For MiLB Players The Organization Matters
In the 2024 MLB draft, James Tibbs III was taken 13 th overall by San Francisco. He is now a top prospect at AAA for LAD. CWS RF Braden Montgomery made his MLB debut on my birthday (June 9), in story-book fashion with a walk-off 2-run HR in the 10 th off Raisel Iglesias for the…
In the 2024 MLB draft, James Tibbs III was taken 13th overall by San Francisco. He is now a top prospect at AAA for LAD. CWS RF Braden Montgomery made his MLB debut on my birthday (June 9), in story-book fashion with a walk-off 2-run HR in the 10th off Raisel Iglesias for the win over the Braves. Braden was taken by the Red Sox, 1 pick before JTIII in 2024 draft. He was then traded to CWS in the Garrett Crochet trade. See below on more on that steal by the White Sox.
JTIII is 6 months older than Montgomery. Montgomery started the year in AA and then moved to AAA when AA was not much of a challenge. Montgomery’s AAA stats were good, but not better than JTIII. He just had a better opportunity with CWS. If JTIII was on the White Sox, would he be in MLB? He is blocked by the Dodgers duo of Teoscar Hernández and Kyle Tucker in the OF and Freddie Freeman at 1B.
Then there is CWS LF Sam Antonacci who is already in MLB. He is right between Montgomery and JTIII age wise. He was a 5th round pick by CWS in the same 2024 draft. I first learned of Antonacci when he played for Team Italy in the WBC. He wasn’t anything special in the WBC, except for that 2-run HR against Team USA and RHSP Nolan McLean. He would not be in MLB with LAD. Would he be in AAA? Even AA?
And yet another OF taken in the 3rd round of the 2024 draft is LAD OF prospect Mike Sirota. Sirota is crushing AA pitching. With his RBI single in the 1st inning on Wednesday, Sirota has now reached 1B safely in his 49th consecutive game (including all 19 AA games). In 19 games, Sirota is slashing .366/.494/.592/1.086, 7 doubles, 3 HR, 18 BB, 18 K. For comparison purposes, in 126 AA PA this year, Braden Montgomery slashed .313/.429/.606/1.035, 5 doubles, 3 triples, 6 HR, 21 BB and 32 K. Sirota is 2 months younger than Montgomery.
How many organizations would still have 21 year old Josue De Paula at AA. He is in the top 4 of almost every offensive stat in the Texas League, including #1 in doubles, #2 in hits, #2 XBH, #2 total bases…Does he really have anything still to prove at AA? I expect both Sirota and JDP in LA before the end of 2027. But then what about Zyhir Hope. He doesn’t have much to prove at AA either, but realistically he is not only blocked by the LAD OF but also the AAAA players in AAA as well as JDP and Sirota.
Montgomery is in MLB, and Sirota and JDP are in AA with no clear path to get to AAA. Possible, but not clear. The Dodgers appear to be comfortable with Ryan Fitzpatrick playing LF and Alek Thomas in CF in OKC. They also have Zach Ehrhard and Jack Suwinski as OF.
How different would the LAD record be if the Dodgers went with Ryan Ward instead of signing Kyle Tucker to a 4 year $240MM deal? Now, Tucker is going to be roaming RF for LAD for the next three years, and possibly block others in that time frame. Meanwhile Ward is showing that he belongs in MLB, and maybe AF/BG made a mistake on him??? Still to early to tell, but he is outproducing Tucker at this point. That is why I was supportive of a Ward/Call platoon in LF until one of the “kids” was ready to assume the role.
On December 11, 2024, CWS traded LHSP Garrett Crochet to Boston for MiLB prospects: OF Braden Montgomery, 2B Chase Meidroth, C Kyle Teel, and RHRP Wikelman González. Meidroth is the starting 2B, Teel was the starting catcher before he had his hamstring injury (and is due back soon), and now Montgomery is the starting RF. González was a respectable partial season reliever for CWS last year and was trending to get the call again this year when he suffered a lat injury. Crochet was #2 in CY vote last year, but not this year. He had a bad start to the year, and is now hurt. He has a lat sprain that is worse than he thought or that has been reported by Boston executives. Per Crochet, he has no idea as to when he will be able to pitch again.
