Category: Dodgers Prospects

Dodgers Prospects: Jacob Rhame Advancing Quickly

Published on by Dennis Schlossman7 Comments

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When considering the wealth of pitching talent in the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ farm system, reliever Jacob Rhame usually takes a backseat to the higher profile hurlers; yet his regular season debut in the Dodger bullpen could arrive sooner than many think.

Born in 1993 and growing up in Denton, TX, Rhame’s early path was somewhat similar to that of Tulsa Drillers‘ teammate José De León. Undrafted out of high school, Rhame’s fastball velocity was enough to earn him a scholarship at the University of Oklahoma. After only one year with the Sooners, Rhame gained over 40 lbs. and found that his arm speed dropped dramatically. His career at Oklahoma was over as quickly as it began.

Getting cut from the OU baseball program may have provided the motivation that he needed to regain focus. In 2012 with limited options, Rhame latched on with the Anchorage Bucs in the Alaska Summer League and never looked back.

Thanks to a strict conditioning program and a careful diet, Rhame was back to his normal 190 lb. body weight in no time. For the 2012-13 academic year, he enrolled at Grayson College — a junior college located in Denison, TX, which is commonly recognized for its baseball program.

Recording a 2.16 ERA in 75 innings of work at Grayson was enough to earn Rhame a scholarship to Division 1 Texas State for the 2013-14 school year; however, college ball became irrelevant when the Dodgers selected him in the sixth round of the 2013 draft.

Rhame was quickly ushered to Ogden of the Pioneer league that same year and made 20 appearances, all in relief.  In 19 innings of work, he posted a not-so-impressive 4.58 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks. Despite the rocky debut in rookie league, Dodgers scouts remained very impressed with his arm’s electricity and his sound mechanics.

After an exhausting 2013 campaign, Rhame spent the entirety of the 2014 season with the Great Lakes Loons in the Midwest League. His performance was outstanding — in 67 innings pitched, he worked to a 2.01 ERA and 0.925 WHIP, while recording 90 strikeouts and allowing only 14 walks.

Last season, Rhame started out with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, but was quickly promoted to the Double-A Tulsa bullpen after five shutout appearances for the Quakes. His combined numbers for 2015 resulted in 57 innings of work with a 2.68 ERA, 0.982 WHIP and a 11.1 K/9.

Scouts remain very impressed with Rhame, as he has earned the status of a non-roster invitee to spring training with the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch, which is only a few weeks away. With the big league bullpen still relatively young and raw, solid opportunities for advancement exist over the course of the upcoming campaign.

Rhame’s strongest pitch is his four-seam fastball which sits at 95-98 MPH and peaks at 100 MPH. He equally mixes a cutter in the low 90s that offers plenty of movement. He also throws a really hard slider, which is recognized more for its velocity than break. He’s currently working on a change-up as a weapon used primarily against left-handed hitters.

Rhame will wear #79 for the Dodgers in 2016 Cactus League play.

Pitchers and catchers report on February 19.

(Photo Credit: David Minton/DRC)

Dodgers Prospects: Cody Bellinger Emerging

Published on by Dennis Schlossman3 Comments

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Considering the high number of pitching prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, it’s quite refreshing when a position player reels in the accolades and climbs the rankings list.

Cody Bellinger was drafted by the Dodgers in the fourth round of the 2013 MLB draft. After passing up a baseball scholarship at the University of Oregon, he began his career in the minors with the Arizona League Dodgers at the age of 17 and has never looked back.

Bellinger was named to both the first and second-half Cal League All-Star teams last season, and was named MVP of the Cal League Championship Series in which the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes swept the San Jose Giants three games to none. He was also voted as the best defensive first baseman in the Cal League for 2015 by Class-A managers and coaches.

Son of former New York Yankees utility man Clay Bellinger, Cody hopes to begin the 2016 season at Double-A Tulsa at only 20 years of age.

He’s currently ranked as the fifth best prospect in the Dodgers’ organization by Ben Badler of Baseball America, although that could be amended to a fourth place ranking considering Jose Peraza‘s departure to Cincinnati.

