Dodgers: Top Prospects Prep For the AFL by Winning Titles

Keibert Ruiz 

The kid just turned 20 years old in late July, he’s ranked (by mlb.com) as the Dodgers’ #2 prospect, and he spent all of 2018 in Double–A Tulsa as a “hit-first” catcher who rakes from both sides of the dish.

Impressive as that may be, at just 19 years old, he more than held his own this season and (better still) he played “hero” in Game 1 of Tulsa’s Championship Series vs. the San Diego Padres’ affiliate, San Antonio Missions. 

The scored was tied at 2-2 until the bottom of the 10th. Ruiz came to bat with two runners on, Gavin Lux and Drew Jackson.

After falling 0-2, Ruiz, hitting righty, stroked a single between third base and shortstop.  Lux scored from 2nd to win Game 1 in the bottom of the tenth inning.

The newly-minted 20-year-old had just hit a walk-off single in Game 1 of the Texas League Championship. Nice to meet ya kid!

In the article, I also highlighted two “under the radar” prospects; Jerad Walker and Cody Thomas.

I chose the two because I saw something in both of them that it seemed other publications may have overlooked. Neither are currently ranked, even as Dodgers’ “Top 30 Prospects.” 

However, upon reviewing their numbers, taking into consideration their AFL invite, and simply watching them play, I knew it wouldn’t take long for the rest of baseball media to recognize their already prevalent talent and their future potential, which showed this week.