Dodgers: First Month Minor Leagues Report

The Dodgers having too much talent is always a good problem to have, and because of that depth, the future is bright in Los Angeles.

That problem can be found seemingly growing with every draft class, building the foundation for the organization. More and more people are calling for this organization to be brought up with the Dodgers near .500 start, but despite the constant criticism that comes with the territory in Los Angeles, the Dodgers are only two games out of first a month into the season.

It’s safe to say that there is a good feel about what needs improvement and what the team has excelled in so far. Whether the Dodgers try to improve via the trade market or from within, not many teams make it throughout the season without reaching for some help. Many times, it’s that one move that can put a team over the top and secure a title in October.

For Los Angeles, the season so far has, unfortunately, started with an offense that has been inconsistent and stagnant against lefties once again. There has been almost no improvement from the near historic low in average against left handing pitching – .218 this year compared to .214 the year before.

The pitching has carried the team, especially some stellar performance from the bullpen when starts haven’t gone as well. The starters, seven different ones so far, have performed solidly as well, but health will be their biggest question mark.

With that in mind, the Dodgers’ minor league affiliates carry a tremendous amount of talent, and there are plenty of options to fill holes right now and in the future. This season has already shown a few players capable of the breakout player title even with the small sample size.

From future stars to names that aren’t circulating top 100 prospect pages, let’s take a look at some of the Dodgers’ farmhands so far this year.

OKLAHOMA CITY DODGERS – AAA

One of the most talented minor league systems in baseball is led by their most advanced team, the Oklahoma City Dodgers. This team has as much talent as some bad major league teams in years past and is a great indicator of how well the talent has developed for Los Angeles.

With Cody Bellinger’s accession to the big leagues – hopefully never to return – the star so far in the batter’s box has been 27-year-old O’Koyea Dickson.

The Sonoma State product has had a very solid minor league career but has not yet been rewarded with the call-up. So far this year, his OPS is .939 to go along with six home runs and 17 RBI. The only knock on Dickson has been his .182 average against lefties this year and is arguably the reason he has not been able to crack the top level.

Dickson has got some help from more recognizable names for Dodgers’ nerds like myself – Alex Verdugo and Willie Calhoun. As two of the top prospects in the organization, they have continued to perform, both hitting over .300 while playing nearly every day.

On the bump, the Dodgers have had a lot of success, enough so that it was hard to narrow it down to pick specific players to spotlight.

As far as short term help goes, two offseason acquisitions for the Dodgers have had a lot of success so far. Jair Jurrjens and Justin Masterson have both had success at the major league level and have dominated hitters so far in AAA, both with two wins, ERAs under 2.60 and over 25 innings pitched.

For the future, Julio Urias will be up and down between AAA and the big leagues but has been masterful in OKC. Despite being the youngest pitcher on the roster, he has thrown 14 innings and only surrendered three runs while punching out 15.

Trevor Oaks and Jacob Rhame have both pitched well, Oaks as a starter and Rhame in relief. Oaks has only allowed four runs in four starts and has a K per nine just under 10.

Rhame, one of the only 100 MPH throwers in the minor leagues, has a 2.08 ERA over 13 innings pitched.

To summarize, this team is incredibly talented, and the Dodgers have plenty of options on who to call up or trade to solidify the big league roster if they chose to do so.

TULSA DRILLERS– AA

For many MLB organizations, the AA level holds the most potential talent for the future. Although it is hard to beat what the Oklahoma City team has going, the Tulsa Drillers certainly have some talent brewing for the Dodgers.

Atop the batting statistics, Edwin Rios is making himself comfortable. He is slashing a fiery .376/.393/.576 while leading the team in at-bats. The 23-year-old from Puerto Rico plays first, third and the outfield and will certainly be moved up if he keeps this pace.

Utility player Tim Locastro has had a nice year so far, hitting .316 and Kyle Garlick leads the team in home runs after having a spectacular 2016 minor league campaign over a few different levels. Former big leaguer Tyler Holt is also on the team and has done well in limited action.

Tulsa will certainly have some additions throughout the year from the teams below them in the system, but as for now, they strike out a bit too much as a team (174 times in 23 games), and that should be concerning at every level.

The pitching staff is led by one of the top Dodgers’ prospects, Yasiel Sierra. After being a hot commodity in the international market before landing with the Dodgers, Sierra had a tough 2016 campaign but has bounced back nicely. In 13.2 innings of relief, he has a 1.98 ERA while striking out 14.

Tim Shibuya and Karch Kowalczyk have also had good starts to the season, both with ERAs under 2.20 and own a couple of the best names in all of the minors league baseball.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes – Advanced A

The Quakes are yet another team in the organization that is loaded with talent, especially on the mound. Leading the way is a possible future ace, Walker Buehler. The former Vanderbilt standout has been nothing short of dominant coming off injuries early in his career. In five starts, he’s tossed 16.1 innings while allowing only two earned runs to score, good for a 1.10 ERA. The innings-to-start ratio shows the caution the Dodgers are exercising with him, but that will only be for a limited time. The 22-year-old has punched out 27 so far, and his ability is just too great to keep him in the Inland Empire for too long.

Yadier Alvarez and Mitchell White are a couple of other high-end Dodgers’ prospects that have started the year in Rancho, but they have not had the early season success like Buehler. White’s first start of the year was a part of a combined no-hitter, but since then his total ERA has inflated to 4.50 in 18 innings. Alvarez has really struggled, currently touting an ERA over eight. Loan Mart Field, the Quakes’ home stadium, is certainly a hitter’s park, but that can only affect things so much.

Adam Bray and Dennis Santana have both had masterful years so far. Bray’s ERA sits at 0.56 through 16 innings with a WHIP of .562 in the bullpen. Santana has started four games and struck out 26 with a 1.14 ERA.

As for the kids with the sticks, the fresh prince is leading the way. Will Smith, the Dodgers’ top catching prospect, not only bears the same name as the famous entertainer but he may just be as versatile. He is certainly an all-around catcher, with ability on both offense and defense and more athleticism than most at the position. His OPS is .991 to go along with four home runs, 13 RBI and he’s even stolen five bases. 

Yusniel Diaz was another prospect of note before the year, but the Cuban outfielder hasn’t quite lived up to that hype. Hitting just above .280 so far with nine RBI, it isn’t bad, but certainly not what was expected.

Outfielders Logan Landon and DJ Peters are both off to hot starts for the Quakes as well with OPS over .950. First baseman Ibandel Isabel has already blasted seven home runs and probably takes the bronze behind Shibuya and Kowalczyk for best name mentioned here.