Well known for being a high contact and line drive-type hitter early on, Bellinger sacrificed his batting average for a little bit of power last year, slashing .264/.336/.538 in 478 at-bats while recording 30 HR, 103 RBI, 52 walks and 10 steals.

Listed at 6’4″ and 180 lbs. on the Quakes roster, Bellinger says he’s now up to about 195 lbs.  — which is part of the reason for the recent power surge.

“I don’t have to use my whole body to get it out any more,” Bellinger stated. “I’m still young and I know more weight will come as I fill out naturally. I’m excited to see what happens when I do.”

He also added that extra work in the cages and a few adjustments of his swing were key to last season’s success.

“Honestly, the game really slowed down for me this year,” Bellinger said. “Skipping a level, it was a little bit of an adjustment period to start. I have to give a lot of credit to our hitting coordinator, we were working on my swing all offseason. I always had the power — it was just a matter of time before I developed. He really helped me incorporate my hands into my swing. I’m using my hands a lot more, and the pitches I was hitting last year in the gap are going over the fence this year.”

Many scouts say that Bellinger’s glove may be his best asset, and coupled with his speed, he’s also found recent success in center field. All things considered, Bellinger believes that his true talent still lies at first base.

“They told me, the more positions you can play the better,” Bellinger added. “So I was all up for it, accepted it, and we’ll see where it goes. But definitely see myself as a first baseman and I think they do, too.”

Upon scouting him at June’s Carolina-California Class A Advanced All Star Game in Rancho Cucamonga, Bernie Pleskoff, who served as a professional scout for the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners, had this to say about Bellinger:

“It appears obvious that Bellinger has an outstanding grasp of baseball fundamentals. Having learned from his father and good coaches along the way, Bellinger has poise, composure and baseball acumen beyond his years. About to turn 20 in mid-July, he looks and plays like a seasoned veteran. 

“He has the type of quick bat that produces a crucial base hit at the right time in the game. He will be a force with runners on base, because he knows the strike zone well and has the patience to wait for a pitch he can drive. Bellinger will get his share of RBIs by hitting the ball from gap to gap. 

“I think Bellinger can become a fan favorite. He hustles, plays extremely good defense, gets important base hits and is a consummate team player. If Bellinger can develop power, he could become a fixture at first base. Even if he doesn’t hit 20 homers a year, his contribution as a run producer will be welcomed.”

One season in the California League at High-A is only a small sample size and shouldn’t be used as a platform to elevate Bellinger into superstar status. However, based on his pedigree, his hustle and his work ethic, it wouldn’t be surprising to see him in Dodger Blue a few years down the road.

(Photo Credit: milb.com)

Dodgers Prospects: Does Zach Lee Still Have Value?

Published on by Dennis Schlossman2 Comments

Los Angeles Dodgers workout

Once considered the crown jewel of the Los Angeles Dodgers farm system, former first-round draft pick Zach Lee continues to tumble in the team’s prospect rankings despite relatively consistent numbers.

Chosen by the Dodgers with the 28th overall pick in the 2010 MLB Draft, Lee had previously committed to play quarterback for the LSU Tigers, but ex-Assistant GM Logan White swooped in with a signing bonus offer of $5.25 million, which eventually persuaded Lee to stick with baseball.

After a solid age-19 season with the Great Lakes Loons in 2011, Lee was unanimously ranked #1 among all Dodgers’ prospects in 2012, and many scouts viewed him to have the potential to be at least a #2 starter in the bigs.

He began 2012 with High-A Rancho Cucamonga, and continuing to climb the organizational ladder, progressed quickly to Double-A Chattanooga. In 2013, Lee secured a spot in the Southern League All-Star game and compiled a 10-10 record with a 3.22 ERA in 28 appearances. He struck out 131 batters over 142 innings that season, sporting a 8.3 K/9.

Despite the solid progression, Lee began to fall in the Dodgers’ prospect rankings, mainly thanks to the emergence of newcomers Yasiel Puig, Joc Pederson and Corey Seager.