CWS picked up 3 starting position players for a SP that would have been wasted in Chicago. How many of the three position players would be starting for Boston this year? Does anyone believe that any of the 4 did not welcome the trade to a three straight 100 loss CWS?
I have spoken to dozens of MiLB players and I cannot remember one player saying they would rather play for their favorite team in MiLB where they are blocked rather than get moved to a team where they had a shot at a MLB job.
I do not think Ryan Ward has anything to prove in MiLB. He is proving that he can play MLB. And that is true even understanding that he will probably regress at some point when pitchers have a better book on him. He is happy now playing for LAD, but how will he feel about going back to OKC once Teoscar is back? Teo is due back late June or early July.
BTW, I feel the same with Alex Freeland and Hyeseong Kim about not needing MiLB. There is just not room for both, and soon maybe neither.
More injuries can happen, so there is no need to make any changes until the deadline. I see Ward back in OKC at that time. As far as September call ups and an October extra OF goes, my guess is that is why AF traded for CF Alek Thomas.
Alex Call has done nothing to show he is not an effective and productive #4 OF. Where does that leave Zach Ehrhard and Kendall George? Not only do they not have a prayer of an everyday MLB OF job with LAD, but they are blocked by Call as a 4th OF. We are not talking about players in A Ball or Rookie Ball. These players are arguably considered MLB ready.
It does matter what organization a prospect plays for when the goal is to get to MLB. MiLB players want to get to the Show, not just to play for a specific team…Yes, even the Dodgers.
MiLB GAME SUMMARY REPORT
Charlotte Knights (CWS) 9 – OKC Comets 8
RHSP Christian Romero completed 4.0 innings. He allowed 4 hits and 2 BB to go with his 3 K. He allowed 2 runs in the 1st on a BB, double, and single. Innings 2-4 were shutout innings, but not without traffic.
In the 2nd inning, LF Ryan Fitzgerald was HBP, and moved to second on a WP. 2 ground ball outs moved Fitzgerald to 3rd and home for their 1st run.
With one out, DH Austin Gauthier walked and CF Zach Ehrhard hit a 2-run HR (7) giving OKC a 3-2 lead.
Five relief pitchers followed Romero, with 4 being ineffective. LHRP Jake Eder was the first, and he allowed game tying HR in the 5th inning.
OKC went back ahead in the 6th after 2B Hyeseong Kim had a 1-out single and 3B Taylor Young had a 2-out single. Back to back BB by Gauthier and Ehrhard put OKC back on top.
RHRP Jerming Rosario allowed 3 runs in the 6th. He allowed a HR, a walk, a run scoring triple and WP giving Charlotte a 2 run lead.
In the 7th, with one Fitzgerald singled and moved to 2nd on an error. Fitzgerald scored on Kim’s single. C Eliézer Alfonzo singled with Kim to 2nd. Young doubled (1) to score 2. Gauthier reached on an error with Young scoring.
Going into the 8th, OKC had a 2 run lead. With RHRP Carlos Duran on the mound. He struck out the first two batters, but allowed a BB and 2 doubles to tie the score.
RHRP Wyatt Mills entered in the 9th. He got the 1st out, but then allowed 2 doubles for Charlotte to walk it off.
- Hyeseong Kim – 3-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI
- Jack Suwinski – 2-5, double (18)
- Eliézer Alfonzo – 2-5, 1 run
- Taylor Young – 2-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 2 RBI, double (1)
- Zach Ehrhard – 1-4, 1 BB, 1 run, 3 RBI, HR (7)
Tulsa Drillers 7 – Wichita Wind Surge (Minnesota) 6
RHSP Patrick Copen continued his struggles post April. He allowed 4 runs (all earned) on 5 hits and 3 BB. He registered 5 K.
In the 1st inning, Copen allowed a one out BB, HBP, WP, SB, and fielder’s choice giving Wichita a 1-0 lead.
In the 2nd, he allowed a one-out single. With 2 out, Copen served up a 2-run HR and a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom half of the 2nd inning, C Griffin Lockwood-Powell was HBP, and that was followed by 2B Jake Gelof’s 12th HR.
In the 4th, Copen allowed a one out single, SB, and RBI single.
In the bottom of the 4th, DH Chris Newell walked and stole 2B. He scored on 3B Kyle Nevin’s RBI double (7).
