Dodgers: Five Surprising Position Players Making a Name for Themselves

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Mar 14, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers third baseman Chris Taylor (3) throws to first base to complete a double play after forcing out Cincinnati Reds second baseman Tony Renda (49) at second base during the first inning at Camelback Ranch. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports /

The Dodgers 2017 spring training, that seems to have lasted months, is now down to just one more full week of games before the regular season begins. Due to the extended spring and World Baseball Classic, the Dodgers got to take a longer look at some players that are battling for bench jobs and along with some minor leaguers.

Spring training is an excellent time for unheralded or young players to showcase their ability to team managers and the franchises’ front offices. Although you should not put too much stock into spring stats (just like every other preseason in sports), they can still help in evaluating a player’s ability, condition, strengths, weaknesses, which ultimately help in determining his starting destination in a season.

Because of the World Baseball Classic, some of the Dodgers’ key players weren’t available during the spring. This meant that there would be more opportunity for lesser-known players to make a strong push and statement for making the 2017 Opening Day roster cut.

While some have disappointed, there have definitely been standouts from the Dodgers’ camp. These standout performances are primarily from players you would not have expected them from. They are going to make it really tough for Dodgers’ manager Dave Roberts and upper management when it comes to selecting the final 25 man roster.

The Dodgers already had tremendous depth but the emergence of a few players makes everything much more interesting. The following five position players are under-the-radar players that have impressed in spring training.

Chris Taylor

Taylor came into camp this year as one of the main competitors for the utility role that was occupied by Kike Hernandez the past couple of seasons. The one leg up Kike had on Chris Taylor was that he could play center field during games in which Joc Pederson sat out. That advantage seems to have disappeared with Taylor getting 14 innings in center field this spring. He’s only had two putouts but he has shown that he can at least play some center field.

Taylor’s main strength throughout his career has been his solid defensive play as an infielder along with the versatility he provides. He can play shortstop, second base, and third base. However, this spring he also showed the ability to swing the bat a little and get on-base.

The knock on Taylor has always been that he has a weak bat with little to no power. Thus far, however, he has hit .433 with a ridiculous on-base percentage of .575 and an OPS over 1.000. Taylor has gotten thirty at-bats as well, so it’s not like his stats are skewed by only having a handful of at-bats. Like Kike Hernandez, Chris Taylor does have options remaining, so the Dodgers could option him to AAA if they do not pick him for the super utility role.

It remains to be determined if Taylor can overtake fan favorite Kike Hernandez for the utility and backup shortstop role on the bench. If anything, his play has shown that Dave Roberts will have a tough decision to make at the end of spring training.

Brett Eibner

Eibner was acquired from the Oakland A’s in a trade that certainly didn’t make the front page news. He has a similar skill set to Trayce Thompson in that he can play all three outfield positions with above-average defense, has the ability to hit the ball out of the park, but he won’t hit for average. Eibner is also like Trayce Thompson in the fact that he strikes out a ton and seems to be an all-or-nothing type hitter.

Eibner has hit two home runs so far this spring and is tied for second on the team with ten RBI’s during the preseason. A little over a week ago he drove a ball way out to center field that may have been the Dodgers’ longest home run of the spring, had the ball not vanished out of sight. Contrary to his reputation for striking out a lot and not hitting for average, he does have a .306 batting average and an on-base percentage over .400 during spring training.

While Eibner has been optioned to the minors already, he could make his way to LA should an injury happen to Joc Pederson or Trayce Thompson. If the Dodgers had not signed Franklin Gutierrez to a guaranteed major league deal, then Eibner would probably have won the spot that Gutierrez has taken. This would have been even more likely as Gutierrez’s defense is regressing rapidly and he is a shaky corner outfielder at best. Eibner has the ability to go get balls in the outfield and after Joc Pederson, he the best defensive center fielder on the team.

Darnell Sweeney

Sweeney was drafted by the Dodgers in 2012 and at one point was a fast rising prospect. He had the potential to be the Dodgers’ second baseman during a time when they lacked quality second base prospects. In 2013 he stole 48 bases and hit double-digit homers for Single A affiliate Rancho Cucamonga.

He went on to have two more solid seasons in 2014 and 2015 before becoming expendable and traded to the Philadelphia Phillies for Chase Utley in 2015. Sweeney hit a big regression with the Phillies, batting only .233 in 2016. He ultimately made his way back to LA in another trade with the Phillies, that sent Howie Kendrick to Philadelphia this offseason.

While he was once considered an intriguing prospect, Sweeney is now more of a utility player. Essentially, Sweeney was just a throw in for the trade since the main player acquired was Darin Ruf, who was later released and went to play baseball overseas.

He has caught the attention of the Dodgers once again this spring, by hitting .297 with two home runs and playing some second and third base. Sweeney is buried on the depth chart behind Kike Hernandez, Chris Taylor, Charlie Culberson, and Rob Segedin.

He is still only 26 years old, so he could develop into a valuable utility player for the Dodgers in the coming years. Sweeney will most likely play the entire season at AAA Oklahoma City and it wouldn’t surprise me to see him make the AAA All-Star team this season.

Cody Bellinger

While Cody Bellinger was already a name to watch, his batting average has struggled supremely this spring (.196 AVG). However, he still awestruck the Dodgers and Dodger fans when he blasted a monstrous home run that was among the farthest home runs I have ever seen. Perhaps the most impressive part of the home run is that he hit the ball that far off of a lefty pitcher.

Similar to the way Clayton Kershaw created buzz with his wicked curveball in a spring training game as a youngster, Bellinger followed suit with his home run. Every ball he has hit this spring has been a rocket and when he hits what appears to be a harmless fly ball it still carries to the warning track.

His defense has also been smooth at first base and it has been surprising to see the hype of Cody Bellinger live this spring. There are many scenarios that could get Bellinger a call up before the roster expands in September. One would be Adrian Gonzalez missing significant time, which is certainly possible given the elbow issues he has been dealing with this offseason.

Another would be if nobody distances themselves from the pack in the left field battle or if Yasiel Puig continues to regress. It is unlikely Bellinger is called up before June because the Dodgers don’t want to start his arbitration clock and they want to give time to the current outfielders to claim their roles. Regardless, it is very clear that the Dodgers have a star in the making to take over once Adrian Gonzalez’s contract is up.

Rob Segedin

Segedin made his major league debut last season in a heartwarming story of another longtime minor leaguer who battled his way to The Show. Shortly after his debut, his wife had their first kid and it became one of those stories fit for a movie.

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Segedin got a late start on the Major League side of spring training since he played in the World Baseball Classic for team Italy. He hit .375 for team Italy and bashed a home run in the first round against team Mexico.

Segedin has quickly made up for his time missed, hitting over .444 with three home runs and a .500 on-base percentage. Segedin is of the Scott Van Slyke mold in that he can play first base and outfield. An added bonus, though, is that he can also play third base. Besides Charlie Culberson, Rob Segedin is the best defensive third baseman on the Dodgers’ roster. While it’s unlikely Segedin cracks the opening day roster he could get the call up to the majors if Justin Turner or Adrian Gonzalez gets hurt.

What makes Segedin a surprising player is that he appears to hit no matter which league he plays in. He hit .375 for team Italy, .444 for the Dodgers this spring, and .319 for AAA Oklahoma City last season. While Segedin is most likely nothing more than an All-Star AAA player, he is a nice insurance option to have since Ike Davis can opt out of his contract if he doesn’t make the Dodgers roster (which doesn’t appear to be likely at this point).

Next: 5 Bold Dodger Predictions For 2017

Which position players have stood out to you this spring?

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Dodgers: 5 Surprising Position Players