In the high desert of Albuquerque in 2014, his numbers declined as expected, as he put together a 7-13 record over 150 innings of work, with a 5.39 ERA, a 1.537 WHIP and a meager 5.8 K/9.

Not including his shaky debut in the bigs, Lee found reasonable success with Oklahoma City last season. But with the ascension of players like Julio Urias, José De León and Yadier Alvarez, he continues to plummet in the prospect rankings.

Preliminary rankings for 2016 have him placed in the #13 – #15 range within the Dodgers’ organization.

After beginning his career with a ceiling of a possible #2 starter, many scouts now view him as a potential #4 or #5 at best.

All that being said, does Zach Lee have any value to a team like the Los Angeles Dodgers and their immediate needs?

His command is still sharp, which was made evident by his 1.5 BB/9 last season. His sinker is consistently solid, resulting in a 50% ground ball rate. His slider is still developing, which will eventually compliment his four-seamer, changeup and above-mentioned sinker. He still shows plenty of velocity with the heater, so there is some upside.

It’s tough to speculate how he fits in with the Dodgers. Heading into 2016, the rotation at Triple-A OKC is extremely crowded, and it may be possible that he’s packaged in some type of potential trade scenario. Regardless, he is one of three pitchers in the minors that is considered MLB-ready, and may get a call-up at some point depending on how much starting pitching depth the Dodgers stash via trade or free agency.

As for the long term, with players like Brandon McCarthy and Alex Wood around for several more years, it’s hard to see Lee being a fit in the back end of a rotation that soon may be featuring Clayton Kershaw, Hyun-jin Ryu, De León and Urias up front.

With all the the new talent emerging, perhaps the Dodgers’ best bet is to find a deal for Lee with another squad who would appreciate the ceiling of a #4 or #5-type starter, especially before his value slips any further.

After all, at one point he was completely untouchable.

(Photo Credit: Jon SooHoo/Los Angeles Dodgers)

Projecting the Starting Rotation at Oklahoma City

Published on by Dennis Schlossman5 Comments

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Although the starting pitching rotation for the 2016 Los Angeles Dodgers is still very much in doubt, the same cannot be said for their Triple-A affiliate, the Oklahoma City Dodgers.

Truth be told, after a brief analysis of available starting pitchers on the farm, nine different hurlers have a legitimate shot at vying for a rotation spot in OKC. Let’s take a look at all nine pitchers, listing their ages come Opening Day, number of option years remaining, and where they may begin their respective 2016 campaigns.

  • Mike Bolsinger – 28 years, one option remaining
  • Carlos Frias – 26 years, one option remaining
  • Joe Wieland – 26 years, one option remaining
  • Zach Lee – 24 years, two options remaining
  • Ross Stripling – 26 years, all three options remaining
  • Jharel Cotton – 24 years, all three options remaining
  • Frankie Montas – 23 years, all three options remaining
  • José De León – 23 years, all three options remaining
  • Julio Urias – 19 years, all three options remaining

Needless to say, that’s a very crowded yet talented list. Andrew Friedman and Farhan Zaidi may decide to simplify things by moving a few to the bullpen, or more likely, use several as trade pieces in a package for a much needed impact starter at the big league level.

Carlos Frias may command a spot on the 25-man roster, perhaps filling the role that Juan Nicasio held last season as long man or spot starter. Frias made 17 appearances including 13 starts for the Dodgers last season, hurling 77.2 innings to a tune of a 4.06 ERA.

Both Mike Bolsinger and Joe Wieland are also considered MLB-ready, and barring any trade or the need to begin the season in the Dodgers rotation, will certainly fill starting roles for OKC.

After a hot start, Bolsinger ended up contributing 109 innings over 21 starts in the bigs, compiling a 6-6 record with a 3.63 ERA and a 8.1 K/9.

Wieland made two unsuccessful starts for the Dodgers in 2015, but put up relatively consistent numbers for OKC. He threw 113 innings over 21 starts and posted a 4.59 ERA.