Wichita scored an unearned run in the 5th after a BB, SB, and catcher throwing error. The runner scored on a SF.
In the bottom of the 5th, LF Josue De Paula led off with his 1st triple of the season. CF Mike Sirota walked stretching his reaching base streak to 50 consecutive games. SS Elijah Hainline singled to score
De Paula with Sirota moving to 2nd. Sirota scored after a PB and WP.
LHRP Evan Shaw and LHRP Christian Suarez pitched three scoreless innings allowing Tulsa to go into the 9th tied up at 5-5. RHRP Kelvin Ramirez took the mound in the 9th. He allowed a 2 out solo HR to tie the game.
1B Joe Vetrano reached on a one out error. JDP singled and Sirota walked to load the bases. Hainline walked to bring home the tying run. With 2 outs GLP was HBP bringing home the walk off win.
- Josue De Paula – 2-5, 2 runs, triple (1)
- Kyle Nevin – 2-4, 1 RBI, double (7)
- Jake Gelof – 1-4, 1 run, 2 RBI, HR (12)
- Mike Sirota – 0-2, 3 BB
Great Lakes Loons vs Wisconsin Timber Rattlers (Milwaukee) DH – Game 1 Canceled, Game 2 Postponed to be played on Friday, June 12 as part of a DH
Ontario Tower Buzzers 5 – Lake Elsinore Storm (Padres) 3
Ontario scored 3 in the 2nd. RF Ching-Hsien Ko doubled (9). 1B Easton Shelton smoked a 2-run HR (18). LF Brendan Tunink drew a BB. C Conner O’Neal singled. 2B Javier Herrera laid down a sac bunt, and Tunink scored on a WP giving Ontario a 3-0 lead.
In the 2nd, RHSP Leiter walked the bases loaded and then threw a WP giving the Storm a run.
In the 4th, Shelton led off with a BB. After a BB O’Neal was HBP and Herrera singled to load the bases. DH AJ Soldra hit a 2-out, 2-run single and a 5-1 lead.
With 2 outs in the 3rd, RHRP Jhonny Jimenez relieved Leiter and got the final out. In the 4th, Jimenez allowed a double, a single, and WP to score a run. After 2 outs, Jimenez walked a batter. With runners on 1st and 2nd, Jimenez gave up a run scoring double. RHRP Seamus Barrett relieved Jimenez and gave up a 2 run double tied the score.
With RHRP Will Gagnon on the mound, Ontario scored a run on a single, SB, and RBI single in the 6th. In the 7th, with Gagnon still on the bump, a BB, SB and RBI single scored 1. After one out, Gagnon walked a batter and was lifted for RHRP Javier Bartolozzi. Bartolozzi walked the first batter to load the bases, and balked allowing the 2nd run of the inning to score.
Ontario was down 8-5 entering the 8th. CF Landyn Vidourek and 3B Chase Harlan drew BB. Both runners were moved to 2nd and 3rd on a balk. 2 SF from Ko and Shelton scored 2.
In the 9th, Herrera walked and moved to 2nd on a PB. Soldra doubled home Herrera but did not score himself.
RHRP Jecsua Liborius came in relief in the 9th. He allowed a double and 2 BB to load the bases, but nobody scored.
In the 10th, Ko was the placed runner at 2B. After a K, Ko moved to 3rd on a ground out. O’Neal drew a BB. A WP scored Ko and O’Neal to 2nd. Herrera walked. Soldra singled to score O’Neal giving Ontario a 2-run lead.
Liborius retired the side in order with 2 Ks in the 10th for the win.
- AJ Soldra – 3-5, 4 RBI, double (8)
- Easton Shelton – 1-3, 1 BB, 2 runs, 3 RBI, 1 SF
ACL Dodgers did not play
DSL LAD Bautista 10 – DSL LAD Mega 5
Well there was a guaranteed win for a Rookie League team.
DSL LAD Bautista –
Two of the better IFA signings this past January had good games for Bautista. 17 year old OF (playing DH today) Rubel Arias reached base all 5 times. He was 2-2 with 3 BB, including his 3rd double.
The 2nd is just turned 17 year old (June 2) 3B Ezequiel Melburne. He went 3-4 with a BB and 3 RBI. Melburne now has 11 RBI in 8 games. He is now batting .348 with an OPS of .945.
