Dodgers: The lite version of the 2017 MLB draft preview

The MLB Draft is under a month away, and like the Dodgers, all teams are preparing to lay the groundwork for the future of their squads. Baseball’s draft is unlike any other: it’s 40 rounds long, the draft order is set in part due to free agency, and it isn’t covered with the intensity fans get to see in the NBA or NFL. 

Part of this is that there is no combine (if there was, I don’t know who would watch) and that the players drafted won’t be on the big league clubs for at least three or four years. Either way, this part of the year is still just as important as any other sport and will only help the Dodgers get richer with talent.

The Dodgers have done wonderfully with the draft over the last few years, and the big league club is finally starting to reap the benefits. Over the next few seasons, more and more of this blossoming talent will be introduced to the fans in Los Angeles and on June 12, LA will have a chance to add a bit more.

The Dodgers will pick 23rd in the first round, and there are plenty of intriguing prospects for them to think about.

As tweeted by Dustin Nosler, the Dodgers’ Director of Scouting Billy Gasparino has said that they plan on taking a few more risks in the draft compared to years past, especially in the early rounds. This is a privilege the Dodgers have with the standing their farm system currently enjoys.

Prospects will move up and down over the next few weeks, but here are a few players that may be available and work for the Dodgers when their first turn to make a selection comes around. This will be the first installment of prospects/pick predictions/draft analysis, so stay tuned for more soon afterward too. 

Logan Warmoth — SS — University of North Carolina

Warmoth fits into most rankings right around where the Dodgers are slated to draft; he’s the 21st ranked prospect on mlbpipeline.com board right now. He’s got a lot to like too, a near three-year starting shortstop for a high-end D1 program isn’t something that comes around ever day. Playing in the ACC, the Cape Cod league for summer, and now the biggest offensive piece to the number three team in the nation, he is thoroughly tested against the top competition in the country.

So far this year, he is slashing a cool .344/.418/.578 with nine home runs and 39 RBI over 51 games played. Over his nearly three years in college, he hadn’t hit too much for power until this season, and that will be something to keep an eye on once a team does draft him. Odds are he is more of a line drive hitter going forward with his frame and gap to gap approach.

With the glove, he is a solid college shortstop who has certainly done the job asked of him and will likely get a chance to play the same spot at the next level. His arm and fielding ability leave a bit to be desired and more than likely he will end up moving positions, but he earned the chance to at least start out at short.

The Florida native comes from a, pretty prestigious baseball high school and if he does end up going in the first round, he would be the sixth alumni drafted in that round. Those before him, such as Jason Varitek and Rickie Weeks, went on to blossom into major leaguers. Not only is that a fun fact but is evidence that Warmoth’s background is technically robust and not much will need to be adjusted gong forward.

Bubba Thompson — OF — Mcgill-Toolen Catholic (HS)

Another intriguing prospect for the Dodgers to make would be Alabama high schooler, Bubba Thompson. The two-sport standout was choosing between college football or baseball before the year began and is one of the most athletic kids in this class. He was his high school’s quarterback — and a good one at that — leading his team to a state title game and throwing for nearly 4,000 yards and 43 touchdowns while doing so. His football future would most likely be at Troy University, but it seems like baseball is his chosen path.

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The 6’2, 190 pounder is signed on to play baseball at Alabama but with his draft stock steadily rising all year, he has blossomed into a potential first rounder. The Dodgers have taken a myriad of athletic, high school outfielders in the past few seasons, including everyday center fielder Joc Pederson in 2010. Thompson will get a chance to continue in center field at the next level and should flourish there because he has the speed and now just has to work on fine tuning his reads.

In the batter’s box, he has his work cut out for him. His swing is shorter than expected for a kid as wiry as he is but it looks like he has a nice natural feel for it.

At the next level, there isn’t a ton of power to be expected from him, but that could change if he fills out a little more. His highlight tapes show him spraying the ball all around the field and putting good swings on a variety of pitches. His base running is also something worth noting because he just has a knack for it.

Next: Corey vs. Cody

Being the athlete that he is, this shouldn’t be surprising, but with his length, it looks like he only takes about two steps from base to base. He has a natural feel for taking the extra base and could be a great base stealer one day, which the Dodgers’ skipper should know a little something about.