Dodgers Prospect Update: Post-Deadline Top-25 Rankings
The trade deadline saw a few names from our Los Angeles Dodgers preseason prospect list move on to other organizations. Hector Olivera, who signed after the list was released, was a Top-10 prospect despite being a 30-year-old veteran of the Cuban league. He was the headliner in the deal that brought Alex Wood, among others, to the Dodgers. Zachary Bird, who was ranked #18 coming into the year, joined Olivera and reliever Paco Rodriguez in the trade. Jeff Brigham, ranked #15 before the season, went to Miami in the deal that brought Mat Latos to Los Angeles.
Something new I’ll be doing with this list is giving player comparisons to prospects for the Top-10. This is not meant to represent exactly who these prospects will be in the future, but rather who they remind me of and/or could be if they reach their peak. Again, this is more about possibility, not probability. Take these with a large grain of salt.
Now, onto the list.
25. Michael Medina, OF
A big bonus international sign from 2013, Medina is a big kid with a big arm and big power potential. He’ll turn 19 later this month, and has to cut down on the strikeouts to take advantage of his offensive potential.
ETA: 2020
24. Willie Calhoun, 2B
This year’s fourth-rounder, all Calhoun does is hit. He reminds me a little of Delwyn Young in his build and profile. He could move quickly, but might have trouble finding a permanent defensive home and could wind up in left field.
ETA: 2018
23. Brendon Davis, SS
Drafted in the fifth round after not playing this spring due to injury, Davis is an ultra-thin infielder who currently plays short but should move to third as he matures. He’s already a solid hitter and will hopefully develop power over the next few years.
ETA: 2020
22. Philip Pfeifer, LHP
A red-shirt junior signed from the third round of this year’s draft, Pfeifer offers a surprisingly deep repertoire with three pitches that could be average or better down the road. He was recently shut down with elbow soreness, but hopefully it’s nothing serious.
ETA: 2018
21. Josh Sborz, RHP
The Dodgers’ drafted Virginia’s closer and decided to develop him as a starter, but he could rush to the big leagues as a reliever and I believe that’s the role in which he’ll reach the Majors, sooner rather than later.
ETA: Late 2016
20. Mitch Hansen, OF
The Dodgers’ second-rounder from this June’s draft, Hansen has five tool potential, though none really stand out right now. The lanky lefty is likely to lose a step as he fills out, but he can hang in center field right now. At the plate, he has more gap power now than home run power, but that tool generally takes a while to develop.
ETA: 2020
19. Scott Schebler, OF
A 26th-rounder in 2010, Schebler has established himself as a hard worker who has climbed the ladder and even made his Major League debut this year, singling in his first at-bat. He’s going on his fourth straight year of double digit doubles, triples, homers and stolen bases. He’s played all three outfield positions, but fits in a corner better.
ETA: 2016, but likely not with the Dodgers.
18. Chase De Jong, RHP
Acquired from the Blue Jays for international slot money, De Jong is a SoCal native with a plus breaking ball and some projection remaining in his frame. The 21-year-old right-hander has an average fastball and throws strikes, getting good downhill plane on his pitches, though he’s more of a fly ball pitcher. After a couple rough outings in Rancho, he’s gotten into a groove and surrendered just one run in his last 16 innings.
ETA: 2018
17. Starling Heredia, OF
While the Dodgers made their biggest international splash this year with Alvarez, Heredia was the best 16-year-old they’ve signed since Urias. The Dominican outfielder, nicknamed “Pit Bull,” offers an intriguing power/speed package in a compact frame. He’ll likely debut next year in the Dominican Summer League, though a stateside appearance in 2016 isn’t out of the question.
ETA: 2020
16. Ross Stripling, RHP
Yet another Tommy John survivor, Stripling sat out the 2014 season after injuring his elbow in Spring Training of that year. He debuted with Great Lakes in June, his first appearance since 2013, and went four scoreless innings. Since then, he’s been with Tulsa and has understandably shown some rust, but the stuff is back to his pre-injury form. Right now, it’s about building up innings.
ETA: 2017
15. Kyle Farmer, C
A converted shortstop, Farmer made a smooth transition to catcher after signing and has even made some appearances at third base. He’s thrown out 35% of attempted base stealers in Double-A and has shown good athleticism. At the plate, Farmer offers a line-drive stroke, which has led to an .854 OPS between Rancho and Tulsa, collecting 31 doubles in that span. He represented the Dodgers in the Futures Game, giving him some well-deserved national exposure.
ETA: Late 2016
14. Zach Lee, RHP
Five years after being drafted, Lee finally got his chance at an MLB start. Unfortunately, it didn’t go to plan, with some missed location and a healthy dose of bad luck. Lee returned to Triple-A, where he’s boasting a 2.21 ERA. With the additions of Alex Wood and Mat Latos, Lee doesn’t figure to get another shot at the rotation again this season without an injury.
ETA: September
13. Chris Anderson, RHP
The 2013 first rounder has moved up the ladder fairly quickly, now in Double-A for his age-22 season. He’s still showing the same power stuff with a fastball that can touch the high 90s, a quality slider and even a usable changeup. However, the command and control has not developed as quickly and has led to higher than desired walk rates and has caused his strikeout rate to drop. In the end, he may be best served as a reliever.
ETA: 2016
12. Darnell Sweeney, UTIL
Despite not being talked about as a top prospect, Sweeney just continues to perform on the field. In four seasons, Sweeney is hitting .285/.355/.444 with 38 home runs and 120 stolen bases. A shortstop in college, he’s now mainly a second baseman and center fielder, spending some time in left as well. He’s seen more as a future utility player, but may be able to start in the right situation.
ETA: 2016
11. Walker Buehler, RHP
Buehler was seen as a possible Top-10 pick entering the spring, then fell to the Dodgers at #24 after a tough ending to his college season. After being drafted, it was revealed that he needed Tommy John surgery, meaning he’d be sidelined through 2016. When he comes back, hopefully he shows the same quality three-pitch mix that led the team to take him in June.
ETA: 2019
CONTINUE READING: Check out our top-10 rankings!
