Dodgers: 3 MLB trade deadline chips plummeting in value

The Los Angeles Dodgers are in the position contending teams dream of: their seemingly endless minor-league pipeline has produced a succession of MLB stars who’ve been able to fill in admirably and take the reins when necessary.

The problem? Even with a reportedly perfect roster, things can go off the rails quickly. And in the heat of a pennant race, established major leaguers are usually preferable to prospects.

The Dodgers thought they had their rotation all figured out … until three-fifths of their intended starters disappeared midseason.

They thought they had the outfield and lefty bench pieces set … only to find themselves scrambling to add Albert Pujols and Yoshi Tsutsugo while trying out Zach McKinstry, Zach Reks, Matt Beaty and DJ Peters at varying degrees of panic over the season’s first few months.

And, of course, at no point did they think they were truly set in the bullpen, and they were correct about that.

Heading into the deadline, Andrew Friedman will be dipping his toes into the relief market, starting pitching conversation, and bench talks, if possibilities arise. Unfortunately, these three options — all ranking towards the top of the Dodgers’ vaunted farm when the season opened — have all taken significant steps back.

Long-term worry? Maybe not, maybe so.

Short-term worry, at the exact moment Friedman is looking to sell the whole world on their services? Certainly.

These 3 Dodgers trade deadline assets have taken major steps back.

3. DJ Peters

DJ Peters, the 25-year-old Glendora, CA native and 2016 fourth-round pick, got a chance to shine at the MLB level this year when the Dodgers’ outfield and bench depth got depleted. Good for him! Unfortunately, he didn’t exactly hold onto the position or live up to his pedigree.

We’ve also seen more of the same middling contact at the Triple-A level, both before and after that moment arrived.

At the big-league level, Peters made an 18-game cameo, hitting .192 (though with a .382 OBP) in 26 scattered at-bats. He was optioned back to the minors on May 28 when a roster crunch ensued, and hasn’t been back, mostly treading water in Oklahoma City following the demotion. On the year, his minor-league numbers are more underwhelming that even that high-OBP MLB cameo.

Thus far, Peters is triple-slashing .242/.326/.389 on the year at Triple-A, walking just 19 times against 54 strikeouts while hitting the ball on the ground at an elevated clip. He sports a groundout/air out ratio of 0.74 in the minors and rocked a 0.75 mark with the big-league Dodgers; compare that to his 0.33 mark in 2019 (when he sported a superior .811 OPS), and it’s clear some regression has occurred.

In what could be a make-or-break year (after all, the Dodgers have quite a few utility bats en route), Peters’ contact in the air has decreased and his power has slunk backwards. With trade season upon us, that profile isn’t going to help either party.

2. Kody Hoese

Kody Hoese entered the Dodgers’ farm system with a great deal of pedigree as an advanced college bat at the tail end of the first round in 2019.

However, whether due to the 2020 layoff that knocked many careers off track or unknown factors in his development, fans haven’t really seen much of the guy who entered 2021 as the team’s fourth-best prospect.

Now, the Tulane product looks more like a 24-year-old third baseman planted at Double-A who can’t find an offensive rhythm.

Unfortunately for all of us, Hoese’s batting average has remained in only two different area codes, and they both begin with “1” and “2,” making for a ludicrous season from someone Los Angeles recently had a good degree of faith in. At the moment, he’s stuck on the interstate at .183, sporting a single home run and 10 RBI in four rehab games at the Rookie League level, followed by 30 at Double-A.

Once thought to be someone who could carry a trade package for a mid-rotation arm (Kyle Gibson?), Hoese will now be a throw-in in any deal he joins, which is hardly an ideal scenario for a top-five prospect in a loaded system. Los Angeles has nearly no intention of trading the rest of their high-pedigree options, from Josiah Gray to Diego Cartaya to, yes, the blocked Keibert Ruiz. Hoese would seem to be a natural depth piece who’ll be lost to trade talks, save for his lack of performance, which has all but eliminated him from carrying the day.