Former first-round draft pick Zach Lee had a nightmare of a debut for the Dodgers, but put up solid numbers in Triple-A. Lee hurled 113 innings over 19 starts sporting a 2.70 ERA. He also likely fills a starting slot for Oklahoma City.

Having had Tommy John surgery and sitting out all of 2014, Ross Stripling returned and pitched 67 innings over 13 starts for the Tulsa Drillers last season. He was added to the 40-man in November to protect him from Rule 5 status. Stripling isn’t overpowering, but features a nasty arsenal of breaking pitches much like Bolsinger. Stripling has never thrown at the Triple-A level, and may begin the year at Tulsa just to make room for others at OKC.

Although two completely different pitchers, Jharel Cotton and Frankie Montas find themselves in similar situations. Cotton had been a starter, and was given an opportunity to relieve late last season, while Montas has proven himself as a reliever but projects as a hard-throwing starter.

Cotton, who probably has the best changeup in the Dodgers system, projects better as a starter due to the lack of velocity on his fastball (90-91 MPH). His breaking pitches are his best weapons, leading him to a 10.7 K/9 in almost 100 innings of work last year.

Whether an honest evaluation, or an attempt to make him look attractive to other teams as a trade piece, Andrew Friedman continues to hype the talent of Montas. Friedman believes that his fastball-slider combo is among the best in the minors and often touts his triple-digit fastball. If able to maintain his command as a starter, there’s no doubt Montas will climb to the top of the Triple-A rotation quickly.

Perhaps the two most talented starters among the entire group are José De León and Julio Urias. Although both have ascended through the Dodgers’ system rapidly, neither is on the 40-man roster.

In terms of control, fastball velocity, mental maturity and overall talent, De León is fully developed physically and ready to go. If there’s still a crowded house come Opening Day, he may begin the season at Tulsa, but should make the jump to Triple-A quickly and be ready for a fall call-up when rosters expand in September.

Urias, the prized-possession of the farm, most likely needs one additional season on an innings count due to the fact that he’s still developing physically. He may be promoted to the 40-man at some point depending on the movement of other players, but like De León, should get a taste come September.

Based on no players being moved, and no service needed at the MLB level (assuming the Dodgers sign somebody like Kenta Maeda and one other free agent pitcher), we see things shaping up like this:

  • OKC starting rotation: Bolsinger, Urias, Lee, Montas and Wieland; with Cotton as long man and spot starter
  • De León and Stripling beginning the year at Double-A Tulsa but rising quickly
  • Frias beginning the season as long man in the bigs

Of course, all this could change with an injury or any type of trade. Although the logjam could create some minor headaches for the managers and directors on the farm, it’s certainly a good problem to have — especially when the big league squad needs all the help it can get.

(Photo Credit: MLB.com)

Dodgers Prospects: Scouting Yadier Álvarez

Published on by Dennis Schlossman3 Comments

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Digging deeper into the seemingly limitless list of pitching prospects in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, another name sure to turn heads in the very near future is Cuban righty Yadier Álvarez.

After defecting from Cuba at the age of 18 and showcasing his skills in the Dominican Prospect League, the Dodgers signed Álvarez to a $16 million bonus on the first day of the 2015-2016 international signing period last July.

He’s currently ranked as the 10th best prospect in the Dodgers organization by Ben Badler of Baseball America.

Badler’s initial report of the Álvarez signing included this brief tidbit of scouting data:

“Alvarez, 19, has been clocked anywhere from 92-98 mph with his fastball, with a skinny frame (6-foot-3, 175 pounds) and a quick arm. His secondary stuff is inconsistent, but he has flashed an above-average slider that’s ahead of his changeup, a pitch he’s still learning to maintain his arm speed when he throws one. There’s some wildness in the very limited track record that exists with Alvarez, who never pitched in Serie Nacional and did not make Cuba’s junior national team before he left the island.”

Dodgers Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Josh Byrnes and other Dodgers scouts were intrigued by the velocity of Álvarez’s fastball and potential for plus breaking stuff dating back to December of 2014.

