The Mann of the Hour

A couple of weeks ago a LADT poster asked about Dodger minor league prospects whose status has risen or fallen since being drafted by the Dodgers. I don’t like to write about players whose prospects have declined. Although I can’t feel their pain, I can understand how difficult it must be for them. I am more interested in selecting players that have risen in the top 30 prospect lists and most interested in those who are climbing the ladder without the recognition of top prospect lists. That would be players like Kyle Garlick and Zach Reks among others.

The top player on my list who has made great strides this year is Rancho Cucamonga Quakes second baseman Devin Mann. Actually he has played about the same number of games at second and third base although second is his preference.

Mann was selected by the Dodgers in the 5th round of the 2018 First-Year Player Draft as a junior out of Louisville. 

He was a graduate of Columbus North High School in Indiana and closed his prep career as Columbus North’s career leader in average (.449), runs (118), hits (150), doubles (36), triples (10), home runs (20), RBI (111) and stolen bases (92).

Upon graduation from high school he headed off to Louisville for a 3-year college career. In his junior and drafting year he hit .303 with seven home runs, 17 doubles, 52 RBI, 65 runs scored, 59 walks and 15 stolen bases in 64 starts.

Mann was expecting to be selected in the 2018 draft and suspected it might be by the Dodgers. He had drawn interest from several teams including the Royals, Orioles, Phillies and Yankees during his junior season but he felt the Dodgers were the team that was most high on him. One expects the Dodgers selected Mann with the belief they could unlock untapped power in his bat with a few adjustments to his swing.

“They definitely showed interest throughout the entire process,” Mann said.

A 5th round selection is quite high yet until  a few weeks ago Devin Mann was an invisible man within the Dodgers farm system. He was a generic type second baseman that had not separated himself from the pack.

Part of the reason for his anonymity might have been his first year as a professional in which he did not gather much attention outside of the coaching staff. He began his professional career in 2018 with the AZL Dodgers and after 2 games advanced to the Great Lakes Loons. Moving directly to class-A must have meant the Dodgers saw something in him that the rest of us didn’t. As a Loon in 63 games in 2018 he posted a triple slash of .241/.348/.332 along with 2 home runs and 30 runs batted in. Perhaps those are not 5th round numbers.

Mann was advanced to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes to begin the 2019 season and the move has been a good one. The 22-year-old right-hand hitter has distinguished himself during the current campaign and is near the top in several hitting categories: 17 home runs(2nd), 55 RBI (2nd), 150 total bases (tied 1st), .532 slugging (2nd), .883 OPS ( 3rd), 48 runs (4th). As a result of his offensive urge, he was selected as a Mid-Season All-Star.

Mann is listed at 6’3”/180-pounds and  is not a typical second baseman because of his height. Only two MLB second basemen are taller than 6’3” – D.J. LeMahieu and Travis Shaw. Eleven MLB second basemen are shorter than 6-feet.  Dustin Pedroia at 5’9” is Devin Mann’s favorite player. He explains.

“I just like how he plays the game,” says Mann. “He plays the game really hard. He goes about his business everyday. That’s what they taught at (the University of) Louisville. I love that about him.”

This was Baseball America’s assessment of Mann before the 2018 draft.

“He’s a disciplined hitter who works deep counts, controls the strike zone well and spoils pitcher’s pitches until he gets something he likes. In 2018, he’s walked more (53) than struck out (43) and has at least solid-average hitting ability with a quick, level swing that currently produces more doubles than over-the-fence pop.”

Something has happened on the way to the ball park that Devin Mann is now a power threat. His doubles, as described by Baseball America, have turned into home runs. Is it the Robert Van Scoyoc affect? We might have to read between the lines as something happened with him during the off season.

“When I was at Louisville I was a very reserved hitter,” Mann said. “I didn’t really use my body well, use my levers well. Then, when I got drafted with the Dodgers, we made a lot of changes with my lower half and bat path, just making sure I was tapped into all the power that I have and making sure I’m staying through the zone better. It’s paid off so far. I’m happy with the changes we’ve made.”

Regardless of the coaching provided, a player must buy into what is being sold and devote countless hours to utilizing what he has bought. To Mann’s credit, he made a total commitment just as Dustin Pedroia would have done.

“I never really tapped into that before just because of the reserved swing,” he said. “But as we made the changes in the off season, just month by month would go by being out in Arizona and you would start to see flashes of it.”

It may be written that the California League is a hitter’s league and does not provide a true reflection of a player’s power. However, all the players in the California league have the same advantage so perhaps it is better to be at the top of the league with a power surge than on the lower rungs of the ladder. Can the league advantage take credit for a 401-foot blast to center field?

Hitting the baseball is the most difficult part of the game but catching the ball is just as important. Devin Mann has made strides on the defensive side of the ball also, willing to put in the time to transition from second to third base. He has improved his footwork, athleticism and arm strength at second base under the care of the Dodgers’ player development staff, and he’s received his first extended exposure at third base as well to help enhance his versatility.

