Editorials

Dodgers 2015 Top Prospects: Taking A Look At 40-31

Victor Araujo
Victor Araujo

40. Kam Uter, RHP

The Dodgers spent their 12th-round pick in 2014 on Kam Uter, who was also considered a good college football recruit. However, he decided to sign for $200,000, foregoing his collegiate career. On the mound, Kam offers arm strength, lots of athleticism and loads of projection. He’s understandably raw, being a two-sport athlete in high school, and must improve his command as well as his secondary offerings. He offers a good amount of upside but won’t realize it for a while.



39. Adam Law, UTIL

Adam Law, who attended BYU, was drafted as a 23-year-old in 2013. The 12th-rounder had an excellent debut, which is expected of a guy who’s playing against teenagers. In 2014, he went to High-A and batted .273/.349/.333 while spending time in left field, second base and third base. He has good speed and versatility but not much power to speak of, as he hasn’t hit a professional home run in 164 minor league games. He profiles as a utility player in the Major Leagues, if he can continue to get on base.

38. John Richy, RHP

The Dodgers’ third-rounder from 2014, John Richy was the teammate of first-rounder Erik Fedde and parlayed the increased exposure into a high draft selection. At 6’4 and 210 lbs, he uses his height and sinking fastball to induce grounders. He doesn’t overpower hitters, but mixes in his secondaries to change speeds and keep hitters off balance. He profiles as a back end starter and could possibly transition to relief if need be.

37. Deivy Castillo, OF

Signed out of the Dominican in January of 2013, Deivy Castillo went to the Dominican Summer League and struggled, batting just .190 in 37 games. However, the organization believed in him enough to bring him stateside last year and he improved, hitting .248/.350/.305 in 42 games with the Arizona League Dodgers. Although he’s listed at 6’3 and 170 lbs, he doesn’t have much power, but uses a good approach at the plate to utilize his plus speed, which he also shows off in the outfield. He may start 2015 in full season ball, but at 19, there’s no need to rush him.

36. MJ Villegas, RHP

Identified as a sleeper from the 2013 draft by former scouting director Logan White, MJ Villegas made his professional debut in 2014 and pitched well for the Arizona League club. Although his ERA was 4.18, MJ struck out 29 batters in 23.2 innings without allowing a home run. His stuff is pretty average across the board but he has a projectable frame and youth on his side. He could be a breakout candidate this year.

35. Victor Araujo, RHP

One of the best performers in the system last year, Victor Araujo was actually signed back in 2009 and spent a couple years in the Dominican Summer League before coming to the states. After two uninspiring years, Araujo broke out in a big way for the Great Lakes Loons, becoming their most reliable reliever after posting a 1.32 ERA in 42 games. He earned a late season promotion to Rancho, though he struggled in five appearances. Still, the 22-year-old hopes to build on his newfound success and continue climbing toward the big league bullpen.

34. Jairo Pacheco, LHP

Jairo Pacheco was a pitcher I identified last year due to his strong season in the DSL, posting a 1.24 ERA in 17 games with 45 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. The Dodgers decided to bring him to Arizona as a 17-year-old and let him pitch with the AZL club, where he thrived. The Venezuelan lefty produced a 2.27 ERA in 12 games with 54 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. He has modest size at 6’ and 165 lbs, but is young enough to mature physically and see his average stuff grow with him.

33. Scott Barlow, RHP

Scott Barlow has had a long professional career in a short amount of time. After being taken in the sixth round in 2011, he pitched just 1.2 innings in his debut before missing all of 2012 following Tommy John surgery. The Dodgers worked him back into action with Ogden in 2013 where he posted a 6.20 ERA in 15 starts. Last season, he took another step forward, lowering his ERA to 4.50 with the Great Lakes Loons and striking out 104 batters in 106 innings. The 22-year-old has a fastball in the low-90s and a good breaking ball. Another productive year could move him further up the prospect lists, health willing.

32. Ralston Cash, RHP

Ralston Cash, much like Barlow, made his debut before missing a season due to injury. The cousin of former Dodgers’ first-rounder and current Phillie Ethan Martin, Ralston has seemingly found a new home in the bullpen after beginning his career as a starter. The right-hander has a fastball that can reach the mid-90s and a sharp breaking ball that led to him striking out 72 batters in 59 innings last season. He needs to throw more strikes and stay healthy, but Cash could end up making himself some money in a big league pen.

31. Jared Walker, 3B

The Dodgers’ third-rounder from 2014, Jared Walker instantly became the organization’s top third base prospect by virtue of him playing third base. That’s not to say he doesn’t bring anything to the table, though. The lefty hitter projects to hit for some power and drew 20 walks during his 38 game debut. He also displays average speed and a strong arm. He may spend another year in rookie ball, as Great Lakes is a test for any 19-year-old, but could develop into a solid prospect in a few years.

Dodgers 2015 Spring Training – Yasmani Grandal

Staff Writer

Staff Writer features content written by our site editors along with our staff of contributing writers. Thank you for your readership.

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