't let the best one slip by ... at least, not without a fight.

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My latest piece at ChadMoriyama.com is on the Quakes' powerful catcher Michael Pericht. He has three home runs in his last two games and has a ridiculous (even for the California League) 1.130 OPS. Here's an excerpt:

"Pericht has been playing behind Christopher O’Brien with the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes this season, but that could change if he keeps hitting.

Helping his cause, Pericht is posting reverse splits this season, and is playing more against righties.

• vs. RHP: .343/.418/.771 (!), 8 HR
• vs. LHP: .304/.385/.565, 1 HR (23 AB)

So, that’s encouraging. However, his 31.4 percent strikeout rate is a bit alarming. He’s shown the ability to get on base (if only a little) in the past, and has an 8.6 percent walk rate this season. He’ll need to improve in both those areas as he either gets more playing time in Rancho or moves up to Double-A."

Photo credits

Davis: slgckgc, Flickr

Larkin: Rick Dikeman, Wikimedia Commons