“We’ve seen some really incredible plays out of him at both spots,” Kertenian said. “Fearless going for it, but having his legs underneath him. I think he’s gotten the ball in and out of the glove with some velocity on the throws very, very well. That’s been a significant improvement.”

Third base -hmmm. The invisible man has transformed into one of the Dodgers most promising prospects.

DC’s Minor League Lowdown

Highlight of the Day: 19-year old Miguel Vargas made his Quakes debut. He had 2 hits including a walk-off double in the bottom of the 9th inning.

DSL Dodgers (Bautista) 7 – DSL Red Sox (1) 3

Jerming Rosario and Christian Suarez opened up with a combined 5 scoreless innings on 3 hits and 4 strikeouts. Elgardo Henriquez and Carlos De Avila then gave up one and 2 runs respectively while Hendrick Briones pitched a scoreless 9th. The 17-year-old has allowed no runs over 12 innings.

The Dodgers scored three gift runs in the 2nd inning on an error, a sac fly and a wild pitch pitch. Three more came home in the 5th on a Luis Yan single and a Gregory Pereira double. Yan brought one more home in the 6th with another single.

DSL Dodgers (Shoemaker) 1 – DSL Rangers (1) 4

Osvanni Gutierrez pitched 4 innings giving up 3 runs while Jose Mendez allowed one in his 2 innings. Carlos Rodriguez and Horacio Andujar each pitched a scoreless inning. Andujar has not given up any runs in his five appearances.

The lone run came in the 7th on a ground out.

AZL Dodgers (Lasorda) 8- AZL Athletics (Green) 7

Orlandy Navarro continues to struggle and spotted the Athletics 4 runs in 2.1 innings while Igor Avila followed suit with 3 runs in 1.2 innings. After that Juan Gonzalez, Franklin De La Paz and Reinaldo De Paula combined for 5 scoreless innings on 4 hits and with 10 strikeouts.

The Dodgers scored in 4 separate innings with one run in the 2nd on a ground out and one in the 3rd on a Yunior Garcia single. Two came home in the 4th on a Wladimir Chalo single and 4 in the 7th on a Jaime Perez home run, a Tyler Ryan pinch hit triple and 2 fielder’s choices.

AZL Dodgers (Mota) 7 – AZL D-backs 6

Hyun-il Choi gave up a grand slam in the 4th inning although none of the runs were earned. Michael Martinez and Carlos Alejo each surrendered a run in a combined 3.2 innings pitched .Jacob Gilliland picked up the win in his 0.2 inning pitched.

Offensively the Dodgers scored 4 in the first inning on a 2-run double by Alex De Jesus and a 2-run home run by Steve Berman. Jeremiah Vison scored on a WP in the second while 2 came home in the bottom of the 9th on an Albert Suatez bunt and an Ismael Alcantara sacrifice fly.

Ogden Raptors   – Orem Owlz (LAA)

Postponed due to wet grounds with a double header today.

Great Lakes Loons 3 – Lansing Lugnuts (Toronto) 4

The Loons wasted another great start by Robinson Ortiz who went 6 innings on 7 hits with 2 walks and 3 strikeouts. Joel Inoa and Mark Washington proceeded to surrender 2 runs each with Washington taking the loss.

Jacob Amaya had provided Ortiz with a quick lead with a 2-run home run in the first inning. Matt Cogen had extended the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single in the 6th inning.

Ranch Cucamonga Quakes  2 – Lake Elsinore Storm (San Diego) 1

Josiah Gray continued to shine in the California League pitching 6.2 scoreless innings on 4 hits, 2 walks and 7 strikeouts. Bryan Warzek gave up one run but Wes Helsabeck picked up his 5th win with a scoreless 1.2 innings pitched.

Trailing 1-0 in the bottom of the 9th, Miguel Vargas in his Quakes debut drove home Marchus Chiu and Deacon Liput with a double, his second hit of the game.

Tulsa Drillers 3 – Springfield Cardinals 9

Justin DeFratus and Victor Gonzalez coughed up 9 runs to the Cardinals in the 4th inning and the Drillers never recovered. Yordy Cabrera and Andre Scrubb  cleaned up with 5 strikeouts over 3 innings.

The Drillers runs came on a Christian Santana home run in the 4th innings, a Victor Gonzalez single in the 5th inning and a Santana single in the 6th.

OKC Dodgers  4 – Nashville Sounds (Texas) 6

Dennis Santana continued his struggles coughing up 5 runs in 5 innings. Justin Grimm gave up a 6th run in his 1.2 innings while Chris Nunn pitched a scoreless 1.1 innings.

The Dodgers runs came on a Jake Peter home run in the 2nd inning, a Connor Joe 2-run home run in the 5th inning and a DJ Peters sac fly in the 8th.