Another just turned 17 year old (March 24) RF Fran-Jean Haseth was 2-4 with 1 BB, including his 2nd HR and 2nd double.
17 year old switch hitting catcher Ricardo Pulles was 2-3 with a BB and scored 3 times. He hit his first double of the season.
17 year old (May 3) SS Ariel Reynoso hit his 1st HR, a 3-run poke.
DSL LAD Mega –
The Mega batters are not as prolific with the bats as were the Bautista hitters. 18 year old catcher Jose Rivas was 2-3 with his 1st double. 19 year old SS Hendry Arvelo had a two run single.
17 year old (turns 18 September 16) RF Helvin Mendoza was 1-1 with 2 BB.
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Discussion (112)
Disagree, not disagreeable
If you ask who would I rather have, Crochet or Snell, it ia a no-brainer. Crochet. Your package of Rushing, Freeland, Hope and Henriquez sounds very similar to what they got., and they possibly would have accepted that. CWS got two top 100 players (Teel and Montgomery) while your LAD package would have netted them 3 (Rushing, Hope, and Freeland). Instead the Dodgers did what they can do…spend $$$ and keep the prospects. The Dodgers had multiple opportunites to trade Rushing and always chose to keep him. He might have been untouchable at the time. Maybe CWS wanted De Paula over Hope. There is a whole host of reasons that we will never learn why such a deal was not made by the Dodgers.
Give Tucker props for husting to 1B after he K’ed. That was a BIG run he scored. He could have sulked and just went back to the dugout. Hes gonna be fine.
It’s really hard to imagine Boo Birds going after Mookie, especially with the Dodgers running away with the West. Mookie has earned the fans respect and even love for his performance and personality. Besides, LA isn’t Philly or NYC or Boston…. I’m probably forgetting somebody, but the last Dodger I can recall getting booed in LA was Darryl Strawberry, with the derisive sing-song chant of “Dar-ryl! Dar-ryl!” In retrospect, it was cruel. Strawberry, an LA native, was fighting some personal demons.
Johnny DeLuca helped land Tyler Glasnow.
The failures of AF haven’t lead to back to back titles. It’s the productive players that stepped up to help to do that in spite of under performing players. I think you can admit the Dodgers were very, very lucky to win the two recent titles. Freddie’s grand slam in game one against the Yankees. That bizarre fifth inning in Game 5 against Cole where the Yankees had three plays happen that wouldn’t happen again one in thousand times. Last year, Game 3 where Will Klein’s out of nowhere four inning relief, Freddie’s HR in the 18th. Game 7 the Dodgers were even luckier. Rojas’ HR to tie the game. The Pages catch where he ran about a mile, leap to make the catch, and knocked Kiki face first into the warning track. The Blue Jays outplayed the Dodgers during most of the Series, but luck was definitely with Los Angeles. Again. In the postseason luck usually plays a big part in who wins. In the last two World Series I was thrilled that luck was with the Dodgers. I can remember many times in the past where that luck was missing for the Dodgers in the postseason and World Series.
Biggest problem is how to rank JDP & Sirota. My default is to imagine if one were traded which would hurt worse. I’m not sure. I think there’s something in how the ball jumps off Sirota’s bat. It looks like easy hard contact to me.
I’m hoping something clicks in the postseason and reaches his true talent level.
We came so close to losing last year. We can’t get with a performance like that this time around.
We came so close to losing last year. We can’t get with a performance like that this time around.
Really nice to see Dustin May turn a corner and pitch well. At first glance it’s not great (4.21 ERA / 3.21 FIP) but he’s pitched over 70 innings, and markedly better than last year (4.96 ERA / 4.88 FIP) But in reality he’s doing great for the Cards: Since two bad starts, May has put up a 2.89 ERA and a 2.86 FIP . From April 5, he’s top 20 in FIP (9th), WAR (12th) and ERA (16th.) His K rate is up and his walk rate is down. More groundballs (45.4%, up from 42.2%) and finding fewer barrels (from 9.2% to 6.7%). A lot more here from Jaffe: https://blogs.fangraphs.com/dustin-may-is-finally-having-his-day/
After trading all those prospects for Crochet, Boston also gave him a 6/170 contract. (And Crochet, if I recall, had a dominant post season start last year, but Boston lost). Snell only cost money (maybe a draft pick), and was fantastic in the Wild Card game, NLDS, and NLCS. He was just ok in the World Series, but did get the outs needed in Game 7. I think I”d rather have Snell, who has been proven to be a big game pitcher, along with the prospects, over Crochet.
