Beyond the Top 30 List

Some days are like that. You just can’t think of anything to write. The minor league rosters have been announced, preliminary at least, and games are two days away.

Much has been written about top prospects and Top 30 lists and those are the players that garner most of the attention. There can be no question that they have done what it takes to get onto those lists, although they still become a bit subjective.

I decided I would pick a lineup of young Dodgers who are not on the current Top 30 list. Admittedly, that list recently took away three of my original picks – shortstop Leonel Valera, RHP Braydon Fisher and RHP Zach Willeman. In any event, here goes with a lineup with names that are not so familiar to many of us.

Catcher – Trea Todd was selected by the Dodgers in the 21st round of the 2018 June Draft out of Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia. The 22-year-old left-handed hitter posted a .315/.479/.553 triple slash at Liberty. He struck out 61 times and walked 60. He did show some power with 10 home runs at Liberty and 20 the previous year at Hartford Community College and also stole 40 bases at Hartford. During the 2018 season with the Raptors he hit .227 with 13 runs batted in over 22 games. He struck out 19 times while walking 18 times.

First base – Dillon Paulson was drafted in the 13th round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Southern California. He served as USC’s top power bat and run producer in 2018, finishing with a team-high 41 RBI and 10 home runs. He slugged an even .500 and walked 35 times, also scoring a team-high 35 runs on the year. In his first professional season with the Ogden Raptors the 22-year-old Paulson had a slash line of .272/.385/.522 along with 10 home runs and a league leading 61 runs batted in.

Second base – Kenneth Betancourt was signed by the Dodgers in as an international free agent in 2016. He played in the DSL in 2017 before moving to the Arizona League Dodgers in 2018. The right- handed hitting native of San Carlos, Venezuela hit .313 with the Dodgers and later hit .279 in 29 games with the Ogden Raptors. Betancourt, age 19, actually split his time between second and third base.

Third base – Luke Heyer, 22, was selected by the Dodgers in the 8th round of the 2018 MLB June Amateur Draft out of the University of Kentucky in Lexington. In his senior year at Kentucky he posted a triple slash of .348/.449/.691 with 18 home runs and 57 runs batted in. After five games with the Ogden Raptors to begin his professional career he was advanced to the Loons. As a Loon he posted a slash line of .263/.333/.335. He should move on to the Quakes during the 2019 season if his power stroke returns.

Shortstop – This is a bit of a stretch as Leonel Valera showed up in the Top 30 Dodger prospects. Twenty-year-old Jeremy Arocho has played some shortstop but does seem more suited to second base. He was selected by the Dodgers in the 27th round of the 2017 First- Year Player Draft out of Old Mill High School in Millersville, MD. A switch-hitter, he posted a slash line of .313/.401/.380 during the 2018 season. He struck out 31 times while drawing 29 walks. It was a bit surprising to not seem him on the Loons preliminary roster for 2019. Arocho was a mid-season all-star in the Pioneer League.

Outfield – Josh McLain, 22, was picked by the Dodgers in the ninth round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft out of North Carolina State University. In three years of college ball he hit .313 with an OBP of .355. He was the first member of the Dodgers June Draft class to reach the Loons where he posted a triple slash of .313/.355/.450. The right-handed hitting center fielder has been held in extended spring training to begin the 2019 season.

Outfield – James Outman was a bit of a surprise pick for the Dodgers with their 7th round selection in the 2018 Amateur Entry Draft. The 21-year-old left-handed hitter posted a triple slash of .249/.359/.482 in three seasons at Sacramento State University. He did display some power with 23 home runs and 99 runs batted in. With the Ogden Raptors in 2018 he hit .264 along with an OBP of .350 with 11 home runs and 33 runs batted in. He was named the Pioneer League’s Player of the Week for August 13-19, going 9-for-18 over five games with two doubles, a triple, four runs and four stolen bases during the week.

Outfield – Niko Hulsizer, 22, was selected by the Dodgers in the 18th round of the 2018 June Draft out of Morehead State University in Morehead, KY. In three years with the Eagles he slashed .337/.425/.685 with 44 home runs and 145 runs batted in 140 games. He also scored 146 runs. With the Raptors in 2018 he hit .281 with an OBP of .426 along with nine home runs and 32 runs batted in. He was named the Pioneer League’s Player of the Week for July 23-29 going 10-for-22 over six games with two doubles, three home runs and six RBI.

DH – Gersel Pitre is still only 22 and is a five-year minor league veteran. The native of Catia La Mar, Venezuela has worked primarily as a catcher but has also played all infield positions except shortstop as well all three outfield positions. He also has pitched one scoreless inning. He hasn’t progressed beyond the Loons, yet he has a .296 aggregate minor league batting average with a .278 average with RISP, .305 with two out and .450 late/close.

Pitcher – Right-hander Orlandy Navarro has been making his way through the Dodgers system since being signed as an international free agent in 2015. The 19-year-old native of Maracaibo, Venezuela had two lights out years in the DSL as a starter and moved into a relief role in 2018 before closing out the season back as a starter. With the Raptors he posted a 2.35 ERA along with a 0.87 WHIP and 24 strikeouts in 23 innings pitched. He allowed 12 hits and walked eight.

Pitcher – Right-hander Jacob Gilliland,19, was selected by the Dodgers in 32nd round of the 2018 June Draft out of Next Level Academy in Montgomery, AL. He pitched only 19.1 innings with the AZL Dodgers in 2018 posting a 4.19 ERA. His problem was control. He has a 3-pitch mix — a fastball, curveball and changeup. Like with most prep pitchers, his curveball is ahead of his changeup and his fastball is ahead of his curveball. His fastball checks in at 89-92 MPH and has touched the 93.

Pitcher – Left-hander Devin Hemmerick, 23, was selected by the Dodgers in the 26th round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Norfolk State University in Norfolk, VA. In his four years at Norfolk he pitched almost exclusively as a starter making 43 starts. Over his four years he compiled a 2.87 ERA and a 1.07 WHIP with 315 strikeouts in 318 innings pitched. He walked 63 for a 5/1 strikeout to walk ratio. In his two years in the Dodgers minor league system, mostly with the Loons, he has pitched 63 innings over 55 relief appearances with an ERA of 2.56 and a WHIP of 1.20. He has allowed only 49 hits while striking out 41 and walking 27.

Pitcher – Right-hander Elio Serrano, 20, was signed by the Dodgers as an international free agent in 2015. A native of Los Guayos, Venezuela he has pitched strictly in relief in his three minor league seasons posting a 2.52 ERA along with a 1.07 WHIP and 100 strikeouts in 85.2 innings pitched. He has walked 26. In his last 10 appearances with the Raptors in 2018 he posted a 1.74 ERA along with 27 strikeouts and three walks over 20.2 innings pitched.

Pitcher – Twenty-year-old Guillermo Zuniga was signed by the Dodgers as free agent on December 6 ,2017. From Cartagena, Columbia, he was 18 when he signed as part of an illegal package deal with the Atlanta Braves. He’s a projectable 6-foot-3 with a fastball in the 88-93 range and a potential above-average curveball. His fluidity allows for command projection. He made 12 appearances with the AZL Dodgers in 2018 posting a 3.86 ERA along with 41 strikeouts in 37.1 innings pitched and walking 13.