Ranking the Dodger Farm System Position Players

This is really hard because we have nothing to go on insofar as for player development in 2020… and it is going to get worse! Next year, MLB is allegedly going to contract 40+ teams (if they stick to the plan).  If there are 30 players on a team (counting the IL), that is almost 1,200 players who will be out of jobs.  It’s sad, but it’s also a stark reality that most of those players had very little chance of making it to the major-leagues. 

Of course, Independent Teams and Leagues will pop-up, but MLB wants to own and control all phases of the minor leagues.  They intend to upgrade the facilities and development process.  This is bittersweet as I can see how that can help player development, but it’s sad for all of those young men with dreams. It is also a dose of reality. 

I wonder how this is going to work in a city like Indianapolis, whose minor league team is one of the most profitable in all of baseball and has been owned by Max Schumacher since the 1960’s? Are they going to force him out and give him fair-market valve?  The Indianapolis Indians have a state-of-the-art facility and typically lead the minor leagues in attendance.  They are extremely profitable, and 2020 was the first season they did not play in 120 years! Victory Field sits right beside White River State Park which includes the NCAA Hall of Champions, NCAA Headquarters, Outdoor Music Amphitheaters, and 13 miles of Riverwalk. What will happen to the Indians, the best ticket in town, and still the best minor league ballpark I have even seen?

Ranking the Dodger Hitters

I have not looked up whether Gavin Lux is still eligible to be a Rookie, but I consider Edwin Rios and Gavin Lux to be Graduates of the Dodger Farm System. Along with Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May, that brings to four (4) the number of prospects the system produced in 2020. I still have high hopes for Gavin Lux, but it has occurred to me that because of his speed and throwing problems, LF would be a great idea for him. That way all he has to worry about is his hitting. He has had the “yips” on and off throughout his career, so let’s just take that out of the equation.

We don’t know what was going on in Gavin’s life last year and if that prevented him from taking a big step forward. Maybe it was COVID, maybe it was something personal, maybe it was the “yips.” Putting his legs to use in LF is weaponizing his speed and would tighten the Dodgers’ outfield defense even more. Of course, the Dodgers may not like my ideas… so there is that!

Then Will Smith could move to 2B or the Dodgers could sign DJ LeMahieu. Some have predicted a 4-year/$68 million dollar deal for him and the Yankees will not pony up that much. He would be 37 in the last year of that deal. Maybe AC will kick in some cash. 😉 He wanted him the last time he was a free agent and DJ has been a beast! If the Dodgers get him I would be fine with it and he might be a real weapon in the Dodgers’ lineup.

However, that is all conjecture. Below are my rankings of the Position Players. I have already posted my Top 15 pitchers. Now, I am listing my Top 15 position players. AC will follow up with his rankings and then there will be a “Cage Match” to decide who is right. OK, maybe not a cage match… maybe a discussion is in order. At any rate, we will agree on some players and disagree on others. But, isn’t that half the fun of it? Here we go…