This is a great graph for Jeff D: https://x.com/LanceBroz/status/2064736726837272806
Just a generalization but look at the kids LA has from AAA on the roster right now. Freeland is hitting .237. Ward is hitting .242. Now they might get better and they might regress. No one knows. But the PCL is a very hitter friendly league. Any stats from there should be taken with a grain of salt.
Problem I see with Kim is that he still chases too much in the majors. He might have tightened up his skills some, but the guy gets very antsy against MLB pitchers.
And both are now on the IL.
How many titles did the Braves win in a row? 14. How many World Series did they win. 1. We all know the team has never been as successful in its entire history as it is now. But not every move AF makes is a good move.
Friday’s Dodger Affiliates’ Schedule 2:30 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Jakob Wright) at Wisconsin (Ethan Dorchies) Game 2: Great Lakes (Christian Zazueta) vs. Wisconsin (Wande Torres) 4:04 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Charlie Barnes) at Charlotte (TBD) 5:00 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Peter Heubeck) vs. Wichita (Cory Lewis) 6:05 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) vs. Lake Elsinore (Kruz Schoolcraft)
Wonderful post, Ted.
“The Tigers announced Thursday that they’ve claimed outfielder James Outman off waivers from the Twins. Detroit’s 40-man roster was full, but they created space by shifting infielder/outfielder Javier Báez from the 10-day IL to the 60-day IL. The Tigers will need to create an active roster space for Outman before tomorrow’s game, given that he’s out of minor league options”.
Agree. I’m not worried about Mookie. Not yet, anyway. Some age-related regression is to be expected, but Bryan Reynolds robbed him of a homer today. So he was a bit unlucky. He got off to a slow start, got hurt, and returned to resume his slump. Last season he also started slow before heating up. A study published by mlb.com still favorably compares Mookie’s bat-to-ball skills with Soto’s and Luis Arraez’s. Good company. But Mookie’s bat speed is down, and he isn’t as fast as he used to be. Last season, another analysis gave Mookie the game’s highest rating in terms of getting good “jumps” on the basepaths. His speed may not be elite, but his baserunning instincts were. His defense certainly passes my eye test. The Dodgers’ offense is potent that Mookie’s glove and leadership may now be more important than his bat for the team’s success.
Someone please advise as to what is an acceptable BA or OPS in the PCL. Should any player with less than a .343 BA or .900 OPS pack it in? Doesn’t defense or speed factor in? Kim has done everything asked of him by the Dodgers. He has bounced twice to OKC this year, and is still producing, at a high level playing SS, 2B, and even a very competent 3B. As well as OF, including CF. His big weakness is plate discipline. He doesn’t walk enough. Kim is a MLB player playing in MiLB. The Dodgers do not utilize his greatest skill, his speed. How good would he be with Miami, or Milwaukee, or Pittsburgh. I bet Pittsburgh would take Kim over Triolo right now. Kim could slide in CF for Miami. CF for Milwaukee. Tampa Bay at 2B or CF. I am sure I can go through the lineups in dozens of MLB teams where he could fit in. Maybe someone should ask Kim if he would rather be playing in the LAD MiLB or for Pittsburgh or another MLB team.
And so is Pepiot, right?
Sirota gets the bump from me because of his defense. Sirota can be a MLB CF. Sirota is a five tool player. De Paula was rated with a higher hit and power ceiling over Sirota before the start of the year. (60 vs 55 in both). De Paula still looks to be a higher power guy, but I am not convinced he will ultimately have a better hit tool. But we are splitting hairs here. Both are legit top 17 prospects, and should hit at MLB.
I did not need that graph to tell me that the LAD MiLB pitchers throw hard with very little command. But it sure puts into a picture what is going on with LAD MiLB pitchers. Thank you for that. I wonder what LAD Department of Player Development would say about that.
So happy for Dustin. Also hoping the Catman gets another opportunity when he gets healthy.