“He’s one of the more talented teenage right-handed pitchers we’ve seen. A lot of us have been doing this a long time,” Byrnes said. “He has a prototypical body, with high-end velocity. We’ve seen him consistently 92-97 mph, occasionally touching 99-100. There is very little effort, a pretty good feel for secondary pitches, and he’s a pretty good strike-thrower. He’s got a long way to go, but his foundation, his ingredients for his age are pretty rare, so we’re excited to have him.”

It’s hard to say this early if Álvarez has the stamina or durability to be a starter. He finished out 2015 by throwing 2-4 innings per clip during workouts in the Dominican Republic, and it’s probable he’ll begin his career in the States with the Arizona League Dodgers this spring.

If he proves capable of handling the role of being a starter, his value and ranking among Dodgers prospects will skyrocket.

Rookie ball will be a valuable gauge in assessing the true talent of Álvarez. If he measures up anywhere near his initial evaluations, the already stellar Dodgers farm system will have gotten just a little bit deeper.

(Photo Credit: hngn.com)

Dodgers Prospects: José De León On the Rise

Published on by Dennis Schlossman4 Comments

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Regardless of how questionable the starting rotation looks for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2016, fans can take comfort in knowing that a handful of future stars are on the verge of making an impact in the bigs.

One such prized prospect is 23-year-old righty José De León.

Born in Isabela, Puerto Rico in 1992, De León played college ball at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana and was drafted by the Dodgers in the 24th round of the 2013 MLB draft.

De León is currently ranked the third-best prospect in the Dodgers organization by Ben Badler of Baseball America.

After a full year of rookie ball in 2013, his ascension to star level began to take place when he was named the Pioneer League Pitcher of the Year while playing for the Ogden Raptors in 2014. Later that year, after being promoted to Single-A Great Lakes, he broke Clayton Kershaw’s team record of 12 Ks set back in 2007 by fanning 14 Fort Wayne TinCaps in only his second career-start for the Loons. 12 of his 14 strikeout victims were retired by swinging strikes.

The beginning of 2015 saw De León promoted to High-A Rancho Cucamonga where he continued to shine. On May 29 against the Frisco RoughRiders, he threw 91 pitches over seven innings of work while striking out a season-high 11 batters and only allowing three hits, two walks and one earned run. His total tally for Rancho included 58 strikeouts over 37.2 innings of work, which calculated to a 13.9 K/9. A WHIP of .903 and a 1.9 BB/9 reflected the dominance he showed at the Single-A level. He was promoted to Double-A Tulsa after only 7 appearances for the Quakes.

While with the Drillers, De León fanned 105 batters over 76.2 innings to close out 2015. He posted a 12.3 K/9 and a WHIP of 1.124. His 3.4 BB/9, however, revealed his continued efforts to develop and diversify his off-speed and breaking-pitch arsenal.

Over the course of 2015, De León showed that he was much more serious about baseball as opposed to his earlier years. He ended up dropping 25-plus pounds by the end of the season. His improved fitness and conditioning allowed him to refine his mechanics, while increasing the spin on his slider and noticeably elevating the velocity of his fastball.

De León’s fastball, which has nasty, late movement and sits in the 93-96 MPH range, is by far his best weapon. His slider rates a little above-average but continues to improve. His changeup is by far his best off-speed pitch — he’s not afraid to use it when behind in the count and often uses it as his strikeout pitch.

Many scouts within the organization project De León to be a solid #3 starter down the road, but as time goes by, his ceiling continues to rise. His hard work on and off the field reflects a progressively improving command and pitching arsenal as well as added mental maturity. His rapid development and advancement almost indicate that he has a desire to be the Dodgers #1 prospect on the farm.

Most within the Dodgers’ organization see De León getting his first taste when rosters expand in September of 2016 and being ready to contribute to the rotation in 2017, but with his hard work and his uncanny ability to advance, don’t be surprised to see him on the hill much sooner.

(Photo Credit: milb.com)