Top 15 Position Players

1. Keibert Ruiz – I still have Kaybear at the top spot because of two things: (1) His elite bat-to-ball skills; and (2) His advanced defensive ability.  He is still just 22 (three years younger than Will Smith) and the possibilities are endless, including a change of position for Will Smith or a trade of Ruiz. 
2. Michael Busch – If you look up “Stone Cold Hitter” in the Dictionary, you may find a picture of Mike Busch.  The Dodgers want to try him at 2B, but he’s another LH hitter and his best position is probably 1B or DH. Mike “Hitman” Busch!
3. Kody Hoese – The 6’ 4”, 200-pound right-hander will be 24 next season and he is a little harder for me to project, although many scouts think he will hit for both power and average.  He could stay at 3B or move to 1B, where he would be a big target. This guy could be really good and most people put him ahead of Busch, but I have some apprehension.
4. Zach McKinstry – I love players like Zach. He is a guy who has worked hard to add strength and power from his LHB.  He is 25, so his time is likely now. He profiles as a utilityman who can play 2B, 3B, SS and all three outfield spots. Some compare him to a LH Chris Taylor.  I expect him to make the roster in 2021. Harold Uhlman’s Profile of Zach McKinstry
5. Cody Thomas – There is not much I can say about Cody Thomas that Harold Uhlman has not said right HERE:  Harold Uhlman’s Profile of Cody Thomas  Cody Thomas comes to play!  Wait, Harold said that. OK, here’s what I say about Cody Thomas: He is mature at 26 and after 2015, he focused his energy on baseball… quitting Sooner football where he backed up Baker Mayfield.  I could see him doing more of what he did last Spring and winning the LF platoon job with AJ Pollock.  He is a 6’ 4”, 211-pound left-handed hitter, whom I think he is going to be a beast!
6. Miguel Vargas – Still only 20, Miguel is a 6’ 3”, 205-pound right-hander has excellent bat-to-ball skills (Ruiz is the only one better in the system).  He is currently playing 3B and likely needs another year or two, but he is not unlike Edwin Rios with better strike-zone management.  He is improving defensively and what I really like is his work ethic and how he is not “pull happy.”  He drives the ball to all fields.
7. Jake Vogel – He is faster than Jeren Kendall… well he faster than just about anybody, and maybe the next Dodger centerfielder, like in 2024 when Cody moves back to 1B. Unlike Kendall, he makes good contact, but at 5’ 11” and just 165 pounds, this RH hitter currently lacks power.  That should improve as he matures and gets stronger.  He has a good arm as well. He is  a project – keep your eye on him! Did I mention that he is just 19?
8. Diego Cartaya – I have only seen brief videos of Diego, but many scouts compare him to Salvador Perez.  He is RH but has many of the same tools as Keibert Ruiz, albeit with a better arm and more power! He could be ready in as little as two years but is still only 19.  He has the potential of being a better catcher than Ruiz.
9. Luis Rodriguez – This 18-year-old was the top prospect from Venezuela and scouts say he has a high baseball IQ.  I have only seen video of him, but I have to say he gave me flashes of Roberto Clemente.  He is a pure hitter who may hit 25 HR, but with a high average..  He has a plus arm and could end up in either corner outfield position, probably by 2024.
10. Andy Pages – Another 19-year old RH hitter, this guy is a very smart hitter, with a huge leg kick.  He is playing CF, but really does not have the speed (think Alex Verdugo), so RF is more likely as he has a cannon for an arm. He just needs to work on his plate discipline.  Again, he’s 3 or 4 years away.
11. Alex De Jesus – This 18-year-old RH hitter is playing SS, but most likely is really a third-baseman. He has a compact swing and with an improved understanding of the strike zone, he could be a power-hitter. His arm is also a weapon.
12. Omar Estevez – Let me start by saying that Omar will be 23 next year and if they put him on the 40-man roster, this will likely be his last opportunity.  He has swing issues, defensive issues, a weak arm and little power… and he’s still around!  If this guy makes it, it is just by sheer will and quick hands. He is not an MLB SS and likely not good enough to play 2B, so I am not sure where we go from here.
13. Jacob Amaya – Jacob will be 23 next season, is RH, and profiles as a utilityman.  He has great pitch-recognition and understanding of the strike zone.  His grandfather player for the Dodgers Farm System in the 1950’s and he possesses a high baseball IQ. We could see him in 2022.
14. Christian Santana – This soon-to-be 24-year-old power hitter’s star is waning.  He only walked 10 times in 399 AB’s in Tulsa in 2019.  He kills fastballs and has issues with breaking stuff.  He was exposed to Rule 5 last year and was not taken.  If this RH can’t change his approach he is going to go the route of DJ Peters and Jeren Kendall, whom I have already written off. 
15. Devin Mann – This is a player who has worked very hard and totally transformed himself offensively and defensively.  In a strongly LH organization, his RH bat is a plus and he now has above-average power.  His downside is that he is not a utilityman.  He can play 2B and 3B, but 3B probably is his ultimate position.  Could he be Edwin Rios’ platoon partner? Harold Uhlman’s Profile of Devin Mann

As I said, I don’t have high hopes for DJ Peters and Jeren Kendall… let me change that to “I have no hope.”  I am sure that they are both fine young men, but this is a “bottom-line business.”  I can’t see either one improving enough to get to the Show.  No disrespect! 

13 Minutes of Glory (Enjoy)