The big league Dodgers aren’t the only squad in the organization that has been experiencing recent success.
The Tulsa Drillers, who have won eight of their last 10 games in the Double-A Texas League, were well represented when the league’s weekly and monthly awards were announced on Tuesday.
Tulsa infielder Omar Estevez was selected as the Texas League Player of the Month for April while Drillers’ starting pitcher J.D. Martin was named the Texas League Pitcher of the Week for the week ending May 3.
In April, Estevez led the entire Texas League with a .385 batting average, 30 hits and eight doubles. Additionally, his monthly .449 OBP and 1.014 OPS were good enough for third in the league while his 44 total bases and .564 slugging percentage both ranked fourth.
Normally sandwiched between Gavin Lux and Cristian Santana in the two-hole, Estevez is slashing .351/.431/.500 with two homers and 12 RBI for Tulsa over 25 games this season.
He hit .340/.418/.547 for High-A Rancho over the final six weeks of 2018, finishing the year as the Cal League leader with 87 runs and 43 doubles.
Still only 22 years of age, Estevez was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent out of Cuba for a $6 million bonus in 2015. On defense, his natural position is shortstop, but he has shown that he can handle both short and second base adequately.
Estevez is currently ranked as the 19th best prospect in the system by MLB Pipeline.
Not long after Estevez was recognized, the league handed out its weekly honors. After throwing a seven-inning, two-hit masterpiece against Midland last Thursday, righty knuckleballer J.D. Martin captured the Texas League Pitcher of the Week Award. In the contest, Martin surrendered just one walk while striking out seven.
For the season, the 36-year-old Martin is 1-2 with a 6.15 ERA over six starts and 33-2/3 innings pitched.
The Dodgers signed the veteran Martin to a minor league deal back in February. He was a former first-round pick of the Indians in 2001. Moreover, he has appeared in 24 big league games—all starts—for the Washington Nationals during the 2009 and 2010 seasons.
Martin’s award follows Driller’s left fielder Zach Reks being named the Texas League’s Hitter of the Week for the week ending April 28.
Coincidentally, Reks’ honor came one week after Tulsa right fielder Logan Landon was named the Hitter of the Week for April 15-21.
Think Blue Planning Committee 
Estevez is the 19th rated prospect? That should change.
I’d like to see what Garlick could do against ML pitching. He’s been with us for a while and is currently OPSn .971. He’s a RH bat with some pop. He does strike out a lot so he should fit right in.
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Has Martin always been a knuckleball pitcher? I’m hoping he just learned how to throw it in the last year or so. Otherwise, I’m afraid he won’t be the second coming of Hoyt Wilhelm or Charlie Hough. One thing about knuckle ballers though, they can have very long careers. At 36, he could be our closer for the next 10 years. 🙂
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Martin has been around a while, but the Knuckler is new to him. He did it for pretty much the same reason that Stephen Wright of the Red Sox did it. To revitalize a failing career. I was impressed with Estevez during spring training. He was solid with the glove and hit really well. They have some talent down there on the farm. That being said I would love to see them lock up Cody and Corey to the kind of contract that Acuna signed with the Braves,, but I doubt that happens.
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With the possible exception of starting pitching, it looks like most of the better prospects are still at Tulsa or below so it could easily take until 2021 (or late 2020) until they’re ready. It would be great to sign Corey and Cody to extensions but the Braves got a real bargain and our guys are represented by a guy named Boras………………….in other words, it ain’t happenin’ at least for those kind of numbers.
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Jeff…you are absolutely right about that. The cream of the crop, save a pitcher or two and Smith are in Tulsa and they are playing like it. Lux has been hot and May has been very impressive. Giants placed Posey and Pomeranz on the IL today. Vogt will be their main catcher until Posey is back. Scherzer and Sanchez are a combined 1-9 this season.
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This is our chance to trade d’Arnaud for Scherzer. We’ll just remind them that Travis doesn’t have any losses yet and Max has 4. And we’ll do them a favor and do the deal even up. Damn……………….I really should have been a GM.
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I agree……but I doubt DC does….
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Now we know what AF saw in Kelly. Closing out 5+ run games. You da man Joe!
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That’s the best Kelly has looked all season. At least it’s a start.
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Scoop, I’m getting the gut doctor add also, it’s pretty bad, makes it hard to concentrate on the article.didnt get it today though, hope I never see it again.
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I’ll send you an invite to join the site as a follower in the morning. If you stay logged in on the same device, you shouldn’t see any ads at all. 🙂
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I accepted the invitation so we’ll see if it works. I had an account with WordPress years ago and of course forgot my password.
I didn’t see the game but I did see it on Gameday. Kelly was keeping his off speed pitches down, but his heater was over the middle. He can’t keep doing that. If ML hitters can sit on 97 center cut cheese they will square it up. Off speed down 97 up. He’d better get that done or he will be hit.
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By accepting the invitation, you’ll also be able to edit your comments. 🙂
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That should come in handy.
Somebody tell me wtf is going on with the Lakers. Who’s in charge there?
“The Dodgers have had a good time finding trash and making it worthwhile”. A comment I read recently on why the Dodgers think d’Arnaud is a good idea. A right handed .700 OPS hitting catcher that Friedman apparently feels can play a position he’s never played before. Maybe Andy thinks he will start hitting if he isn’t catching. “If he flops he flops.” I don’t know, I’d rather give one of our own a shot. I think this move sends the wrong message to our minor leaguers who are busting their ass to get a chance. What the hell are they there for if not this?
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Four nights in the dugout and d’Arnaud still hasn’t seen any action. That’s crazy for a position player in today’s game. Maybe they plan on using him every fifth day.
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Sometimes we just don’t know what’s going on in management’s collective mind Dennis. Be glad Jeannie Buss doesn’t own the Dodgers. I did hear that d’Arnaud hasn’t been in a game yet because he may become the next Laker coach. It’s down to whichever name Linda Rambis whispers in Jeannie’s ear.
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They have no clue what is going on in Lakerland. Lue just pulled out of contract talks to be the next coach because they only offered 3 years 18 million and he wants 5 years.
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I did Scoop and it works great. That’s how I was able to do my guest article which I thought was great. Dennis said to let him know the next time I wanted to write one and he would format it properly for me.. I am working on a couple of idea’s that I think might be interesting to our group.
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Maybe they expect Martin to scroinge his pleziac any day now.
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Keith, shoot a note with your email address to thinkbluepc@gmail.com and we’ll get the invite sent out to you. The same goes for anyone else looking for an ad-free experience. 🙂
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Maybe AF can lend a hand to help out the Lakers in his free time. They could use some analytics. The analysis is UGLY! Let’s you know the genius of the two Jerry’s!
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