Dodgers: How Three Key Pieces Landed in Los Angeles

Austin Barnes; C/INF

The kid from Riverside was taken in the eighth round of the 2011 Major League Draft by the Miami Marlins. At the time the Dodgers landed him in a huge 2014 offseason trade, Barnes was a 25-year-old prospect ranked #13 overall in their system. The trade came at the perfect time for the Dodgers, as they were able to bolster their farm system for the future. The Dodgers also had to part ways with veteran Dan Haren as well as infielders Dee Gordon and Miguel Rojas.

In return, Los Angeles received Andrew Heaney, Enrique Hernandez, Chris Hatcher, and of course Austin Barnes. Barnes eventually made his major league debut with the Dodgers in 2015, impressing with his defensive poise. Barnes has since added his offensive prowess to the long list of reasons Los Angeles won out on that trade in late 2014. He hit 289 in 2017 en route to eventually taking over the starting job from incumbent Yasmani Grandal.

Regardless of how last year went, Barnes certainly has cemented himself as a viable starting option for Los Angeles. Look for him to have a monster year in 2018 as management puts their full confidence in him.

Next: Chris Taylor

Chris Taylor; INF/OF/Everywhere

Chris Taylor is the man, let’s just get that out of the way. On a team where there just wasn’t a spot open for him to take, Chris Taylor just decided to make one. The infield is occupied? Better learn how to play outfield. And that is exactly what Taylor did in 2017, en route to a career season he may never top. Taylor hit .288 with 21 home runs in 2017, all career highs. He also made plays all over the field, regardless of where Dave Roberts played him. Taylor ended up playing five different positions on the year for Los Angeles.

So where did he come from? Well, Dodgers fans know that Chris Taylor was born from the ashes of a highly touted prospect. At one point Zach Lee was one of the most highly touted prospects in all of baseball. Lee was taken in the first round of the 2010 draft by Los Angeles number 28 overall. After five years of disappointments, injuries and let downs, the organization gave up on him. He was traded for a guy who hit .239 and no home runs at all in his first two seasons, in which he only played 84 games.

Taylor was a 5th round pick in 2012, so he’s no slouch. And he has proved that dramatically for Los Angeles thus far. Here’s hoping he can replicate his miracle campaign in 2018.

Next: Alex Wood

Alex Wood; LHP

Alex Wood was a second-round pick in the 2012 draft, so the Dodgers knew why they wanted him. At the time of the 2015 trade, Wood owned a 2.89 earned run average over 35 career starts. What the Dodgers had to give up for Wood and a few other notable players was almost laughable.

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Los Angeles gave up the struggling Hector Olivera, a 2016 competitive balance draft pick, Paco Rodriguez and a few prospects. In exchange, they got Wood, Mat Latos, Michael Morse, Bronson Arroyo, Jim Johnson and Jose Peraza. The Marlins got a few minor leagues as part of the three-team trade.

While most of the other players acquired in the deal did not do much, Wood was the main piece of this deal. He has pitched phenomenally in Dodger blue, starting 47 regular season games as well as pitching in relief. Wood owns a career 3.20 earned run average, but nothing comes close to his 2017 campaign. Wood pitched to a 2.72 era over 25 starts and won a career-best 16 games. At just 27 years old, Wood could provide the Dodgers with a deep rotation option for years to come.

Next: Will the Dodgers make history in 2018?

The reality is that the Dodgers have a young lineup, and they still won a league-best 104 games. With this front office consistently finding the diamonds in the rough, things look good. They appear to be on the verge of a long and successful series of playoff runs.